2010 Mazda CX-9 Engine Problems

Water pump failure causing catastrophic engine damage

The water pump failed and leaked coolant into the engine, causing motor damage which requires motor replacement. There was no evidence of any failure until the vehicle overheated while being driven. This is a known design flaw of the engine design but no recall has been issued.

The contact owns a 2010 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated while conducting a routine check, he noticed that the coolant and the oil levels were low. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the coolant was leaking into the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.

My vehicle completely shut off while idling in park with no prior warning to anything being wrong. Put coolant in since the container was empty. Replaced thermostat, but vehicle was still overheating. Had it towed to Flow Mazda of Fayetteville and had them run a diagnostic. They determined that coolant was leaking into the oil due to a broken water pump. It was estimated to cost approximately $5,000 to repair with no guarantee that it would fix the problem. They pulled 4 sludge codes. There is currently a lawsuit against Mazda for this specific problem that was filed in 2019.

Our 2010 Mazda CX-9 stopped on the highway and had to be towed away. The dealer determined it was an engine failure due to a faulty water pump. It had leaked into the engine, causing permanent damage. No warning lights. The car just stopped. Two dealerships did not want to repair. There is a class action lawsuit. https://www.ktmc.com/mazda-water-pump-engine-failure There should be a recall. We need a refund for the repair we had done, totaling more than $7000. Please look into this safety issue. Mazda Corporate has our complaint on file. We are expecting a refund.

WE WERE SITTING IN A PARKING LOT WAITING ON A PIZZA. WE NOTICED THE A/C WASN'T COOLING, AND THEN NOTICED THE CAR WAS STARTING TO OVERHEAT. (THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME EVER). WE CHECKED THE RADIATOR, IT WAS EMPTY. WE PURCHASED COOLANT AND FILLED UP THE RESERVOIR. NEVER SAW ANY LEAKS. CAR STARTED BUT SEEMED SLUGGISH LIKE THE BATTERY WAS LOW. WE GOT OUR PIZZA AND DROVE ABOUT 6 MILES WHERE WE PARKED TILL WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY. OUR MECHANIC CALLED ME LATER TO TELL ME THAT THE WATER PUMP HAD FAILED AND THAT IT HAD LEAKED INTO THE OIL PAN AND WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED. THE REPAIR TOTAL FOR MY CX9 IS AT $9K. WE HAVE 108,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE IS STILL SITTING AT THE DEALER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA CX-9. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25-30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUTOFF WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. THE CONTACT PUSHED THE VEHICLE TO HER RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NEXT DAY SHE NOTICED COOLANT MIXED IN WITH THE ENGINE OIL. THE CONTACT CALLED JACK GIAMBALVO MAZDA (2425 INDUSTRIAL HWY, YORK, PA 17402, (717) 755-2944) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE THE WATER PUMP HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,422. THE WATER PUMP WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED AT 61,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA CX9. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THEIR SON WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WATER PUMP FAILED CAUSING COOLANT TO MIX WITH THE ENGINE OIL AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO QUIRK MAZDA (99 MCGRATH HWY, QUINCY, MA 02169, (617) 773-8000) WHO CONFIRMED THE PREVIOUS DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000. VIN NOT AVAILABLE

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG, ALL OF A SUDDEN THREE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, ENGINE LOST POWER, ACCELERATOR, BRAKES AND STEERING WERE UNRESPONSIVE. I AM LUCKY I COULD MANAGE TO GET INTO A TURN LANE AND STOP USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. CAR WAS TOWED TO MAZDA. TOLD WATER PUMP FAILED AND NOW COOLANT IS MIXED WITH ENGINE OIL, ENGINE LIKELY RUINED. THE CAR HAS 66,000 MILES ON IT. INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWS THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON CX-9S AND MAZDA DID NOT ISSUE RECALL. IS IT SAFE FOR THESE CARS TO BE ON THE ROADS? SEE HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/NEWS/2019/MAZDA-WATER-PUMP-LAWSUIT.SHTML

ME AND MY HUSBAND WERE ON OUR WAY HOME FROM WORK. THE CAR SUDDENLY OVERHEATED AND WE LOST POWER ON I-35, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO AN EXIT AND WAS NEARLY HIT BY ANOTHER CAR DUE TO LOSS OF STEERING AND POWER. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A MAZDA DEALERSHIP. THERE IS ENGINE COOLANT IN THE OIL AND WE ARE TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW MOTOR.

THE ENGINE OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED AND FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER INVESTIGATION IT WAS FOUND THAT WATER PUMP MALFUNCTIONED FORCING COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE. IT IS NOW COMPLETELY INOPERABLE AND THE CAR HAS ONLY AROUND 80,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE! THE CAR WAS SERVICED AND OIL CHANGED JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW ON MAZDA'S PART, WHICH THEY SEEM TO KNOW ABOUT AND NEVER ISSUED A RECALL TO GET ALL THE CARS FIXED. REPLACING AN ENGINE IS NOT SOMETHING MOST FAMILIES HAVE THE BUDGET FOR OR EVEN THINK ABOUT WHEN THE CAR IS LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS OF WATER PUMP FAILURE. MAZDA NEEDS TO WARN CX-9 OWNERS WITH TSB OR RECALL THE WATER PUMP. THE WATER PUMP IS NOT BURIED INSIDE THE ENGINE AND CANNOT BE VISUALLY INSPECTED. HAVING A VEHICLE SHUT OFF ABRUPTLY WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS IS A SERIOUS RISK FOR BOTH DRIVER, VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND SURROUNDING MOTORISTS. I HOPE NHTSA TAKES THIS COMPLAINT SERIOUSLY AND TAKES ACTION BEFORE A SERIOUS OR FATAL INJURY OCCURS.

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A BUSY STREET WHEN SUDDENLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE AC STOPPED COMING OUT COLD, AND THE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING WOULD ONLY GO UP TO 20 MPH, THE CAR STARTED MAKING RATTLING NOISES AND I DROVE BY TO THE NEAREST PLACE TO STOP AND WATER FELL OUT OF THE FRONT BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE CAR.. THE WATER PUMP MESSED UP

ON JAN 12, 2019 WE WERE DRIVING HOME AND WITHOUT WARNING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SPIKED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE ENGINE STOPPED AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. I LOOKED TO SEE THE COOLANT RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. I WAS ABLE TO REFILL IT, THINKING POSSIBLY THERE WAS A LEAK. IT GOT US HOME SAFELY. THE NEXT DAY, ENROUTE TO THE RADIATOR SHOP; THE SAME THING HAPPENED. AFTER A TOW HOME, THEN A TOW TO THE RADIATOR SHOP AND EVENTUALLY A TOW HOME, IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A WATER PUMP FAILURE AND NOW A NEW ENGINE IS THE ANSWER FOR THE REPAIR. THERE WAS ABSOLUTLY NO WARNING TO THIS HAPPENING AND THE WATER PUMP IS INTERNAL. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PUMP CAN/WILL WEAR OUT. I GET IT. WHERE IT'S LOCATED IS A JOKE AND I'VE READ IT'S AT LEAST A $1500 - $2000 FIX, JUST FOR THE PUMP REPLACEMENT. THE MAIN ISSUE IS THE NO WARNING WHATSOEVER!

WHILE TRAVELING 65MPH ON HIGHWAY WITH FAMILY THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED AND WE NEARLY WERE STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN PULLING OVER. CX-9 WAS TOWED 75 MILES TO MECHANIC WHO INFORMED US COOLANT ENTERED THE ENGINE FROM FAILED WATER PUMP AND ENGINE NEEDS REPLACEMENT ($4000). MAZDA SERVICE MANAGER CONFIRMED THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON AND CONFIRMED ENGINE WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN RESEARCHING CX-9 WATER PUMP FAILURE ONLINE I FOUND MANY DISTURBING TESTIMONIALS OF OTHER CX-9 OWNERS WITH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS OF WATER PUMP FAILURE. MAZDA NEEDS TO WARN CX-9 OWNERS WITH TSB OR RECALL THE WATER PUMP. THE WATER PUMP IS NOT BURIED INSIDE THE ENGINE AND CANNOT BE VISUALLY INSPECTED. HAVING A VEHICLE SHUT OFF ABRUPTLY WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS IS A SERIOUS RISK FOR BOTH DRIVER, VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND SURROUNDING MOTORISTS. I HOPE NSTSA TAKES THIS COMPLAINT SERIOUSLY AND TAKES ACTION BEFORE A SERIOUS OR FATAL INJURY OCCURS.

CAR WAS ALWAYS SERVICED REGULARLY. ONE DAY I WAS ABOUT TO GET ON A BUSY HIGHWAY INTO BOSTON JUST BEFORE RUSH HOUR, WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND THEN THE CAR SHUT OFF. NO LIGHTS EVER CAME ON BEFOREHAND AND NO LEAKING OF FLUIDS EVER HAPPENED BEFORE INCIDENT. HAD IT TOWED TO MAZDA DEALER, WHO AT FIRST TOLD ME THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO EVEN LOOK AT IT FOR 6 DAYS. FRIEND WORKED THERE AND GOT MECHANICS TO LOOK AT IT RIGHT AWAY. THEY SAID THE WATER PUMP WAS GONE AND IT WOULD COST $3500 TO FIX IT. THE WORST PART OF IT WAS, THAT ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS A FLAW WITH WHERE THE WATER PUMP IS LOCATED IN THE ENGINE, AND THAT BECAUSE OF THIS THE ENGINE WAS MOST LIKELY GONE AS WELL. IN THEIR WORDS, THEY HAVE REPLACED MANY WATER PUMPS IN THESE SAME SITUATIONS OVER THE YEARS, AND ONLY ONE CAR DIDN'T NEED A NEW ENGINE. THEY RECOMMENDED FIXING THE WATER PUMP, THEN PUTTING IN A NEW ENGINE--$10,000 WORTH OF WORK. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED FROM A DEALERSHIP. IT ONLY HAD 108,000 MILES ON IT AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD JUST ENDED 8 MONTHS BEFORE. I HAVE NUMEROUS OTHER CARS IN MY LIFETIME AND NEVER HAVE I HAD TO REPLACE AN ENTIRE ENGINE, JUST BECAUSE THE WATER PUMP WAS GONE! THIS CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN WORTH ABOUT $9K-$11K FOR RESALE, AND INSTEAD MAZDA WANTED TO GIVE US $2K TOWARDS A DOWN PAYMENT FOR LEASING ANOTHER OF THEIR CARS. THEY GAVE US A RATE THAT THEY CLAIMED WAS A SPECIAL ONE, HOWEVER, I FOUND OUT I COULD GET AN EVEN BETTER ONE ONLINE MYSELF! WHEN WE CALLED THEM ON THIS AND SAID WE WERE TIRED OF DEALING WITH THIS, THEY TOLD US THEY WOULDN'T TALK WITH US ANYMORE. VERY DISAPPOINTING TO A FAMILY THAT CAREFULLY WATCHES ITS MONEY AND BUDGETS FOR EMERGENCIES, BUT WEREN'T PREPARED TO NEED AN ENTIRELY NEW CAR BEFORE THE OTHER WAS EVEN PAID FOR! SO UNFAIR!

THE ENGINE COMPLETELY LOST POWER. TIMING CHAIN FAILURE IN DOWNTOWN AREA / TRAFFIC, CAUSING FAILURE OF HEAD GASKET. WARNING AND IMMEDIATE FAILURE WHEN IN MOTION IN BUSY DOWNTOWN MIDDAY TRAFFIC.

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR WHEN THE TRANSFER CASE ON MY 2010 CX9 BROKE AT 109.000 MILES AND SPLINE GEAR IS WORN OUT. OVERWHELMING OIL SMELL COMING BACK INTO CAR ALONG WITH HORRIBLE GRINDING NOISE. TOOK TO MY MAZDA DEALER, MAZDA WASN'T SURE IF THEY COULD FIX, SUGGESTED REPLACING TRANSMISSION. MAZDA TRIED TO FIX THE TRANSFER CASE ISSUE, BUT COULD HAVE HUMMING NOISE. INSTEAD OF HUMMING NOISE, AFTER ONE DAY OF RECEIVING MY CAR BACK, TRANSMISSION IS FAILING. ALREADY PUT $2200 INTO THIS REPAIR, BUT WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION COULD FAIL AT ANY TIME. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE AFTER I PUT MY CAR IN FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ALL THE TIME AND TAKE GREAT CARE OF MY CAR.

TAKATA RECALL I HAVE A MAZDA CX9 2010, I GOT NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY WATER PUMP. THE CARE DID NOT OVER HEAT, IT DID NOT STALL AND I WAS NO STEAM COMING FROM THE CAR. I DROVE MY VEHICLE TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WATER MORE THAN 20 MILES FROM MY HOME, SO THAT I COULD GO TO WORK. IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE PHARMACIST AT MY JOB I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN MY CAR AND DROVE OFF. HE NOTICE A PUDDLE UNDER MY CAR AND ASKED ME TO COME OUTSIDE SO HE COULD INVESTIGATE THE SITUATION FURTHER. HE SAW WHERE THE FLUID WAS COMING FROM AND WENT UNDER THE CAR TO TOUCH THE FLUID AND FOUND THAT IT WAS MY ANTI-FREEZE. IF I KNEW I HAD A PROBLEM I WOULD HAVE NEVER DRIVEN THE CAR THAT FAR FROM HOME. I GOT A QUOTE FROM THE DEALER THAT IT WOULD COST ME $2050 TO REPAIR THE WATER PUMP. AS I DID RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GOES ON WITH THESE VEHICLES AND THERE IS NO REAL WAY AROUND HAVING TO PAY THE DEALER THAT TYPE OF MONEY TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE PUMP IS PLACED INSIDE OF THE ENGINE CAVITY. AT THIS POINT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY FOR THIS TYPE OF REPAIR ON A VEHICLE THAT WAS DESIGNED TO SCREW ME OVER. I WISH I DID MY RESEARCH BEFORE BUYING THIS VEHICLE. IF I HAD THE CHANCE TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN I WOULD NOT PICK A VEHICLE THAT REQUIRES ONLY THE DEALER TO REPAIR IT. I THINK THAT THIS IS UNFAIR FOR ANY CONSUMER TO HAVE TO PAY THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE THE WATER PUMP HAS DONE TO THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF ITS PLACEMENT. I AM SO UPSET AND NOT HAPPY ABOUT HOW MY FIRST CAR (THAT I LOVE) EXPERIENCE HAS TURNED OUT. I THANK GOD THAT I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. I COULD HAVE DIED THAT DAY.

TICKING NOISE WAS HEARD AS I ACCELERATED THE VEHICLE AND AS LEFT TURNS WHERE MADE. THE TICKING NOISE WAS LOUDER WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD. MAZDA RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT FURTHER INSPECTION. WHEN I ASKED WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE MAZDA SAID SLUDGE WAS FOUND ON THE DIPSTICK. THEY BLAMED ME THE CONSUMER AND MAZDA WOULD NOT HONOR MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH I PURCHASED THOUGH THEM AT THE TIME OF MY INITIAL PURCHASED OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

THERE IS A TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE WHEN IDLE. WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD THE NOISE IS LOUDER. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATES THAT THERE IS NOTHING TO FIX. THE DEALER IS INFORMING ME THAT IT WAS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS INSPECTED BY A MAZDA ENGINEER. THE ENGINEER CLAIMS THAT THIS IS A NORMAL SOUND FOR THIS VEHICLE AND ENGINE. I EXPLAINED THAT I HAD NOT HEARD THIS ON ANY OF THE OTHER CX-9'S I DROVE. THE DEALER TRIED TO CLAIM IT WAS DUE TO DIFFERENT ENGINES. I INFORMED THE DEALER THAT THEY ALL HAD THE SAME ENGINE. AGAIN, HE SAID THERE IS NOTHING TO FIX (THE TICKING IS NORMAL). I INFORMED THE DEALER THAT IT IS THE OPINION OF ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE SHOP THAT THIS SOUND IS NOT NORMAL AND SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING (I WAS AT THE OTHER SHOP THE WEEK PRIOR). THE DEALER RESPONDED BY SAYING THE OTHER SHOP IS NOT A MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND THEIR OPINION DOES NOT MATTER.