Air bag sensor light won't go off, corrosion around the subframe engine light won't go off AC
The worst 2009 Mazda CX-7 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine20
- Suspension20
- Airbags17
- Steering5
- Lights4
- Fuel system3
- Transmission3
- Brakes2
- Electrical2
- Body1
- Driver assistance1
- Seats1
- Visibility1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2009 Mazda CX-7
Recalls 5
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2007-2012 CX-7, CX-9, and 2009-2012 Maza6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1‑800‑222‑5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V356 and 17V012.
Recall number 19V782000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2013 Mazda6 and CX-9 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, unless covered in "Zone A," Mazda is recalling certain 2010 Mazda6, CX-7 and CX-9 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, unless covered in Zone A or Zone B, Mazda is recalling certain 2009 Mazda6, CX-7, and CX-9 vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1‑800‑222‑5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F.
Recall number 18V018000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2012 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2009 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2007-2008 CX-7 and CX-9 sold, or ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- Risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began October 4, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1‑800‑222‑5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. Note: This recall supersedes recall 17V‑012.
Recall number 17V457000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2011 Mazda6, and 2007-2011 CX-7 and CX-9 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
- Risk
- An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on August 30, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1‑800‑222‑5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. Note: This recall supersedes recall 16V356 and all vehicles that were not remedied under that campaign are now covered by this one.
Recall number 17V429000 · Recall details
Suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
- What is wrong
- Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2012 Mazda CX-7 vehicles manufactured February 14, 2006, to May 9, 2012. In the affected vehicles, water may enter the front suspension ball joint fittings. If the water is contaminated with salt, such as from driving on snowy roads that have been treated, the ball joint may corrode and separate from the lower control arm, resulting in a loss of steering control.
- Risk
- A loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower control arms, free of charge. As a priority, Mazda will first address all affected 2007-2008 vehicles as well as 2009-2011 vehicles currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia. West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The remaining vehicles will be addressed as parts are available. The recall began September 20, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1‑800‑222‑5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9716H.
Recall number 16V593000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2009 Mazda CX-7 243
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below
- Description
- Product Quality Information (PQI) DESCRIPTION Service Information MT-041/12 is no longer valid
- This SA supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below
- This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red....
- If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...),...
- A musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (A/C) system is operating
- Exterior trim heat damage such (melted, separating, etc.) when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows
- When replacing the SiriusXM satellite radio unit, a call must be made to inform SiriusXM of the existing...
- Some customers may complain about a noisy HVAC blower motor or odor after a cabin air filter replacement
2009 Mazda CX-7 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4‑cyl | FWD | 17 | 23 | 20 |
| 2.3L 4‑cyl | 4WD | 16 | 22 | 18 |
What 2009 Mazda CX-7 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
I purchased a car from Best Buy Motors in Spanaway, WA on [XXX]. Three days later I took the car in for an oil change and my mechanic cited safety issues and identified the rear brakes were faulty and deemed them a safety hazard. I repaired the brakes because I did not want to continue driving them under those conditions. My mechanic stated that the dealership was wrong for selling the car with the brake pads so thin and worn. My bill for the brakes and oil change was $778.28. I called the dealership and asked them to pay for the "parts" $388.08. They talked to the mechanic and came back with parts for $119. They could have fixed the brakes for that amount before they sold it to me. My issue is that they had the car on the lot for over 6 weeks and allowed people to test drive the car with faulty rear brakes. That is hazardous to me and to people who are on the road. I still have the rotors and pads that were taken off the car. I showed the old parts to another mechanic and he agreed that it was indeed a safety hazard to be driving with them in that condition. I only asked them to pay for the parts, not the labor and they refused. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 mazda cx-7. The contact stated that the front driver side window and both rear windows failed to operate as intended going up and down. The tire pressure monitor light illuminated and remained despite having the tires checked for proper tire pressure and following the instructions provided to reset the tire pressure light. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The check engine warning light was reset by an independent mechanic. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH the vehicle decelerated to 20 MPH and stalled. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic and was informed that the mass airflow sensor and oxygen sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 98,800.
In the last 2 weeks, when the vehicle is started, the airbag light by the speedometer flashes twice, stops, flashes twice, then stops. This continues for about 20-30 seconds after the car is started and is running/idling. Once the 20-30 seconds have passed, the airbag light then remains permanently lit. It remains lit while driving. The cycle starts again once the car is restarted.
The mazda has multiple issues with turbo booster functioning and malfunctioning causing air pollution issues with billowing white smoke fr tailpipe, mazda does not warranty this by ongoing issues with some repairs having to be done as early as 60000 miles,. My car is less than 100000 miles with extensive repair required to resolve issue, repairs as expensive as 3000 dollars. The smoke is so thick is impairs the vision of cars that maybe behind vehicles with this problem. This issue needs to be reviewed and resolved, car owners should be made aware when purchasing these mazda of this heavily unreliable important part of the vehicle to make the decision beforehand if they will be responsible for these expensive repairs should they occur.
Takata recall. The headlights are a danger. My 2009 mazda cx-7 is very dangerous. The inside of the lamps are all coated. I never had an accident. They are just a death trap. I cannot use them. I use my brights so I don't get in an accident.
The exhaust from this car is horrible. Causing breathing issues
"takata recall" indicator airbag light having issues?
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 mazda cx-7. The contact received a recall notification for the federal safety agency campaign number: 16v593000 (suspension) and stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time to perform the recall repair. The dealer (hyman brothers mazda, 12602 jefferson avenue newport news, virginia 23602) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available to perform the repair. The manufacturer was not notified. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 mazda cx-7. The contact stated that the vehicle lacked stability when being operated at high speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the lower control arms and ball joints were defective and needed to be replaced. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign numbers: 17v429000 (air bags) and 16v593000 (suspension). The contact was unable to get the remedy completed due to lack of communication by the dealer (dennis dillon mazda, 9501 w fairview ave, boise, id). The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The failure mileage was 157,142. Parts distribution disconnect.
Compare the 2009 Mazda CX-7
Other model years
Questions about the 2009 Mazda CX-7
Is the 2009 Mazda CX-7 reliable?
Owners have filed 65 complaints about the 2009 Mazda CX-7, fewer than a typical CX-7 model year.
What is the 2009 Mazda CX-7 year score?
The 2009 Mazda CX-7 scores 85 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Mazda CX-7: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Mazda CX-7?
Engine and cooling, with 20 complaints, typically around 78,120 miles. Next is suspension (20).
How many recalls does the 2009 Mazda CX-7 have?
5 recalls, covering air bags and suspension.
What year does the Mazda CX-7 have bad engine?
The Mazda CX-7 model years with the most engine complaints are 2007 (316 complaints), 2008 (84 complaints) and 2010 (22 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2009 Mazda CX-7 get?
Official estimates for the 2009 Mazda CX-7 range from 18 to 20 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.3L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 17 city and 23 highway.
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