2012 Mazda CX-9: soft or spongy brake pedal

Filed Jul 16, 2019 · Brakes · 63,000 miles · AZ

Brake pedal action feels spongy, soft. Requires extra force to stop the car when moving on city streets.

Filed Oct 29, 2017 · Brakes · 70,000 miles · IN

Power booster master cylinder failure. First, spongy pedal attributed to master cylinder with no fluid present. After refilling hydraulic fluid, pedal was better for a day or two then loud noise coming from cabin in vehicle when pedal is depressed. (it goes to the floor and becomes very loud.) sounds like an identical problem to earlier model year.

Filed Sep 8, 2017 · Brakes · NV

When braking the brakes are either hard and do not work or brakes are spongy, will slow vehicle, but will not give you confidence that they will stop the vehicle like they should. When braking at times you can hear a hissing, maybe all the time, but when things are happening you aren't listening for a hissing sound. Also, when the vehicle is stationary and in park if you really put you foot to the floor a beeping almost like an alarm sound is made. This brake booster failure should be a major concern. 8-13-2017 I was traveling about 65 MPH in lite traffic on a downgrade and slight corner when a vehicle in front of me lost a tire and I needed to brake quickly and my brake pedal wouldn't move, it was hard as a rock, never slowed the vehicle at all. Thank goodness I had plenty of room to maneuver, otherwise who knows what the result of that accident may have been. Another time was 8-30-2017 I was driving my vehicle, approx 20 MPH, and was approaching the intersection of our subdivision and the hwy where the traffic travels at 55 MPH, I went to brake and the pedal went to the floor.... Again no brakes. My vehicle rolled to a complete stop, but not before I crossed into the second lane of cross traffic. Again thank goodness it was around 6:30 am and traffic was fairly lite. Mind you this is only two of the more extreme times. I have purchased a new brake booster and it will be installed this weekend. I did try to contact mazda, but after sitting on hold, 1‑800‑222‑5500, for over 18 minutes the phone finally rings.....until it disconnects.

Filed May 2, 2017 · Brakes · 83,258 miles · CA

Without warning the brakes became spongy and difficult to depress the pedal. Stopping distance significantly increased and a hissing noise while brakes pedal depressed. Took it in for evaluation and diagnosed with brake booster failure.

Filed Aug 31, 2016 · Brakes · 101,000 miles · SC

Loss of brake fluid; brake pedal hard to push. Unable to stop car; hissing noise at brake pedal.

Filed Aug 8, 2016 · Brakes · 40,000 miles · OH

Brake pedal became spongy and stopping power diminished considerably. Heard a loud hissing sound from the front driver's side. Had to fully depress the brake pedal to stop quickly.

Filed Dec 30, 2015 · Brakes · 53,000 miles · MI

Brake pedal makes hissing sound when depressed like air leakage; intermittently very difficult to depress brake pedal with a lot of force applied (typically if pumping brake), leading to increased stopping distance/difficult stopping. Occurs when brakes depressed (soft pedal, air hissing); if depressed again in quick succession, very hard to press with significantly reduced stopping power. Occurs whether vehicle standing or in motion.

Filed Oct 16, 2015 · Brakes · 57,000 miles · LA

My brakes are failing. I first noticed the brakes were spongy and there was a hissing sound in the cabin. Then the brakes became very hard. I was very afraid I was going to hit vehicles in front of me. Also, eventually the car would die when the brakes were applied. The mazda dealership told me it is the brake power booster. This is very common. Please, please recall these vehicles. I bought this vehicle used and it would have been nice to know about this dangerous problem.

Filed Oct 12, 2015 · Brakes · 52,486 miles · OH

Car would not stop when backing out of garage. The brake pedal was stiff causing the car to roll off the driveway and into the side yard. We tried to drive the car back into the garage but the brake pedal resistance was inconsistent - from firmer then usual to less firm - making it difficult to stop the car. When the brake pedal is pressed, a "hissing" sound is audible. The mazda dealership determined the brake booster was losing vacuum. The dealership replaced the brake booster. This is a known mazda issue, but they continue to manufacture this car without a correction. There should be a mandatory recall. The dealership was not able to tell me definitively if the new brake booster has this flaw corrected. This issue could cause a fatality.

Filed Oct 8, 2015 · Brakes · 35,521 miles · NJ

As I was driving I noticed my brakes making a hissing noise of about day. Then, the brake pedal became hard and they failed to work.

Filed Jul 24, 2015 · Brakes · 39,000 miles · CA

In june, I noticed that when I stepped on the brake pedal, it would make a hissing sound, like air being released from a tire. Recently, the brake pedal feels soft and I have to step on it all the way for the car to slowly slowdown. Been in very close situations recently. I checked the brake fluid and it was low, so I refilled it and took it out for a drive... This did very little. The brake pedal still makes a hissing sound and feels very spongy. It is now making a brand new sound too. When I step on the brake pedal all the way, it makes a whistling sound. Very high pitch whistling sound like a lot of air is trying to squeeze out of a tiny hole. If this is a common problem, they need to get this car recalled because I use it to transport my little ones around.

Filed Feb 24, 2015 · Brakes · 35,100 miles · FL

Attempting to stop the vehicle at a red light, brake pedal was hard to push, increasing the distance required to stop the vehicle. This has happened multiple times, along with a hissing sound coming from the drivers side of the vehicle when the brake pedal is depressed. We are still having problems with the brakes and have scheduled a service with mazda.