NHTSA — Service Brakes Problems

CarComplaints.com Seal Of Pretty Good

CarComplaints.com Notes: Mazda included the 2009 Mazda CX-9 brake booster in a special extended warranty (now expired) that covered 2007-2013 model years.

However, brake booster complaints never materialized as a defect trend for the 2009 CX-9 — both with our complaint data & with the NHTSA's complaint data. So, we highly recommend this 2009 model year!

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
80,789 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 Mazda CX-9 brakes problems

brakes problem

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2009 Mazda CX-9 Owner Comments

problem #17

Jun 262020

CX-9 6-cyl

  • 115,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My brakes started feeling spongy but hard to push when I would try to come to a stop. It felt at times like my car wasn't going to stop. I stopped driving it and the brake booster was replaced. At that time, I lost brakes completely. The brake peddle goes all the way to the floor when pressed. Hopefully the booster is a bad one.

- Grand Prairie, TX, USA

problem #16

Dec 282019

CX-9

  • 135,000 miles
I have a problem with the brake light switch. It works for awhile and then stops working. When I press the brake pedal the brake light may or my not come on and that is while sitting still or while the car is moving. I have replaced the switch several times.

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #15

Feb 132020

CX-9

  • 142,000 miles
I was taking my daughter to high school in the morning with my son in the car as well. In the parking lot of the high school, I applied the brakes but the brakes did not work. My foot was all the way to the floor when they finally caught but I was out in the line of traffic and luckily no one hit me and injured my son or myself. After replacing the rotors and brake pads that did not fix the situation, I have since learned that the brake booster has been an ongoing issue with Mazda Cx-9 that was even investigated by the NHTSA without having a recall. How does something so critical in the safety of lives does not generate a recall that the NHTSA has seen repeated complaints of the same issue without advising or caring about the safety of the consumers and other drivers. It is an ongoing issue that Mazda has not addressed or corrected.

- Duluth, GA, USA

problem #14

Sep 012019

CX-9

  • 138,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Hissing sound when brake pedal is pressed. Pedal gets really hard to push then it goes to the floor when attempting to stop the vehicle. In a panic stop it feels that the car will not be able to stop. I am told that the brake booster has failed. The mileage on the vehicle is approximately 138,000 miles.

- Citrus Heights, CA, USA

problem #13

Feb 142019

CX-9

  • 113,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Mazda Cx-9. the contact stated that the brakes were faulty. The vehicle continued to slide as the contact depressed the brake pedal with force. The check engine indicator was also illuminated. The contact called kerry Mazda (1020 burlington pike, florence, ky 41042, (844) 327-8391) and was advised to contact the manufacturer. An unknown recall was issued soon after the vehicle's warranty expired. The manufacturer was notified and advised the contact to call NHTSA to file a complaint. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 113,000.

- Fort Mitchell, KY, USA

problem #12

Feb 012018

CX-9

  • miles
Mazda CX9 break booster diaphragm leakage. I recently purchased a 2009 Mazda CX9 that almost got me killed. I was driving down the highway with my family in the car when all of a sudden I had to slow down because the car ahead of me abruptly slowed down. I pressed my breaks to slow down and it felt as hard as a rock prompting me to make sharp maneuver into the other lane, thankfully no other cars were coming on that lane. Upon making home I went on the computer and research the issue. I found out that the problem is due to a manufacturing defects with the break boosters in the CX9 and Mazda is aware of the issue. I took the car to a Mazda dealership where I was told to pay $680 to have the issue fixed because I missed the 2015 deadline set by Mazda to have the break booster fixed. I was so upset, I called Mazda usa where I was told that there is nothing they can do about the issue. To rob salt in the wound the lady I spoke to on the phone advised my to make sure that I schedule an appointment with the local Mazda dealership for the open recall on the airbags issue. (which I interpreted as "if your breaks fail and you die, the airbag will protect face should in case your family wants to do an open casket at your funeral"). I believe it is unfair for Mazda to avoid fixing a known defects in the most important safety system in a car ( the breaks) by passing it off as a warranty program. I am glad to be alive to file this complaint. Please think about peoples safety and not the interest of the manufacturers and do the right thing.

- Columbia, MD, USA

problem #11

May 152017

CX-9

  • 100,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2009 Mazda Cx-9. while driving 30 mph, the brakes malfunctioned. The contact stated that there was a complete loss of brake function and the brake pedal became very stiff and difficult to depress. The contact had to use both feet to depress the brake pedal while coasting towards oncoming traffic. The contact was able to stop the vehicle safely. Previously, the contact had the power booster system repaired. Three months after the initial repair, the contact received a recall letter citing the exact failure that occurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #10

Mar 102017

CX-9

  • 80,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Mazda Cx-9. while approaching a stop light in order to make a right turn, the brakes failed to stop the vehicle when the pedal was depressed. The contact had to continue to drive into a nearby parking lot until the vehicle came to a stop. The contact turned off the vehicle and had it towed to a certified mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed that the power brake booster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

- Pompano Beach, FL, USA

problem #9

Dec 132016

CX-9

  • 100,900 miles
Brake booster needs replaced. But I missed the extended warranty. They never notified me that these were faulty

- Dayton, OR, USA

problem #8

Jul 052016

CX-9

  • 101,280 miles
So I was backing up from a parking space on a shopping center and my brake pedal on my Mazda Cx-9 did not stop immediately. Due to this problem I bump in to some one else's car. The pedal has turn so hard it was difficult for fractions of seconds to know what was going on. After the incident with having an issue with the brake pedal. I notice beside been hard it started making a squeaky noice and also like and air sound under the dash board. I found out there was a class action agains Mazda for their brake booster on this model and sure enough, that's what it was, I'm just so blessed it happens in a parking lot and not on the freeway. So I called Mazda and they said they will cover the part but I have to pay for the work done to the vehicle. So I did a research on pricing and I found out Mazda is charging $269 for the wok done, supposedly them covering the part, and outside that is just around the same price else where. Not only that they did not cover everything most likely my insurance may go up and to add to the problem they will charge me for renting a car while they fix it. There is no help with a part that should not have any problems in the time frame of the year of this vehicles. And it was manufacture defect.

- Rancho Cucamonga, CA, USA

problem #7

Dec 152015

CX-9

  • 32,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When breaking I hear pulsating sound and very difficult to bring the car to a stop. The car slows down eventually, but require intense pressure to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. There is also a pulsating noise when the brakes are applied. It takes about twice the distance to come to a complete stop than previously. Took it to the dealer and they couldn't figure out anything wrong with the car. No indication of any problem on the dashboard, but I can definitely feel something is wrong with breaking. I do not feel safe when driving.

- Bothell, WA, USA

problem #6

Dec 012013

CX-9

  • miles
When I bought the car I noted with the dealership that the front, wheels where squealing and skirting as you turn the corner at low speed, they seem to wear quickly as well since I've owned the vehicle (2012) and have had them replaced twice and realigned, also the following year after purchasing the car, when it snowed frequently, the ABS light stayed on constantly and seemed to feel really gritty while pumping the breaks in the snow, causing the car not to break even at low speeds, there is a rattling every once in a while that became associated after the ABS light came on, which is on to this day along with the tcs light, the transfer case failed and almost caused a terrible accident in 2014 as it began to whine and eventually locked up on me as I drove to work, the mechanic replaced both front wheel bearings thinking that it was also a problem but when I towed it back to them he confirmed that it was the transfer case, he repaired it this year but Mazda says its leaking again and it smells like oil. My car only has a little over 80K miles and I've researched complaints on the transfer case and many people seem to have the same problem, this is very dangerous and needs to be addressed asap. These three issues may be related to each other if someone really took the time to investigate. No way a car should have concerns like this consistently under 80K miles. I work only 18 minutes from my job and do not travel that much to wear this vehicle.

- Beltsville, MD, USA

problem #5

Sep 172015

CX-9

  • 145,000 miles
Was driving my Mazda Cx-9 in afternoon traffic when the car in front of me applied their brakes to stop. I went to apply my brakes and the pedal was hard and nothing happened...the car would not stop. I then placed my other foot on the pedal in order to apply more pressure and still nothing. Heard a hissing noise and then realized this car was not going to stop. "scared the hell" out of me as I watched my car hit the car in front of me. Thank god I was not going fast or this could have been tragic. Pulled over slowly to the side of the road and shut the car off to gather my thoughts. Apologized to the lady I just hit and could not explain to her what happened, we were both puzzled. I then slowly milked the car home to park it and call the dealer. This is what I found out....Mazda know's there are issues with the brake power assist unit and it actually was investigated by the NHTSA. Not happy with the fact that Mazda is aware of this problem and never notified me off it. Subsequent calls to Mazda and they said "one" memo was sent out and because of the mileage on my car it's not covered. Really....how can a company willingly know there's a brake problem and send "one" so called memo to it's owners. If I had ever seen that memo my car would have been at the dealers immediately. Not to pleased with Mazda at the moment......if this is what they mean by "we build excitement"! I'm not interested!

- Alta Loma, CA, USA

problem #4

Feb 012014

CX-9 6-cyl

  • 45,000 miles
While driving in stop and go traffic/parking lots, etc., I had three separate incidences in which when I depressed the brake pedal I felt no resistance and there was no deceleration. The brake either finally applied itself after I got the pedal almost to the floor or I let off the brake and reapplied the pedal and it functioned normally the second time. It did not result in any accidents but left me unsure about the safety of the vehicle.

- Glen Rock, PA, USA

problem #3

Jul 172013

CX-9 6-cyl

  • 45,235 miles
Brake master cylinder leaked fluid into the brake booster causing loss of boost resulting in extremely reduced braking function.

- Katy, TX, USA

problem #2

Jul 152013

CX-9 6-cyl

  • 38,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Mazda Cx-9. the contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, excessive force had to be applied to the brake pedal in order to bring the vehicle to stop. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where the contact was informed that there was fluid leaking from the master cylinder to the power booster. The contact was also informed that the power booster needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 38,000.

- San Antonio , TX, USA

problem #1

May 202013

CX-9

  • 43,000 miles
2009 Mazda Cx-9 - on 5/19/2013 the brakes were fine. The morning of the 20th my wife returned home from work, and said she heard a hissing noise from the brakes. I drove the car to work later that day and noticed the hissing sound. I also noticed that the brake pedal felt normal at first then began to get hard and the car could barley stop.

- Boca Raton, FL, USA

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