2009 Mazda CX-7: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2009 Mazda CX-7: 5 recalls, 65 owner complaints and up to 20 mpg combined.

Recalls
5 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer, plus 1 equipment/tire recall that can apply. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Suspension Vehicle recall #16V593000 · 2016 · 190,102 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: A loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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,…
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V429000 · 2017 · 205,377 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: 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.
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V457000 · 2017 · 79,402 vehicles
What's wrong: 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…
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: 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.
Airbags Vehicle recall #18V018000 · 2018 · 70,227 vehicles
What's wrong: 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…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: 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.
Airbags Vehicle recall #19V782000 · 2019 · 69,879 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: 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.
1 aftermarket equipment / tire recall replacement parts sold to fit this car, not the car itself
Equipment Equipment recall #09E011000 · 2009 · 2,323 vehicles
What's wrong: Thule, Inc. is recalling 2,323 owner-installed roof-mounted fit kits, models 3068 and 3069, manufactured between January 1, 2008 and February 28, 2009 that are used with thule podium foot packs, models 460 and 460r. These fit kits were sold as aftermarket equipment for use on the vehicles listed above. The bolt(s) used to secure the foot to the vehicle was manufactured to a hardness that May cause the bolt(s) to be…
Why it matters: This May result in the bolt(s) snapping off during use or without a load. The unsecured rack and load can then come loose while driving creating a potential road hazard, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Thule will mail a retro fit kit along with repair instructions to owners free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before April 13, 2009.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 1 mention a fire, 0 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Suspension (20): the most common themes are steering problems (2).
- Airbags (17): the most common themes are deploys unexpectedly / inflator (2).
- Engine (12): the most common themes are noise or vibration (4), warning light on (3), fire / smoke (3).
- Engine & cooling (8): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (2), noise or vibration (2), electrical failure (2).
The 2009 Mazda CX-7 has 65 owner complaints, ranking #5 of 7 CX-7 model years for complaints (well below the 162 average). Complaints peaked in 2017 (20 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 7 years old, at a median of 63,496 miles. Neighboring years: 2008 (191 complaints, 4 recalls), 2010 (155 complaints, 5 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3 L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 17 | 23 | 20 | Premium |
| 2.3 L 4-cyl turbo | Automatic (S6) | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 16 | 22 | 18 | Premium |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2009 Mazda CX-7.
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FAQ
Does the 2009 Mazda CX-7 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 vehicle recalls for the 2009 Mazda CX-7, plus 1 equipment or tire recalls that can apply. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2009 Mazda CX-7 problems?
Owners have filed 65 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are suspension (20), airbags (17), engine (12).
What gas mileage does the 2009 Mazda CX-7 get?
EPA ratings run up to 20 mpg combined (2.3 L, Automatic (S6)), across 2 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2009 Mazda CX-7 repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.