The Lane Check

Cars › Mazda › CX-9 › 2016

2016 Mazda CX-9 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
74%
72 of 99 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

74% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2016 Mazda CX-9 are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 94% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
Share this car

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2016 Mazda CX-9 have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 72 of 99 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Mazda CX-9 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (74%), and the largest group is filed under engine (61). For comparison, the 2015 scores 63% and the 2017 scores 80%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
72
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
99
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
0
3 crashes · 3 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE61 · 62%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM14 · 14%
SERVICE BRAKES11 · 11%
POWER TRAIN9 · 9%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM7 · 7%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER6 · 6%

The years either side

2010
28%
49 of 195
2011
26%
38 of 170
2012
21%
40 of 221
2013
39%
22 of 68
2014
47%
24 of 54
2015
63%
19 of 35
2016
74%
72 of 99
2017
80%
49 of 61
2018
68%
84 of 128
2019
47%
25 of 53
2020
too few complaints
2021
62%
23 of 39
2022
too few complaints
2023
too few complaints

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2016 Mazda CX-9

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE10/15/20191 INJURED
DRIVER STOPPED VEHICLE IN A DRIVEWAY WITH MINIMAL SLOPE, SHIFTED THE VEHICLE IN PARK, TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND EXITED. DRIVER PROCEEDED TO REAR PASSENGER DOOR TO RETRIEVE 1 YEAR OLD FROM CAR SEAT. AFTER RETRIEVING CHILD FROM CAR SEAT, DRIVER FELT REAR PASSENGER DOOR PUSHING INTO HER LEG, BACK AND HEAD. VEHICLE PROCEE…

One of 72 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Checking one particular 2016 Mazda CX-9? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2016 Mazda CX-9

Does the 2016 Mazda CX-9 have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 72 of 99 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Mazda CX-9 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (74%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Mazda CX-9?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns on the 2016 Mazda CX-9.

Which Mazda CX-9 years are better?

Among the Mazda CX-9 years we track, the 2012 (21%), the 2011 (26%) and the 2010 (28%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2016 (74%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2016 Mazda CX-9?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2016 Mazda CX-9 has an elevated engine complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing engine work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the engine. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

Check a VIN

Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.