Brake booster failures
The 2012 CX-9 has about 900 complaints per 100,000 sold. Brake booster faults with a hissing pedal are most of them.
Updated November 2026 · based on 221 owner complaints and 4 recalls
Not rated
904 2.9x the CX-9 average
4 free to fix at a dealer
Every CX-9 year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Known problems on the 2012 CX-9
Top problems and what they cost
Brake booster failure
Hissing noise and a hard brake pedal.
Fix: Free under recall if included; otherwise $600 to $1,000
Brakes
Water pump
The internal water pump leaks coolant into the oil.
Fix: Water pump and timing chain $1,500 to $2,500
Engine
Recalls
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Over time, the ball joint corrosion may result in the front lower control arm separating from the ball joint, causing a loss of steering control and increasi...
Complaints by part
Before you buy a 2012 Mazda CX-9
- Press the brake with the engine running and listen for hissing.The brake booster makes the pedal easy to press. A pedal that goes hard, sinks or a hissing sound means the assist is failing, so stopping takes much more effort.Owners filed 76 complaints about brake booster failure and hissing pedal on the 2012 CX-9, one of the worst years for it.
- Check by VIN for open brake recalls.A recall is a safety fix the carmaker must do for free, even for later owners. Typing the 17-character VIN (on the dashboard and driver door) into nhtsa.gov/recalls shows any that were never done. Codes like 18V332 are recall numbers.The 2012 CX-9 has 4 recalls on record, listed below.
- Ask for water pump records.Coolant keeps the engine from overheating. A dropping level, drips, white smoke or residue can mean leaks or a failing head gasket, which can ruin the engine.Owners filed 10 complaints about coolant leaks on the 2012 CX-9.
Questions
Is the 2012 Mazda CX-9 reliable?
Brake booster failures. The 2012 CX-9 has about 900 complaints per 100,000 sold. Brake booster faults with a hissing pedal are most of them.
How many recalls does the 2012 Mazda CX-9 have?
4 recalls. Recall repairs are free at any Mazda dealer, even for later owners. Enter the VIN on the free government recall lookup to see which are still open on a specific car.
What are the most common 2012 Mazda CX-9 problems?
Brake booster failure; Water pump.
Crash rating shown for the 2012 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD. Repair costs are typical U.S. ranges for parts and labor, not quotes. How we score.