The 2012 Mazda CX-9 is a SUV that came with a 3.7L 6-cyl engine. At 14 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
|---|---|
| Engines | 3.7L 6-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic (S6) |
| Drive | Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 16–17 city / 22–24 highway / 19 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,550 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 468 grams per mile |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 5,831–5,997 lb |
| Versions tested by EPA | 2 configurations: CX-9 2WD, CX-9 4WD |
| Age | 14 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls covering the 2012 Mazda CX-9. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2007-2012 CX-7, CX-9, and 2009-2012 Maza6 vehicles. 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…
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Mazda CX-9 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or…
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2012 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands…
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2014 CX-9 vehicles manufactured October 24, 2006, to December 28, 2013. The affected vehicles have front suspension ball joints that may corrode from water leaking into the fitting.
Risk: 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 increasing the risk of a crash.
Owners have filed 221 complaints about the 2012 Mazda CX-9 with NHTSA. 9 reports involved a crash. Owners reported 8 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2012 Mazda CX-9, by version tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suv, AWD | Not rated | — | — | ★★★★☆ | 14.3% |
| Suv, FWD | Not rated | — | — | ★★★★☆ | 15.1% |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 291 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2012 Mazda CX-9. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal M
Product Quality Information (PQI) DESCRIPTION Service Information MT-041/12 is no longer valid. It has been unpublished and superseded by the Field Quality Information Re
This SA supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. SA-061/25 12/17/25 DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 2 defect investigations covering the 2012 Mazda CX-9.
Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag Deployment
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE19-006) on May 2, 2019 to investigate two Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) and Early Warning Reporting data related to allegations of inadvertent deployment (IAD) of side curtain airbags in Model Year (MY) 2010 through 2013 Mazda CX-9 ve
Lower ball joint separation
In an July 7,2015 letter to NHTSA, Mazda identified a safety defect that could result in lower ball joint separation in approximately 193,484 model year (MY) 2007 through 2014 Mazda CX-9 vehicles (NHTSA Recall No. 15V-451,Mazda 8515G).Mazda indicated that damage to the ball joint boot may allow water to enter the front
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It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. As a heavier vehicle, its scrap weight adds to the offer. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2012 CX-9s that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2012 Mazda CX-9; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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