Mazda CX-9 Transmission Problems

canam1212

My 2007 CX9 is having a problem changing from 6 gear down to 5 gear on the freeway. When I am cruising along in 6 gear and I want to accelerate to pass someone. It changes down with a very hard banging , and in one case jumped straight into neutral, at 6o mph. It only does it from 6 down to 5. and not in any other change . The guys at the transmision repair shop cannot find anything wrong with it, because nothing comes up on the computer.
Has anyone else had this problem and know how to fix it?
Thanks for any help Bruce

See also: Transmission Fluid Level Check Mazda CX-9 (2007-2014)

neverbuymazda

I have 2008 Mazda CX 9 has 88,000 miles, well maintain and always up to date with maintainance service. It jerk going up hill especially at cold weather. I brought it to Mazda dealer, I was told it needs a new transmission. Do we have any body outhere who has the same issues as my well - maintained car? Mad - it cost me 6,000 to replace torgue and transmission

ceric

First, please name one brand w/o transmission issue.
CX9 uses transmission from Aisin, who supplies transmission to Lexus/Toyota/Volvo.etc.
Maybe you should avoid Toyota and Lexus also, "neverbuymazda".
BTW, $6K for tranny is ridiculous. Don't let people rip you off. You do not need a brand new
tranny. Get a refurbished one for $2-3K.
Nowaday, TqC and tranny are in one piece. It might be more expensive then before.

My old '01 Honda Odyssey had 1st sign of transmission issue before I replaced it with CX9.
Honda's 5-speed tranny issue was infamous. Mine was a 4-speed, and I replaced fluid every 15K.
I have been on other Mazda forum for four years. Transmission issue on CX9 is rare.

Well-maintained? Did you change transmission fluid? Remind you that it is not
a maintenance item by interval. I doubt you did change the fluid. But, I could be wrong. Maybe you did.

When you find strange behaviour in gear shifting, the 1st thing to do is change the
fluid (drain and replace - DO NOT flush). Flushing will cause more problem if you
did not change fluid often before.
Flushing causes debris inside to dislodge and causing more issues
right after. If drain-n-refill does not help, then, you probably need a new transmission.
get a refurbish one. It usually costs around $2-3K including labour.

P.S. these transmissions have so-called "life-time fluid". Mazda recommends
inspection and/or change of fluid if "something feels wrong". As a smart owner, you should not believe in anything lasts a "life-time". I don't. I replace fuild
on a 30K/45K/60K/... schedule. It costs about $150 at dealerships.

busybeegal

Hi all. Just purchased a brand new 2012 CX-9 a week ago. Really loving it, I downsized from a 2005 Quest, and I miss the room a bit. But honestly, there's still ample room for our 3 kids, and ease of access is great, not to mention interior finishes which were ghastly on some other cars we were considering. But I digress. The only thing that I'm not loving about this car, and unfortunately it's a big thing, is the weird way the transmission acts. I always put the transmission in regular drive, and thankfully with the gear display I can see exactly what gear the car is in, so I know it's 4th when I have the issue. Happens consistently and regularly. What happens is, if I'm on a very slight decline, I tend to take my foot off the accelerator and just use gravitational force and momentum to carry the car, and save a little gas. But for some reason, I'm experiencing engine braking. If I take my foot off the brake going say, 35 down a very very slight hill, it will start to slow a little, and once it hits 30, I feel MAJOR engine braking, it seriously feels like it's going to stop the car. Once it hits 20, you feel the braking release and the wheels start free moving again. It is really annoying, and not smooth at all. Any thoughts?

wwest

Lots of newer cars are using a FULL fuel cut technique to conserve fuel during coastdown periods. Total engine fuel starvation but with sequential downshifting as roadspeed declines to keep the engine turning over above stall RPM.

As a result of this technique along with a few others automatic transmisison MPG often exceeds stick shifts.

busybeegal

I just don't understand how a process like that is fuel efficient. I shouldn't have to actually accelerate down a hill. I should be able to just coast, no?

oldburbnewcx9

I own a 2009 CX-9 tourning. I have noticed when going downhill if I do not use the brake the transmission will stay in 6th gear. If I use the brake and continue coasting downhill the transmision will shift th 5th gear. I have not noticed it shifting to a lower gear automatically. There must be some logic in the transmission control that wil shift to a lower gear if it determines you are coasting and apply the brakes to slow. This is a guess on my part other than noticing the shiftng of the transmission. The transmission control has likely changes from 2009 to 2012.

wwest

2009....

FWD and/or F/awd vehicles, traditionally, would not downshift for fear the roadbed might not be tractive enough to prevent loss of directional arising from the use of to much engine compression braking. Once YOU use the brakes that "rule" goes out the window.

davicho

Completely normal operation. The CX-9 is equipped with a "grade-logic" transmission, which uses various sensors through out the vehicle (i.e. abs, throttle position, brake switch, yaw rate, etc) and determines the fact that the vehicle is in a slope and to help the vehicle slow down or maintain a safe speed it down shifts to a specified gear depending on all the inputs from the sensors. The same applies to uphills so that it is not constantly gear hunting.

vts747

Same exact problem. Seems to happen to all CX-9s I was freaking out during winter driving back in February. Didn't skid or slip, but still felt dangerous. If you break firmly, you won't feel it, but if you coast, it jerks the car. The truck is an AWD, so I hope it won't lose traction when 4th comes suddenly! Had it checked at dealership, they were surprised but the other one they have tested did the same thing. Drove over Donner pass a week ago, car handled well, I actually liked the fact it would keep it at lower gear (3-5) when braking downhill. Just hate that 4th gear premature engine brake when it is least expected.

lakeside3

About two weeks ago my cx9 started to make a wining sound. I thought perhaps it was one of my tires since it had a slow leak. Then two days ago I was driving down the highway and my car began to shake like it was going to fall apart. I pulled over and called AAA. I had it towed to a Mazda dealer and found out the drive shaft had pulled apart from the transfer case. I've never heard of something like this happening to a car and I am extremely disappointed. The car has high mileage-137,000, but I keep it maintained. I have been quoted $2500.00 for the repair, is this a reasonable price? Are there rebuilt options that may cost less?

hgghavami

Very untypical of me to post reviews etc, but I almost feel that the problem I am having needs to be shared.
Transfer case failed at 3500 miles Whining sound at low speed (over 3 weeks in the shop…national back order)
Transfer case failed again at 16,000 miles. Whining sound at low speed
Transfer case failed again at 16,800 miles. Loud whining sound at low speed
Whining is still there, but I am now told after Mazda USA contacted dealer, that it is within normal range.
Mazda USA will not return calls (never has) I have been told by insiders that 2010, 2011, 2012 models all have this problem. Keep in mind that the only issue I had was a whining sound at low speed, not a physical failure, I was told each time that the oil turned in to sludge from over heating. I also understand that you may drive 20-30K miles before it physically breaks, so be aware, if you have one have it checked, if you are buying one....well good luck.

hgghavami

2011 cx9 14 months old, bought new....on 4th transfer case, and for some reason you think they make a great car??? The problem with Mazda is denial and lies, yes I have had issues with other brands, but never was I ignored as bad as I am with Mazda. Mazda USA claims they have no knowledge of any problems, and yet 4 dealers I called all said yes we have a lot of them coming in

soscaredmazda

I am so beyond relieved to have found this forum. Im new as of today due to an incident this morning. Long story short, this morning while driving the car to work, it seized at a red light after starting to vibrate. It then started again only to hear this very loud noise and then started to smoke. Scared, I pulled into a gas station (I know I know but I panicked) only to see men running towards me with fire extinguishers in their hands to put out my car that I didnt even realize was on fire!!!! The bottom was shooting up flames. Thank god no one was hurt. I was to find out later in the day that it was the transfer case. I looked into this a bit only to find endless stories of how this has been an ongoing issue with Mazda. My dealership has confirmed this issue stating they have rectified the problem. I drive my 2 year old twins around in this vehicle and I'd have to be on drugs to ever want to sit in it again especially when reading all of these stories about this being a reoccuring problem!!! I plan on contacting Mazda tomorrow in hopes on getting an answer as to why this was not a recall if they knew it was an issue. If I dont get this vehicle somehow reimbursed, then a law suit will be in play....I want to note this is a 2011 CX-9 and before today I have been nothing but 100% happy with this vehicle....If anyone wants to chat about this privately please let me know. Im sure it helps to know others are going through the same thing

tower

Hi, thought I'd appeal to the vast intelligence found in this forum on an issue I'm having with my 08 CX-9 base. Lightly accelerating on straightaway, around 30-35MPH, as car shifts into 5th gear, sometimes the whole car shakes. Doesn't happen all the time, mostly when 1st driving the car. Heavier acceleration and the problem does not occur.

Had dealership check it at 35,000, said they found no codes and couldn't dupe problem. Happens every day I drive it.

Any insight? Observing the tach, I see RPM goes up while shifting in each gear. When problem occurs, needle seems to bounce around within a range of a few hundred RPM. Almost like it is having difficulty picking a gear, or difficulty committing to next gear.

Any idea?

Thanks!!!!

tower

in the interest of information sharing to help anyone else with this issue... took into the dealer, they were able to reproduce problem as problem with torque converter. They recommended a transmission fluid flush, said sometimes it helps this issue. I said, is it covered under powertrain warranty, of course not. Was very skeptical, as this task is not listed in the service intervals. Further, they said Mazda doesn't recommend it. Despite my common sense, I gave go ahead, and $170 later, problem is fixed. I was prepared for a battle after the fluid flush didn't have an impact, but it did, and problem solved. They recommended getting it flushed again in another 45k miles.

jxs1

I bought my 2010 AWD Sport CX-9 2.5 years ago. About 6 months ago (at 17K miles), a local shop with good reputation told me the transmission fluid is "a little dirty". Today, when I brought it in for an oil change, I was told now the fluid is "very dirty" and he recommended transmission fluid flush.

After reading the posts here, it seems flush can do more harm than good, so maybe a drain and fill is better? Should I bring it to the dealership for a check up? It got me concerned since I love the car so far and would like to keep it for long time.

Thank you.
Jeff

stever

I just do a simple drain and fill on my cars but I've read that doing a "flush" where the engine does the work is okay. The power flushes using an external machine and maybe some chemicals are the ones that seem to cause the most issues (and may be overkill and just result in flushing your wallet).

Unlike oil, transmission fluid shouldn't look dirty so a second opinion would be a good idea.

susanwe

4 days ago it made a funky fluttering noise on the right side of engine. 3 days ago, a high pitched whining started, off and on, then eventually just on all the time. 2 days ago I took it to the dealer who ran a diagnostic and the prognosis? immediate painful death unless entire engine and transfer case is replaced asap. I was stunned. never had any indication, no warning lights no missed oil or fluid changes, nothing. The sales/service tech said the sludge build up damaged everything to such an extent, that changing the oil now would do no good, I was too far gone for that. She also said I HAD to have a new transfer case but could get a used engine- for $8800. or I could get a new everything for $13,000. what a bargain. She was shocked when I said no thanks and came to pick it up. I asked her if this was a common issue with this model and she said no, but she wouldn't look at me as I spoke with her, she just stapled my paperwork with a lot of energy. I took it to another well known respected mechanic in town, who drove it around for 20 minutes and put it up on racks, ran a diagnostic, etc. and he said there was nothing wrong with the engine, I just needed to change the oil, (drain -NO flushing) and yes I did need a new transfer case- ASAP as it looked ready to quit, but a used one from a quality dealer would suffice. as predicted, my reverse went out last night which is the transfer case giving up the ghost so I am prepared to replace that (or just park in meadows). Before that I had the oil changed and it is already driving more smoothly and less deafening. My questions are: is this scope of damage a reasonable occurrence? How can an engine and PTO become so compromised and there not be any indication until complete failure is imminent? How can two mechanics see the same engine and come up with such drastically different conclusions? Why did the dealership service tech tell me I HAD to have a new transfer case when Mazda itself sells used ones on its website? I have purchased two cars from this dealership and never felt cheated or slighted, but that is not the case now. I want to be respectful of the fact that everyone is trying to make a living here and the dealership tech is pregnant and has an eye that is a bit wobbly so I don't want to stress her out, but I feel like I walked in there with a target on my back. Do I contact the owner or GM of the dealership and let him know? Does that do any good- ever? :confuse:

ruthc11

I've posted elsewhere on Edmunds about this. There are known problems with the CX9 drive shafts, transfer cases, and brake bearings. Dig a bit and you'll find all the posts. I have a 2008 CX9 and just spent $4k on these items just to get it moving again. My car only has 79k miles on it and these should not fail. Multiple dealers have admitted these are known issues by Mazda and Mazda is choosing to ignore. Open up your checkbook if you are out of warranty on this one and I'll never buy a Mazda again.

timlad

Just purchased 2013 CX 9. Noticing smooth transition to Drive until vehicle warms up. After that, all shifts to drive from Park. Neutral or Reverse are now alarmingly harsh. Car has 400 miles on it and will be returning to dealer for repair. Post will be updated as needed. Anyone else having this issue?

jxs1

Thank you for your advice. Went to a different shop, and they said the transmission fluid is OK for the mileage of the car. Since this shop recommends almost all fluids be "serviced" every 30K miles, I figure it is safe to wait until at 30K...

Jeff

phlips83

I recently purchased a new 2013 CX-9 at the end of this past June in TX. I am experiencing the same exact problem(s) that you are currently having. This problem/issue started when I had around 450 miles on the odometer. I do not experience any issues when the car is cold. After I drive the vehicle and make a handful of stops (grocery store, etc...). The issue/problem appears. It is most noticeable when I come to a complete stop in a parking lot or my driveway, put the car into Reverse, back up while turning the wheel slightly, come to a complete stop, then I put the car into Drive then...........the CX-9 jolts/lurches forward (accompanied by a loud clunk noise/shudder) as if I released the brake pedal for a split second.

I recently brought my vehicle in for service regarding this issue and the service department informed that what I am experiencing (hearing/feeling) is "Normal" and it is the car "Breaking In". I think they are full of BS. I have never experience this with any other New vehicle that I have owned. Currently, the issue seems to persist (when warmed up) and the noise has gotten slightly louder and all shift positions to Drive especially Reverse to Drive seems more "Harsh" (as you explained it). I plan on calling the service department tomorrow morning to schedule another appointment to get this checked out because something is definitely not right. Please let me know how you make out with your car and dealer service department. Thanks again for posting. I thought I was the only one experiencing this problem.

davicho

Hello guys, wife and I have had our CX-9 since 2009 and it has been fully maintained with complete (11+ qts) of trans fluid evac and fill every 20-25k miles using T-4 fluid from Toyota which is compatible with the tranny (JWS3309 fluid). It is still running nice and smooth (knocking on wood) but this last weekend I was accelerating in a large three lane avenue and when it got to shift into 4th gear it literally slammed so hard into gear it felt as though someone had rear ended us. After that, no codes or no flashing "D" at all and smooth as always...very strange. I have a Touring model FWD and I added an after market hitch. So it didnt come from factory with the towing pkg. Two things to consider...
1. I did let go of the gas as it shifted into 4th because i was going to slow down up ahead on a red light
2. I had just dropped off an empty 12' flat bed toy-hauler trailer that I had been using and towing all morning long with about 1000lbs of cargo

Any thoughts??

davisj2077

My wife broke down last week in our 8 month old 2012 CX9. Transfer case and drive shaft failed. Its been 10 days now and we're still waiting for the drive shaft to come in from Canada. I have a feeling its on back order. Never again will I get a Mazda. STAY AWAY!

astonl

Same problem here -- it shifts really hard into D. Shifting from any of P/R/N to D causes the jolt. It doesn't seem to happen when the car is cold, only once it's warmed up a bit. This is a brand new car, too (4 months old, ~4k miles on the odometer). Going to take it into the dealer, but I'm worried they'll just say it's normal or that they can't reproduce it... fingers crossed that they actually do something about it.

phlips83

Here is my timeline:
7/23/13 - (717 miles) Car clunks/jolts into drive from R/N/P
Performed: Auto Trans Electronic Diagnosis
Result: No Change

8/07/13 - (978 miles) Car clunks/hits hard into drive from R/N/P
Performed: Shift Shock - Reflash PCM/TCM
Result: Worked for ~100 miles then problem came back

8/15/13 - (1214 miles) Car engages harshly into drive from R/N/P
Performed: Replaced Trans. Control Module
Result: Worked for ~200 miles then problem came back

8/22/13 - (1345 miles) Car engages harshly into drive from R/N/P
Performed: Replaced Trans. Control Module Again
Result: Worked for ~200 miles then problem came back

8/26/2013 - Contacted BBB for assistance (Not much help at all)

9/10/13 - (1792 miles) Car engages harshly into drive from R/N/P
Performed: REPLACED Automatic Transmission
Result: New Trans. helped a little but CX-9 still shifted harshly

9/24/13 - (2290 miles) Car still engages harshly into drive from R/N/P after news Trans.
Performed: Mazda master tech drove vehicle acknowledged problem but said everything is working up to Mazda's specification
The new installed transmission created more/other problems: harsh downshifts into 4th gear, clunking/jerking out of 3rd gear, and the CX-9 would rev itself upto 4000+rpms when downshifting.

Mazda acknowledge the problem was present each time but after the 6th visit to the dealer, they changed their tune and know stated that everything is normal. I lost all respect for Mazda so...The end result: after taking numerous days off from work to get this car repaired, I was fed up. I could no longer put my family at risk in this dangerous/unsafe/unpredictable car so I ended up taking a loss and I traded in the CX-9 in for a different (better) brand. I hope Mazda can fix your CX-9. Best of luck.

vrbracken

1. We have a 2010 CX9 (AWD). While attending my mother's funeral last year (June 2012), a loud rattling sound came from under the car. I had the CX9 towed to Dothan Alabama's Mazda dealership and discovered the transfer case needed replacing. Two weeks later, we returned to Alabama and collected our car (parts & labor under warranty).

15 months later, I am hearing the same noise coming from under the car. The Marietta Georgia Mazda dealership is telling me it is the transfer case and says my car & part is out of warranty. The info from Dothan AL indicates my car had 45,000 miles when they replaced the transfer case and now it shows 74,000, almost 30,000 in one year in Atlanta GA...no way.

The MAZDA USA customer service and the dealership said they show no known issues with the CX9 transfer case. When I searched on Edmunds.com, I find several postings and I see some postings on the Mazda247 site too.

Is there a more common problem with the transfer case? I bought this car wanting a safe/dependable car for my wife and children. She takes the children to camps, practices/games/matches/church retreats, etc. I cannot be expected to repair/replace a transfer case ($1,800) every year/two years and possibly have her & the children be stranded somewhere.

audia8q

We have seen CX-9's with transfer case problems...We don't act like its a big surprise but we also have not seen Mazda ignoring the problem. We have not had any with multiple failures after a repair but I certainly can not speak for every dealer. We have seen cases where the consumer ignored the unusual noises and it led to transmission problems..
This is not a huge percentage of vehicles but actually a small percentage but when it happens to you it sucks and of course reading a dozen others with the same problem makes it seem like its worse than it is... Other MFG have much larger and wide spread issues but I agree big bills for any car never makes anyone happy..

Outside of the warranty period the best argument the consumer has is the ability to document 100% of scheduled maint being done at a Mazda dealership. This gives the dealer solid information to help argue your case with the MFG. This applies to all MFG, not just Mazda. Sketchy maint. history with any mfg will not lend itself to assistance outside of the warranty period.

elibruno1

the dealer needs to be more responsive when the owner reports an unusual noise - this happened to me - the dealer told me it was "normal road noise" and , of course, this was nonsense because the noise appeared after 25000 non "road noise" miles.

audia8q

I understand what your saying....did you ask the dealer to have a tech drive with you in the car to specifically point out the noise and when it happens?? IWhenever we get a "strange noise" complaint we must duplicate it before we can fix it...taking the time to do a road test with the driver of the vehicle is very important. If your dealer won't do this for you, you have the wrong dealer working on your car.

plano_cx9

i have a 1 year old 2013 cx9. The brake feels funny for last couple of days. I press the break lightly and is does not stop like it usually does but moves forward and little and slows down. I have to really hold the brake down if want to stop immediately. Maybe I pressed on of the button and accidently turn on the antilock break but cant tell. There are no lights but a little nervous about the sensitivity of the break. Anyone else have that problem???

kjw9

I have a 2010 CX-9 AWD with 74k miles and noticed the burning oil, sulfur type smell after driving and coming to a stop (but only when the heat was on). The dealership confirmed the transfer case fluid had turned to sludge and the unit needed to be replaced. I called the Mazda customer experience center, the dealership followed up, and Mazda is covering the parts under warranty, I'm paying the labor, with no hassle even though I have done all the routine maintenance myself. I'd say that is better than most would do in the same situation beyond the warranty period, definitely worth the 5 minute call to Mazda.

cncmachine

I have an 07 Mzada cx-9 and have had the same prblem as Bruce (canam1212). Its the transmission. Parts $2k, labor $1k, dealer paid.

buckeyefan_1

Our 2011 CX 9 with 41k miles just had the transfer case replaced under warranty. Mazda is extending the warranty on the transfer cases for 7 years and 90,000 miles. The tech told me they overheat and the synthetic oil breaks down, causing failure. He said a lot of in town driving typically causes this. They've already had 15-20 CX 9's in for replacement, and the dealership is brand new. The transfer case is not the transmission, but the part that allows the vehicle to shift from 2WD to AWD. It's constantly under wear and tear. Just make sure on AWD vehicles the transfer case is checked out before replacing the transmission. Mazda paid the dealer $890 to do the work. The retail cost, I was told, would have been over $1200.

atom88

We bought a 2013 Mazda, CX-9, around July 2014. It's now Jan. 2015 and the vehicle has about 29,000 miles on it. Bad transfer case, will be replaced under warranty.

We noticed a burning smell but didn't know what it was. Last week the drive train had some major issues, sounded like loud grinding gears sound going 1-2 mph in 1st gear. All gears seemed to have a problem. I drove it right away to the dealer, luckily it made it there. Just having the tech. drive it from the parking space to the garage, he heard the terrible sound. So far they have confirmed that the transfer case has gone bad and needs to be replaced. They say it will be under warranty.

Many forums say that the burning smell is caused by leaking transfer case fluid, that leaks on the exhaust and causes the smell. Possibly due to overheating of fluid that turns to sludge (for some reason?)

He said some of the vehicles they've seen that have come in with this issue have damaged transmission "splines" that mean the transmission would need to be replaced also.

Got a free loaner vehicle while I'm waiting.

If you google this you will find aerticles on edmunds.com forum and reddit.com forums mentioning this an an issue dating back several years.

You wouldn't expect a vehicle that is 14 months old with < 29k miles to have a transfer case / transmission problem!

This doesn't inspire much confidence in the Mazda brand.

Mr_Shiftright

@ atom88 -- try not to post in too many duplicate topics with this problem, or you'll lose track of people answering you--pick the most active one and stick with that, okay?

onztop

neverbuymazda said:

I have 2008 Mazda CX 9 has 88,000 miles, well maintain and always up to date with maintainance service. It jerk going up hill especially at cold weather. I brought it to Mazda dealer, I was told it needs a new transmission. Do we have any body outhere who has the same issues as my well - maintained car? Mad - it cost me 6,000 to replace torgue and transmission

onztop

I have a 2003 Mazda that just had the transmission overhauled and it growls when I push hard to pass another vehicle or when I am pulling out from a traffic light or any hard start. It is cheaper to have the transmission Over hauled by a good transmission company than to buy a new one. Mine purchased on 4/3/15 cost $2100 and it performs great. I live in S.E. Florida

mavs8

We bought a 2008 mazda cx9 awd gt brand new.  Now ut has 104000 miles and now dealership tells me we need a 3rd transmission.  At 53000 transmission was replaced under warranty....and given only additional 12000 mile warranty on this rebuilt transmission...waited 1 month since it was backordered...that's the first hint.   Ever since it was replaced it never felt right.  Went back numerous times and dealership said all was well.  Went back at 90k still complaining but no help from dealership.  Now at 104k and out of warranty, they say oh yeah your car feels weird you need a new transmission for 5100 dollars. No codes came up by the way but torque converter was mentioned. We can knock $500 off for you.  Gee thanks.  How can I need a 3rd tranny on this well maintained car?  Do the math every 35000 miles or so this car needs a new tranny.   Mazda care 800 number could give a [non-permissible content removed] and did nothing.  Why  cant all of us file a lawsuit if these are continual known issues?  I am told since you are out of power train warranty I don't have a leg to stand on.  This is so wrong.  What can we do?

jxs1

I have a 2010 Mazda CX-9 AWD with 37000 mi. When the car had less than 20000mi two years ago, I was told it had dirty transmission fluid. I took it to another shop for second opinion and was told the fluid was normal for the mileage of the car, so I didn't do anything.

Early this year, the car stalled once in the parking garage at work. I took it to the dealership as a precaution. They didn't find anything wrong other than dirty transmission fluid and changed/flushed it. For the last 3 days, I noticed faint buzzing sound when gear shifts. I can only hear it in quiet streets at work when I first drove it out of the garage in the afternoon. After driving less than half a mile, I can no longer hear it.

I bought the car new 4.5 years ago, so I hope anything major will still be covered under powertrain warranty. However, when I brought it in last time, I was charged a "diagnosis fee" for a total of almost $500 to just change the fluid. I was able to negotiate a discount after going back and forth with the sales person over the phone for over an hour, but still paid close to $400. Apparently, he had to "talk to the parts department" several times, reminding me car salesman talking to their managers... I'm not sure I want to go through that again. Should I take it to (another) dealership or a transmission shop (the AAMCO commercial comes into mind)?

Thank you for your help!
Jeff

vick3663

I just bought a 2015 CX9 in April of this year and my car just went into the dealership service for the 2nd time.  I had missin fuses for the headlights and now have a transfer case issue. Full replacement. Very frustrating for a car that is 3 weeks old. Not very happy. Heard noises while turning steering wheel and the steering wheel actually locked up on me while I was reversing. 

halflife2

plano_cx9 said:

i have a 1 year old 2013 cx9. The brake feels funny for last couple of days. I press the break lightly and is does not stop like it usually does but moves forward and little and slows down. I have to really hold the brake down if want to stop immediately. Maybe I pressed on of the button and accidently turn on the antilock break but cant tell. There are no lights but a little nervous about the sensitivity of the break. Anyone else have that problem???

Your brake booster is bad. Have it replaced for free by mazda under your vehicles warranty extension. I'm a 26 yr mazda master tech so bring it to the dealer. It's free at no charge. I've done two in the last three weeks .

halflife2

vick3663 said:

I just bought a 2015 CX9 in April of this year and my car just went into the dealership service for the 2nd time.  I had missin fuses for the headlights and now have a transfer case issue. Full replacement. Very frustrating for a car that is 3 weeks old. Not very happy. Heard noises while turning steering wheel and the steering wheel actually locked up on me while I was reversing. 

Sounds very rare that a new 2015 cx9 would need a transfer case so soon. The missing fuses we caused by an improper pre delivery inspection performed by your dealers technician.

halflife2

jxs1 said:

I have a 2010 Mazda CX-9 AWD with 37000 mi. When the car had less than 20000mi two years ago, I was told it had dirty transmission fluid. I took it to another shop for second opinion and was told the fluid was normal for the mileage of the car, so I didn't do anything.

Early this year, the car stalled once in the parking garage at work. I took it to the dealership as a precaution. They didn't find anything wrong other than dirty transmission fluid and changed/flushed it. For the last 3 days, I noticed faint buzzing sound when gear shifts. I can only hear it in quiet streets at work when I first drove it out of the garage in the afternoon. After driving less than half a mile, I can no longer hear it.

I bought the car new 4.5 years ago, so I hope anything major will still be covered under powertrain warranty. However, when I brought it in last time, I was charged a "diagnosis fee" for a total of almost $500 to just change the fluid. I was able to negotiate a discount after going back and forth with the sales person over the phone for over an hour, but still paid close to $400. Apparently, he had to "talk to the parts department" several times, reminding me car salesman talking to their managers... I'm not sure I want to go through that again. Should I take it to (another) dealership or a transmission shop (the AAMCO commercial comes into mind)?

Thank you for your help!
Jeff

Jeff. At 37k there is no way your fluid needs servicing. Most dealers just dump the drain plug and add 4 qts of jws3309 fluid at about 12dollars a quart. Make sure that the fluid level on the trans dipstick is between the two cut marks when the engine is eared up. The dipstick has a rubber black handle on it and it is to the left of the battery and down a little. Sounds like your being scammed. I'm a mazda master tech 26yrs and stories like this piss me of. Some techs just care about making money rather than doing the right thing. Hope this helps Jeff. James

seeyacxnine

We have a 2010 cx 9 . Bought this one after totaling a 2009. We really liked this car and felt safe in it but at 27,000 miles it caught fire. Yep! The transfer case leaked oil causing fire. We had flames shooting out the back end and motorists flagging us down. LUCKILY, our child wasn't in the car.Prior
To fire ,We took it in twice complaining of a smell and popping noises. They said it was the brakes and fixed something. Actually, they couldn't fix brakes and had to get help from another Mazda tech. And give us a loaner for a week.
5 weeks ago we took car in because we began hearing a loud whining after hitting 40mph. After 2 weeks they called and said bad transfer case and a wheel bearing. Another week later and they call and say my husband needs to come in . NOT GOOD! They found shavings from transmission and it needs to be replaced. We have 110,000 miles on it and it will be out pocket. Probably close to 6 or 7,000.
Mazda corporate said too bad. They said no warranty , can't help you. Even though the transfer case failed twice and never once did a warning light come on. Not even during the fire shooting out of backend!They said since we already had a part replaced under warranty , we can't be part of a recall! We now will have to trade it and loose a lot of money.
Mazda should be ashamed that they haven't recalled these vehicles.

twins2love

I have a 2008 CX9 with 126k miles on it. It recently started to shake between 20 and 45 mph. The shaking feels as if I'm running over grooves in the road and rattles the whole car. I had my tires checked (they were fine), had a recall check (unrelated) at the dealer and had them check my car over ($150). They could not duplicate on a test drive so I had to drive it for them. After waiting a bit, I was told that I needed a new transmission ($7,000). They couldn't tell me exactly why, except for what they wrote on my paperwork which said TCC issue. I asked if they hooked it up to anything to get any indication as to what was going on with the transmission, and all they told me was that it was internal and I would need to replace the whole thing. A refurbished transmission would be $4-5,000 and the rest would be labor.

I left and went to AAMCO on a recommendation for a 2nd opinion. I brought the dealer paperwork and luckily they knew what TCC meant and were able to feel the car shaking after test driving it. They recommended an additive called Shutter (sp?) Stop which is added to clean transmission fluid. It works 50% of the time and can stop the shaking. I had my transmission fluid drained/refilled in July and went back to have them redo it since I was having issues. Then had the Shutter Stop put in and it worked for a week, but then the shaking came back, although not as severe.

At this point I'm not sure what to do...do I have my transmission replaced or keep driving and hope that the shaking is only temporary? I really love my car, but I can't afford a $2-3,000 repair for a transmission if this isn't the true issue going on.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

ianlongcx9

I have a CX9 from 2011, with under 90,000 km on the clock and just town driving.
Recently we noticed the car would shudder as we drove between 50-70 km/h. We took it to the dealer who did a diagnostic at a cost of $150 but found nothing. We took it back at the next service and told them the shudder was still there. Probably the spark plugs. Got those changed and they recommended to clean the jets at another $200 (so all in $800 service). The car still shuddered like we were going across slight bumps in the road, which stopped when we took the foot off the accelerator.
Took it back to the garage, and drove with them in the car. Then they experienced it and said it could be the torque. Now they did some tests and say it's a mechanical problem and went to Mazda in Melbourne to see if they would cover it under warranty. Mazda have come back and say no that it is no longer covered. As the warranty expired two years ago. This was when they told me that the transfer case and transmission would need to be changed at a cost of $16,000 AUD!!
We nearly died. We don't have that kind of money and can't believe that this isn't a pre-existing problem that would have been a fault from day 1 when it was in warranty.
Reading the posts above I can see that this appears to be quite common. How can they be so callous when they know they have a design fault?
I have contacted Mazda Melbourbe and complained and my complaint has been issued to a case officer - but no date would be given when they would get back to me. They refused to commit.
The Mazda garage supports our claim and says that as far as they are concerned that the Mazda Melbourne should replace it as it is an internal problem and clearly a fault in the original car - but not sure whether the case officer will see it that way.
What can I do. We are not flush with cash and so taking them to court seems too expensive.
Does anyone have any ideas what we can do ?
Help - desperate
Ian

oztracker

SHUDDERING!!!! CHECK OUT ( LUBEGARD DR. TRANNY SHUDDER FIXX) 2OZ TUBE SOLD AT REPCO AUS $ 36.00 FIXED MY CX 9 2007 WITH 190000KLMS ON CLOCK. HAD THE AUTO TRANSMISSION GUY CHANGE THE OIL AND ADD THE FIXX, PROBLEM SOLVED, PHEW, WAS TOLD COULD BE UP FOR NEW GEARBOX AND TORQUE CONVERTER, GOOD LUCK, I LIVE IN CAIRNS

mtg_in_co

My wife's 2012 Mazda CX9 AWD just had the same issue, got it towed to a Ford dealer (closest thing to a Mazda dealer where it broke down), confirmed the PTU (aka transfer case) is dead.

Buckeye fan, who did you call to get the extended warranty coverage from Mazda?  Ours is less than 7 years old, and has less than 90k miles.

mtg_in_co

Update: I talked to Mazda this morning, and they could not have been more helpful.  Our 2012 CX9 is covered under their extended warranty.  Again, they were incredibly helpful and bent over backwards to get us sorted.

Thank you Mazda!