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2007 Mazda CX-9

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Comments

  • imamgimamg Member Posts: 136
    I just did a dealer locate...and these dealers show to have one in stock:

    SUBURBAN MAZDA OF FARMING 37911 GRAND RIVER AVENUE FARMINGTON H, MI 48335 248-471-0800

    MARTY SUSSMAN MAZDA 1601-31 EASTON ROAD WILLOW GROVE, PA 19090 215-887-1800

    PINNACLE MAZDA 101 SW GRADY WAY. RENTON , WA 98055 425-271-2700

    GARCIA MAZDA 8603 LOMAS BLVD. NE ALBUQUERQUE , NM 87112 505-294-1455

    PERRY MAZDA 440 HITCHCOCK WAY SANTA BARBAR, CA 93105 805-682-2411
  • svofan2svofan2 Member Posts: 442
    ..it goes to show..I love it on my Expedition 05 ...lol...that is funny!...but why is that problem?...I find it so nice to know that once I beging to move the doors will be locked..
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    ... because when I get out of the car and go to open the hatch or another door, the dang thing is locked and I have to go back to the driver's door and unlock it.

    I'm a grown-up now and can lock my own doors when I feel it's warranted.

    Some day we'll be able to easily connect to our cars with a laptop and configure all this. When you get a new car, you'll just load your saved settings into it. :D
  • svofan2svofan2 Member Posts: 442
    ..when I get out of the Expi and I want open any other doors I just click on the key fob and the rest of the doors open. But I guess it is a mtter of choice,I always thought it was a good feature and my son in law hates like you...but I love your idea of having individual settings and transfer them to what ever car you own..
    What really surprises me is that is an option to be configure bu the dealer rather than having it from factory,looking at it on the bright side thsi is better since you and I can both have our individual ways...another thing to consider (for me) still undicide if I am going with the CX 9 or the EDGE....
  • wwwwww Member Posts: 8
    OK - I've had my GT for a week and a half and I love it, but there are a couple of things I am still trying to figure out and have had no luck with the manuals. First - is there a simple way to turn off bluetooth temporarily- other than disabling it on the phone? There are times when I want to have a "private conversation" without my kids or others in the car hearing both ends of the conversation, but to disable bluetooth on my phone is relatively complicated - I have to scroll through a couple of menus and make choices- something I can't do quickly or all that safely while driving -especially if there is a call coming in.

    Also - is it possible to easily get the second row to automatically return to the furthest back position after sliding it up to get in the third row? Right now I have to reach under the seat and pull the lever to get it to slide back to the furthest position. I recall reading somewhere here that this might just be the way it is, but I’ve had no luck searching the old posts to find out.

    Thanks - and I apologize if some of this is written somewhere in the manual. I've looked, and have not found answers - seems most efficient to just ask here.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    I'm not sure about the bluetooth. Once I'm on a call, I can hit two buttons on my phone and transfer the sound back to the phone.

    Concerning the seats, just slide them back before you move the backrest upright. As long as the backrest is forward, the seat should slide freely.
  • imamgimamg Member Posts: 136
    Here's the info from the manual:
    qTransferring a call
    Transferring a call from the Hands-
    Free system to a mobile phone
    Communication between the hands-free
    unit and a mobile phone is canceled, and
    the line can be switched to a standard call
    using a mobile phone.
    1. Press the phone button (Short press).
    2. Say: [Beep] “Transfer call”
    3. Prompt: “Transferred call to phone”
    Transferring a call from a mobile
    phone to the Hands-Free system
    Communication between mobile phones
    can be switched to the Bluetooth Hands-
    Free system.
    1. Press the phone button (Short press).
    2. Say: [Beep] “Transfer call”
    3. Prompt: “Transferred call to Hands
    Free system”
  • rransirransi Member Posts: 11
    Got the DVD remote from Montgomery Mazda in Charlotte, NC.
    (http://www.onlinemazdaparts.com).

    I paid $114.78 and shipping was free.
  • teofilteofil Member Posts: 2
    Hi fellow CX9 owners - I have an 07 with FWD and the 20" wheels. Does anyone else have an issue where the vehicle is easier to turn one direction vs the other. In my case turning to the left is much "easier" than turning to the right, especially at highway speeds. The vehicle seems to track straight but this bias towards turning left is really bothering me. I have already dropped the car off at the dealer and of course they tell me everything is in order. If anyone else has had this issue I would love to hear about it.
    Thanks
  • lazyace13lazyace13 Member Posts: 15
    Mazda has a Service Bulletin out that addresses this. Steering Pull/Drift In fact, this link shows all the CX-9 Service Bulletins CX-9 Service Bulletins Once again, we have to educate the dealers! They're as dumb as a box of rocks!
  • wakblakwakblak Member Posts: 3
    There is a service bulletin on the CX-9 pulling to the left.
    I took my in and had them check it because mine was pulling pretty bad (AWD - 20 inches).

    They aligned it, and it is better, but it still seems to bias to the left, especially during braking.
  • teofilteofil Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the links, this should help. We will see what the dealer has to say now.
  • svofan2svofan2 Member Posts: 442
    ...check your tire pressure all around...as stupid as it may sound I have had problems like that when the tire pressure are off...try Mazda specs first and then try tire wall specs...if it still does it then it is aa aligment issue.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    It's Tuesday, so that means it's time for our weekly chat session. Meet and greet with some of your CarSpace forums friends and chat about your favorite cars!

    The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule
  • pulleydogpulleydog Member Posts: 61
    I just received my December '07 issue and there is a 1-page article that lists several dozen vehicles under 2 catagories;
    - "Newly Recommended" - and - "No Longer Recommended" -
    Under each of these, they break it down to 'Improved Reliability' and 'Enough reliability data to recommend' and the other column is 'Worse reliability' and 'Enough data to say they're unreliable'.
    The CX-9 was listed under the last heading mentioned above.

    I know CR/CU has it's fans and foes, but I usually trust their information. As someone in the final stages of negotiating a purchase of a 2008 CX-9, it does give me some pause. Unfortunately, it doesn't get into any detail on any vehicle in particular, except for a few models in the main body of the article.

    Knowing they get the bulk of their reliability information from the subscribers of CR through a once a year survey, I'm wondering where they are getting this new reliability data from...? I could be mistaken, but I thought I received and sent in my auto survey back in the early Spring. I can't imagine there would be all that much data available on the CX-9 since it was released less than a year ago...I think...?? :confuse:
  • svofan2svofan2 Member Posts: 442
    You would be surprise...I was considering the CX 9 for a while and then I heard a lot of "small" complaints that could be attributed to lack of knowledge or poor information on the part of the new owners...whatever the situation may be remember that perception becomes reality to most of us,specially when it comes to cars...I finally got rid of my 05 Expi ($80+ a week in gas) and got a beautiful Toyota Sienna Limited AWD...hate to say it but Toyota got us and good when it comes to cars....good luck to you
  • carlitos92carlitos92 Member Posts: 458
    "I can't imagine there would be all that much data available on the CX-9 since it was released less than a year ago...I think...??"

    Not only that, but if you scan these forums, there really are not a lot of issues posted about the CX-9. Issues with the CX-7 were immediate and annoyed owners were vocal about it on CarSpace.

    I always take CR with a grain of salt and just roll their take in with everything else I see and hear... I guess how much pause it causes you just really depends on how much you really want to rely on them.

    -c92
  • svofan2svofan2 Member Posts: 442
    ...or how badly do you really want that specific vehicle...go to Mazda forums....remember the guy with the seat issues?....and the other one complaining how bad was the NAV system?....or how flimsy was the floor material?....etc etc....maybe CR/CU is picking up on this small items....(not small for those that complaint)...it all boils down to this..do you like the CX 9?..unless you hear terrible important things wrong,go get it and enjoy it in the best of health...think positive..after all..it is a mechanical item...good luck
  • nxs138nxs138 Member Posts: 481
    I checked out the CR website to take a look at the CX-9 reliability survey. There's something odd about it: nearly every category gets full marks, except for the radio (poor), and the drive system (fair). But when you look at the Acadia survey, for example, there are plenty of half circles, yet the reliability is deemed as average.

    So I researched it more: Mazda does have some technical service bulletins out there, but they are mostly about stains on wheels, or pulling a bit to the left or right (this might be the "drive system" CR is referring to), and a coolant tank replacement. Nothing all that serious, but annoying.

    The Acadia has many more issues, from transmission software issues to door leaks, batteries dying, drivetrain bolts coming loose, defective seat tracks. Another website has reliability data on 74 Acadias, and statistically nearly every one of them has been in the shop once for an issue. This website does not yet have data on the CX-9.

    I'm usually a defender of CR, but in this case I don't understand why the CX-9 survey, which looks better than that of the Acadia, gets a "not recommended" nod. The forums out there certainly seem to show that the CX-9 has few issues, while the Acadia has many, many minor issues that will send you to the shop more often.

    (note: I'm only using the Acadia as an example, since it is a direct competitor to the CX-9)
  • eadlertxeadlertx Member Posts: 20
    I am not a Mazda owner, but my wife is looking for a new CUV, and the CX9 is one of the ones she is considering.
    Does any CX9 owner out there know and trust a Mazda service manager enough to ask him (or her) their unbiased opinion of what the drive train and audio problems are (or were), and what Mazda has done to fix them in the current model? I assume that most of the problems were in the 2007 model.
  • nxs138nxs138 Member Posts: 481
    Apparently the NAV system is not user friendly, has a so-so voice recognition system, and subpar graphics. As well the iPod connection might need a dealer-installed switch box if you also get Sirius radio.

    Someone in the CR forums did ask a dealer about the CR report, and the only answer was that everything had been taken care of in the 2008 model. To tell the truth, I have scoured the forums looking for this "drive systems" issue, and have found nothing. After doing some digging in the CR website, here is what constitutes "drive systems":

    Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, wheel bearing(s), differential, transfer case, 4WD/AWD components, driveline vibration, traction control, stability control, electrical failure.

    Again, searching the web for any of these issues related to the CX-9 comes out empty. The only thing that comes up is the car pulling to the left or right (alignment issue, I think)...maybe some owners lumped that under "drive systems" in the CR survey?
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    I noticed something curious while I was at the dealership a couple of days ago. The window sticker on the 08 Sport said it got 17/24 mpg while the one for the 08 Touring said 16/22. Both were FWD. I asked why and nobody could come up with an answer. Finally one of their showroom guys said that once the EPA came up with their new numbers, Mazda decided to reprogram the drivetrain to get better mileage. Some of the window stickers where produced before the change and some after, which accounts for the difference. He said "not to worry" that they update all the software every time they service the vehicle, including first service, so that the vehicle I bought would have the latest Mazda update. Does this make sense???

    By the way the deal they offered was good only for that day, so I walked away. The CX9 is still on my list, but I'm having second thoughts.
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    I cannot figure this out. I am a Mazda dealer, and the CX-9's have not come in for anything except the pulling issue, and that was only a select few. The CX-7 has known issues with the CEL, but, the CX-9 has had nothing. How can CR recommend the Edge and MKX with the same engine? I just don't get it. I really don't. Every category lists the CX-9 at "Excellent", except the drive system. I really don't understand.
  • brutus22brutus22 Member Posts: 122
    If you want to get the actual rated mpg then go here:
    http://www.fueleconomy.gov/
    2008:
    16/22 18 combined is listed for FWD.
    15/21 17 combined for AWD.
    Sounds like they simply had a sticker for the old way the EPA used to rate MPG, has nothing to do with reprogram, they are feeding you a load of crap sounds like to me.

    I love everything about this vehicle except the mpg seems quite poor.

    B.
  • nxs138nxs138 Member Posts: 481
    That's a nice little website! You can do a side-by-side comparison with other SUVs, so I compared the mpg for the CX-9 to the Acadia, Veracruz, Highlander, and Pilot:

    Mazda: 15/21 for AWD
    Acadia: 16/22 for AWD
    Veracruz: 15/22 for AWD
    Highlander: 17/23 for AWD
    Pilot: 15/20 for AWD

    So the CX-9 is nothing special, but isn't that far off from the others. I'm actually surprised how low the Pilot gets. I guess a hybrid (or diesel) is the only way to get better mpg in this crossover segment...
  • svofan2svofan2 Member Posts: 442
    Wrong place and wrong people to ask for answers to your questions, I know thwy should know but their answers will always be "favorable" since you are there because you want to buy and they want to sell...go to Mazda forums there you will be able ask and get answers that come from owners of CX 9. Like I said most issues that I saw were minor ones ..like the driver side mirror vibrating and no one at a Mazda dealer has an answer..and the dealer "sees nothing wrong"....owners should be your only source...
  • svofan2svofan2 Member Posts: 442
    ..is mileage that important when we are only looking at,in my opinion,a guesstimate?...and besides would a 1 or 2 mile per gallon difference make you buy a vehicle over the one that you really want or like?....I don't think so..on most cases anyhow..
  • pulleydogpulleydog Member Posts: 61
    nxs138 and others - thanks for the info! That does make me feel better. I do rely on CR for product information, but there are times when I look at how they rate one product against another, see the breakdown ratings within the same product, and then scratch my head and wonder why they rate one so much better than another when the data shows something quite opposite. I know they 'weight' things differently, but it still makes me wonder.

    I do appreciate sharing what you have found. None of it sounds all that alarming to me. Historically, almost all first year vehicles experience some 'bugs' that need to be worked out. And it sounds like these 'bugs' were annoying but nothing that proved to be too major.

    We're going for our last test drive right now. I will try not to put too much emphasis on the CR article and let the experience drive my decision.
    Thanks again to all who responded! :)
  • svofan2svofan2 Member Posts: 442
    ...but use as a bargaining tools in your purchase and good luck..
  • nxs138nxs138 Member Posts: 481
    You might also want to give truedelta.com a try. It's a site started by a guy who apparently was critical of CR reliability data, so he started his own site. There's no CX-9 reliability data yet, but should be there soon (he needs a certain number of people to report in to have statistically significant data).

    Good luck! My wife and I enjoyed the CX-9 test drive, we liked it better than the Acadia or Highlander.
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    I was not worried about the 1 mpg difference, but simply wanted to know why 2 models (Sport vs Touring) of the same car (08 CX9 FWD) had different EPA mpg stickers. Was it tires? Was it gear ratios? Was it weight? etc,etc... Nobody seemed to know until I got an answer that sounded fishy. I know that most of us at these Edmunds' forums know more about the cars we are buying than the sales people at dealerships - that doesn't surprise me. What I don't like and will not tolerate from car dealerships are lies - this information that I got seemed to fit in that category and I simply wanted confirmation.

    I suspected that the 17/24 MPG sticker was applied before the EPA changed their calculations and that the most current number should be 16/22. The answer that I got was just the opposite and implied that I WOULD GET 17/24 AFTER THE CAR WAS "REPROGRAMED".
  • svofan2svofan2 Member Posts: 442
    ..you are so right!...the sales people often are misinformed at best...and most of them will tell us buyers anything in order to sell a car...but in all fairness selling is how they make a living...my biggest problem is that the dealerships do not encourage long term employment for theirt sales force thus creating the "temp" sales personnel that either don't know anything,and show it well, or try to tell us lies with the objective of selling...after all when they get a "live one" they go back to the sales manager in order to effect the sale..
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I just moved an interesting mileage post over to the Real World MPG discussion. Check it out:

    martin_m, "Mazda CX-9 Real World MPG" #23, 5 Nov 2007 6:37 am
  • kbedwardskbedwards Member Posts: 41
    And why do we have to go to the last page of the thread to post?! Craziest thing I have yet seen in any discussion forum (in terms of interface).

    Just wondering where to post impressions of my 08 CX-9 after several months of driving, to help anyone looking at buying. I sure found a lot of value here when I was trying to decide, would like to add to the information.
  • brutus22brutus22 Member Posts: 122
    Hello,

    Strange I have never seen any other way to post then at the end, it make sense to me and I post at a dozen other forums. Anyhow would love to hear your impressions, post them here please.

    Thanks,
    B.
  • kbedwardskbedwards Member Posts: 41
    For anyone that is considering buying, please note that overall I love this vehicle, and have said as much in a couple of other forums here. This is more an addendum to those other mini reviews after I have owned the vehicle for several months now.

    So the fact that I am posting some negative issues should not really sway anyone since out of all the models I looked at and considered, the CX9 still won out - i.e. every vehicle has flaws and negatives to go with the good stuff of course (and I would buy it again today if that helps).

    I have the 08 CX9 GT, FWD with all the goodies.

    Interior space:

    Space has not yet been an issue, and my wife's aunt and brother are visiting our house for more than 2 weeks, so it has been tested multiple times, and vigorously in this dept.

    We have EASILY packed the following into the CX9 (at the same time):
    Mom
    Dad
    Uncle (3rd row)
    Aunt (center 2nd row)
    3 yr old in booster (2nd row)
    6 mos old in carseat (2nd row)
    85lb dog in back
    stroller

    Now granted, there was not much room for anything else, but the entry and exit times for all those beings/things was pretty impressive imo.

    This is exactly why I bought the vehicle, and was pleased to find out that it delivered on that front.

    Now if I had those two extra adults to fit on a daily or even continual basis, I would have bought a minivan, no question, but this was a once a year, maybe once every 2 yrs thing, so no big deal.

    DRIVING:

    Continues to impress. Handling is superb for a vehicle this size. Acceleration is decent. Transmission is butter smooth.

    I have been wavering about the ride though. At first I posted a comment about how I thought people who decried the 20" wheels ride as too rough were being overly sensitive, but I can see the point now after some time.

    Let's just say, in hindsight, if I had had a choice to choose the GT model with 18" wheels instead of 20" I would have done so. Not only because I imagine the cost to replace those things will be insane, but also for ride comfort of passengers. It is very European, in that you definitely feel the road more, which has positives and negatives. You get better feedback when driving, but you also get "feedback" when you hit a pothole. I will say when you do encounter a pothole, it recovers VERY quickly, but there is a pretty big jolt probably due to the low profile of the tires.

    Road noise. Not as quiet as I had hoped on the interstate. More wind noise than anything else, as the cabin itself seems pretty well insulated. But like my Passat wagon, when you hit cruising speeds on the interstate, the wind hitting (side view mirror is what it sounds like) obstructions can really start to whistle. But again, this IS a Mazda, and not a Lexus, so there ya go (though they are pricing this model like it was a Lexus!) Not really a big issue or a dealbreaker at all, just a note.

    FIT/FINISH:

    The floor mats are the worst I have ever seen in any car I have bought. Just awful. I would probably go ahead and plan to buy some 3rd party (like Weathertech) or even Mazda's own all weather mats, even if you don't live in a climate that needs that, because the default ones are sooooo cheap looking - they are so lightweight and cheap that mine are already starting to pull off the floor at some of the corners. Real shoddy, Mazda, does not at all go with high quality material used in the rest of the cabin.

    OPTIONS:

    Sound:
    I have barked about this already, but I am even more down on the sound system than I was previously. The Bose system they have with the "premium" audio package (I got the RSE) is pure crap, no other way to put it. Not sure if it's the head unit or the speakers, (I think the unit), but normal CD's (even after I have spent MUCH time tweaking audio settings) sounds just terrible. Overly boomy bass, NO mid range, ack. I can't say enough about how disappointed I am considering the extra cost.

    OTOH, the sound of the DVD system is phenomenol. Surround is incredible and believable, so I tried some CD's in the DVD player and it seems to be somewhat better (because I have more options I think, to tweak). Still testing this.

    Video on DVD is mediocre at best.

    Have not tested headphones that come with it yet.

    Locking/opening:

    This still baffles me. Not sure why, but after many months, I still can't seem to get "the system" (and yes I have read the ENTIRE manual). The memory seats only work if you click the LOCK button on the remote entry key. If you use the button on the door, this does NOT work, so it kinda defeats the purpose of a keycard (not having to pull out the card when you want to open or start car).

    I just think the whole system could be better, or better integrated at least.

    Maybe I will try having the dealer reprogram to do the auto locking and unlocking thing. that would probably help out (it's off by default).

    Mileage:

    Wow, it's horrible! I mean, maybe not relatively, but for us, coming from 2 VW's (4 cylinder Passat and even a V6 GTI) we have to fill up the tank ALL the time. Not so much concerned about that as I wish they would have used a larger tank...just a pain to have to constantly stop for gas.

    Climate control works great.

    Bluetooth works great

    Nav system itself is awful RELATIVE to personal units you can buy like Garmin, but will get you where you want to go (if you have a specific address). I would consider the NAV as just the MOST basic GPS you could find on the market - i.e it does the bare minimum (which is really all I need, so not really that much of a complaint from me)

    It is not friendly to use, the interface is plain bad, the graphics are worse (though if you are just listening this should not be a problem). They should completely overhaul the NAV for 09 imo.

    Love the adjustable headlights.

    Love the quality of the leather.

    Love the overall look, except for the chrome, which is completely cheesy imo (which is why I got a platinum one which contrasts with the chrome the least, so much less noticeable than say on the blue). That is completely subjective though, some probably like chrome everything.

    Rearview camera - I use it a LOT more than I thought I would. Glad to have it.

    Power liftgate: I thought I would use this a LOT more...but I find myself almost never using it. Maybe the wife does, not sure.

    I guess if you have a hand free to be able to click on the keycard to close it remotely, or even able to reach up and push the button on the gate itself, you are probably able to just close it with your hand! Not sure why I thought this would be such a great feature, but again, my 5ft tall wife may beg to differ on that point.

    Oh, I also had to take it in to dealer because it was pulling to left pretty severely on the interstate.

    Overall impression after several months (1-10 scale): 8.5
  • onzie1onzie1 Member Posts: 2
    Hello Cmuniz,
    I was wondering the same thing. We purchased a FWD but the sticker on that said 16/22 while the stickers on the other fwd what we saw said 18/24. When I asked the difference the salesman said "in 2007 the fwd got better mileage than the 2008 because of the emission changes, I guess" So I'm not sure if the two you were looking at were different years or not but that could have something to do with it.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    The recent leasing thread has been moved over to Prices Paid:

    onzie1, "Mazda CX-9 Lease Questions" #240, 29 Nov 2007 12:29 pm

    Please report on your buying deals in the Mazda CX-9 Prices Paid and Buying Experience discussion too. Thanks!

    Oh, and we'd love to see pics of your new CX-9's - please post them on your CarSpace page in the albums there.
  • cmunizcmuniz Member Posts: 604
    That's the first answer I got, too but they were both 2008 - one a Sport the other a Touring. Still don't understand the difference, I decided to buy a 2008 Taurus X instead of the CX9 Touring.
  • jim213jim213 Member Posts: 1
    I bought brand new CX-9 and the all wheel drive didn't work. Couldn't go on any slippery surface. Took dealer over a month to convince MAZDA it was bad then two weeks to get new transfer case. Now it works perfect. Went from undrivable in snow to fantastic. But, odd that brand new car had non functioning part.
  • imamgimamg Member Posts: 136
    1) what made you first notice it?
    2) were there any warning lights from the car indicating an issue?
    3) it's unfortunate ...but even brand new things have issues...

    I'm very glad it's working proper now!!!
  • sizematterssizematters Member Posts: 6
    Same here, got the diagnostic today from the dealer, same delay to order new transfer case. I'm happy to see that this has solved the problem for you and I can't wait to see the difference: I live in snowy Montreal, I have a 45 degree incline to my driveway in town and I drive up to my even snowier cottage every weekend and really need the AWD when I get there before the plow: steep inclines, twisty roads, no abrasives or salt!

    Mine is a 2007 GT, bought used with 10,000 km (sorry, I'm Canadian!) on the ODO and previously driven ony by a female Mazda Sales Director, so unlike you, there may be other factors involved in the faulty transfer case, like wanting to impress the sales staff...
  • sizematterssizematters Member Posts: 6
    I know the post wasn't addressed to me but I had the same problem so I will answer if you don't object. Hope this helps other users and I hope we haven't uncovered a widespread issue with the AWD...

    1) I had a hard time getting up my steep driveway after a good snowstorm (6 inches of fresh snow or more). I had a Rav4 with AWD before the CX-9 and it came through every time. I thought maybe the CX-9 being heavier, and with TCS, it started at a disadvantage in the same conditions, so I didn't give it much thought, especially given that when I turn TCS off and put it in Manual 2nd gear, I always make it up the driveway. BTW, I have brand new winters (Toyo G02) on 18 inch mags, so tires are a moot point.

    What sealed the deal was when I got stuck in a 90 degree curve with a 20 degree incline in 8 inches of fresh snow with some ice under it. OK, not an easy test for any vehicle (no FWD that I know has ever made it up this particular section in these conditions, even with winter tires), but that's why I bought the AWD dammit! I tried 3 times, TCS off in 2nd gear, but my new AWD CX-9 felt like a heavy front wheel drive cow! When my father and brothers in law came to help get me up, they noticed that nothing but the front wheels were turning, so that confirmed my feeling. My father in law's AWD Chrysler Minivan was not having the same probems as my CX-9 (yes, very embarassing!) and I thought it was maybe due to a purely mechanical AWD vs the CX-9's electronically enhanced system? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

    On the CX-9's AWD in general, I thought that maybe TCS and other electronics were the reason why the rear end didn't come out when I floored it (like my Rav4 used to do), but I suppose that this broken transfer case may be the real reason. I will post something on this once the repairs have been made (still lots of snow and twisty roads to test on!). Meanwhile, for other owners, perhaps this test can help you determine whether your AWD system is working properly or not: in fresh snow, TCS off, manual, 1st gear, drive forward slowly, turn the wheel slightly, floor it, and if the back end doesn't come out, surprise, you're probably not driving an AWD! The 4WD light will probably come on, but unlike the TCS icon, this is not necessarily a good thing (see below).

    2) 4WD light flashed, but like TCS icon, I thought it was a good thing when it did, that is until I read the owner's manual and discovered that it could indicate a problem.
  • imamgimamg Member Posts: 136
    Thank you very much for your unadressed response! The information from you is very helpful.. I'm going to make an inquiry with my dealer rep (I am the proud owner of an 07 GT AWD, and the P.M. of a dealer)., and though I'm in Northern California (not much daily snow here ;) ) but our family does make trips to the sierra and the last thing I want to experience is the failure of our AWD system... If I get any significant responce from him... I'll add it to our continued information.
  • mseningenmseningen Member Posts: 27
    So folks who own these CX-9s what is your real world experience with
    those 2nd row seat tracks.

    My wife looked at those and has all but thrown the cx-9 out of the running.

    She just shook her head and asked "What were they thinking?"

    She's expecting them to collect french fries and pennies.

    Is it as bad as she thinks.......?

    m
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    It's hard to tell from the photo I found, but they look a bit similar to the tracks in my Quest. But my tracks are about 3' long and go from the back of the front seats to about a foot or so from the rear hatch. I have carpet strips with plugs attached that fit in the tracks that I have to pop out to slide the rear seat back and forth, but the tracks do accumulate stuff. Rarely does anything keep me from sliding the seat back and forth though, and occasionally I'll stick a vacuum nozzle in there and clean the dirt out.

    I guess one advantage is that they give you a bit more foot room since the seat isn't sitting on long brackets attached to the floor. If you don't move the second row much, a floor mat would probably keep most junk out of the rails.
  • maltbmaltb Member Posts: 3,572
    Just to give you a baseline, I have 4 kids and 13k miles.

    I just vacuumed the CX-9 the other day and was surprised that the tracks were not worse than they were. there was some light dirt in there, but nothing major. So far, no problems with the seats sliding back and forth.
  • imamgimamg Member Posts: 136
    We're about 8k in to the car... w/3 kids ages 7 to 16... we haven't had any issues at all with the 2nd row seats/tracks at all ... In fact I'm still pretty impressed with the design and function of the 2nd row all together... the ease of use getting into the rear seats etc...
  • mjbennett9mjbennett9 Member Posts: 1
    I have same issue with my brand new 2007 CX-9 with 18" tires. I noticed on test drive but thought nothing of it because I purchased a mazda 3 last year and had same issue on test drive, but was completely gone after test drive. Well, I bought the CX-9, and immediately brought back for alignment. Tech said out of specs a little, but "these" sporty suspensions tend to turn one way or the other. Well, mine completely and always turns to the left. The alignment helped a little, but this car is NOT fun to drive because I ALWAYS have to hold steering wheel to the right. I'm taking back three times and filing a lemon law claim. That'll teach em.
  • jchan66jchan66 Member Posts: 8
    This is a known problem and have been discussed in several forums. Here is alink to one of them:

    topneuro, "2008 Mazda CX-9" #49, 30 Jan 2008 1:18 pm
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