KnownCarProblems2008 Mazda CX-7 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 191 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Mazda CX-7, most often about the engine (44% of complaints, typically around 59,500 miles). It is the 2nd most complained-about CX-7 model year since 2000 and has 4 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory3 recalls for this car came with a do-not-drive warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2008 Mazda CX-7 problems
Engine
84 complaints · 44%Half of these problems showed up before 59,500 miles. Parts named most often: cooling system, engine, exhaust system.
I was traveling in valencia on the 5 freeway and the interior of my 2008 Mazda CX-7 filled with smoke to the point where I found it difficult to drive. I pulled to the exit (magic mountain pkwy) and pulled to the side turning off the engine. After several minutes I lifted the hood to find that the engine was still…
I have a 2008 Mazda cx7 with 60,000 miles. My AC compressor just went out. First noticed a slight squealing noise which I thought might be a loose belt. The next day I noticed a strong smell like burning rubber. Car seemed to drive fine. Two days later I finally got it checked out and was told it was the compressor…
Air bags
53 complaints · 28%Half of these problems showed up before 96,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal.
I tried to call a dealer at Mazda but they do not call me back for the recall. I will try again but I think they going to charged me. I can't afford it. How can you help me please? I can't drive at night because the front light has fog inside and I can't barely see. I can't stop quick because the break are bad and…
When driving with cruise control on. The highway at 65 MPH, I try to turn it off by depressing the brake, the brake is stiff and will not disengage. The only way to disengage is by pushing the on off button on steering wheel.
Suspension
40 complaints · 21%Half of these problems showed up before 112,500 miles. Parts named most often: front, rear.
Bought the car july 30 2016. Left front control arm broke causing lost steering and additional damage to the car. Had the car repaired at a shop july 20 2017. Got a recall notice for the same issue sept 2017. Just had the car repaired as per the recall 08/09/2018 but now Mazda does not want to reimburse for the prior…
I was driving down the highway and suddenly I hear a loud noise sounded like I was in a big rig truck then all of a sudden it started to overheat b4 I could pull off of highway it cut off right in the highway I had my grandson with me and thank goodness there was not a lot of traffic or we probably would've been dead
Transmission
14 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 79,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
I purchased my 2008 Mazda cx7 new from jake sweeney Mazda in cinti, oh. I had not had any problems with it until this incident. I was driving for work from cinti, oh to clarksburg, wv. 20 minutes into my drive, the AC went out. There was a strong smell of a belt burning. I turned the air off, put the windows down and…
As I was driving my Mazda ( with a turbo engine) along the highway it began to decelerate on its own and making a loud knocking/grinding noise. It stopped on the road going up a hill with no turnouts. So it appears that the turbo blew up. It will start, but I cannot go anywhere. I have also had to replace gaskets on…
Lights
14 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 68,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2008 Mazda CX-7. The contact stated that the clear tail lights made it difficult to decipher when the brake lights were illuminated. There was no red coloring for the brake lights. The dealer diagnosed that the bulb was pink, not red. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was…
Mazda got stuck and had no power the first time second time happened october 9,2013 car kept shutting off and finally could not move. Turbo once again twice in 5 months and I only had this pre-owned vehicle for 7 months.
Electrical
12 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 61,000 miles. Parts named most often: instrument cluster/panel.
I was driving my car close to home and I was traveling at a speed of about 30 MPH. I heard a few taps and then turned off the heating/air conditioning. As I pulled into my driveway, the noise resumed and a burning electrical smell started and actually the smell remained the entire night. I had it towed the next day to…
This Mazda CX-7 is at a Mazda dealer's service center right now getting the timing chain replaced, vvt issue corrected, a new turbo system to keep it from dumping tons of blue smoke from the exhaust, A/C system fixed, and there is an intermittent electrical issue as well. Not happy obviously, as these are all know…
Other or unspecified
8 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 82,500 miles.
Mazda issued a warranty extension on the A/C compressor because of a known problem. My compressor broke after this extension. It created a safety concern as the clutch broke off of the compressor cause sparks to fly from the loose rubbing metal. Sparks were not caused from electric arc. When the clutch originally…
The driver's seat under welding which attaches the chair to the body of the car, under the seat, has become detached for no known reason. The front end of the driver's seat unit is no longer attached to the frame of the car yet the back end of the seat is still attached by the motor controls to the power seat. The…
Steering
8 complaints · 4%Without warning the cabin of my Mazda CX-7 filled with smoke and the powersteering went out. Apparently faulty AC compressor burned belts and knocked out powersteering. Mazda replaced compressor with new revised compressor.
The power steering failed. Almost impossible to steer car to safe stop on side of road. The power steering hose was cut by the end of the crankshaft at the end of the engine and all the fluid leaked out causing the pump to stop and burn up. The hose was cut by long-term rubbing by the end of the crankshaft that spins…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2008 Mazda CX-7 recalls
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. The recall began december 3, 2019. Owners may contact mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317f. Note: this recall supersedes recalls 16v356 and 17v012.
Full defect summary
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 exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began october 4, 2017. Owners may contact mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317f. Note: this recall supersedes recall 17v-012.
Full defect summary
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, or "zone a." additionally, unless included in "zone a" above, mazda is recalling certain 2009 cx-7, cx-9 and mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of arizona, arkansas, delaware, district of columbia, illinois, indiana, kansas, kentucky, maryland, missouri, nebraska, nevada, new jersey, new mexico, north carolina, ohio, oklahoma, pennsylvania, tennessee, virginia, and west virginia, or "zone b." additionally, unless included in "zone a" or "zone b" above, mazda is recalling certain 2007-2008 cx-7 and cx-9 sold, or ever registered in the stat
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on august 30, 2017. Owners may contact mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317f. Note: this recall supersedes recall 16v356 and all vehicles that were not remedied under that campaign are now covered by this one.
Full defect summary
Mazda north america operations (mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2011 mazda6, and 2007-2011 cx-7 and cx-9 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Suspension: lower ball joint
Risk: A loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower control arms, free of charge. As a priority, mazda will first address all affected 2007-2008 vehicles as well as 2009-2011 vehicles currently registered in connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, virginia. West virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. The remaining vehicles will be addressed as parts are available. The recall began september 20, 2017. Owners
Full defect summary
Mazda north american operations (mazda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2012 mazda cx-7 vehicles manufactured february 14, 2006, to may 9, 2012. In the affected vehicles, water may enter the front suspension ball joint fittings. If the water is contaminated with salt, such as from driving on snowy roads that have been treated, the ball joint may corrode and separate from the lower control arm, resulting in a loss of steering control.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2008 Mazda CX-7
- What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mazda CX-7?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (84 complaints, typically around 59,500 miles); air bags (53 complaints, typically around 96,000 miles); suspension (40 complaints, typically around 112,500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2008 Mazda CX-7 have?
- 4 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from October 31, 2019 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2008 a bad year for the Mazda CX-7?
- It is the 2nd most complained-about CX-7 model year since 2000, with 191 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.