Mazda CX-9 2013

Mazda CX-9 2013 Q&As

Check out real-world situations relating to the Mazda CX-9 here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.

• My 2011 Mazda CX-9 is vibrating while driving

  Without knowing more, your problem could be caused by quite a few different things, including wheel bearings, driveshafts, brake rotors and even worn suspension components. But a really common cause of a vibration at a particular speed is a wheel that has shed one or more of its little balancing weights.

  Given the parlous state of this nation’s roads at the moment, hitting a big pothole is a pretty good bet right now. And the shock of that impact is a typical way for the wheel to shed its balance weights. These small, lead weights are added to the wheel when a tyre shop fits new tyres. The idea is to use the lead to balance the wheel so it spins smoothly. Lose the weight and you suddenly have an out-of-balance wheel and tyre and a vibration is a likely consequence. A good tyre shop will be able to check this for you.

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• Is a 2008 Mazda CX-9 worth keeping after reaching 300,000km?

  That's quite high mileage, but in a modern car with vastly better metallurgy, engineering design and oil quality (particularly multi-grade oil) it's not impossible for a car with that sort of mileage to still be in perfectly serviceable condition.

  Frankly, if you're not after something newer with newer tech and convenience, and you're still happy with the Mazda, the advice is probably to keep it and drive it till it will drive no further. As it is, if it's getting close to 300,000km, it's not worth very much to trade-in or sell second-hand, so keeping it and squeezing every last kilometre out of it is the budget-conscious way to go. The exception would be if a bunch of little things all go wrong at once. At which point, you're probably wise to quit it  - even though it's worth very little - as a means of not throwing good money after bad.

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• The bonnet cable on my 2009 Mazda CX-9 snapped, how do I open it?

  In some cases, with some versions of the CX-9, you can get a long screwdriver in between the bonnet and grille and manually flip the catch that will allow the bonnet to spring open. The trick is that you have to know where the catch is and since you can't see in there, it can be very difficult if not impossible.

  If you have access to one, a borescope (a tiny camera on a thin, flexible shaft, might get you to the point where you can identify the latch and successfully aim the screwdriver. But at all times, you risk damaging the grille or bonnet.

  You could take the car to a Mazda dealer or specialist who has probably seen this thing before and may have a few short-cuts to get the bonnet open. And since you're going to need a new cable anyway, you're then in the right place. If the job is a really tough one, you may find you need to remove the grille and even the front bumper to gain the access you need.

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• The passenger door hinge has been snapped off my 2020 Mazda CX-9 TC Sport

  If the door flies open when you unlatch it, it sounds as though the problem might be with the check-strap, rather than the hinge. The check-strap has the job of limiting the amount the door can open and avoid it flinging into whatever is parked beside you. If the actual hinge was the problem, the door would almost certainly drop when you opened it, making it very difficult to close again.

  In either case, though, it should be a pretty clear case of a legitimate warranty claim, and a 2020 Mazda is still well within the factory warranty period, regardless of whether you're the original owner or not.

  Take the car straight back to the dealership you bought it from and there should be no arguing over having it fixed free of charge. I'm a bit surprised a car dealership would sell a car with this sort of problem, but it might simply be that the item was overlooked when the vehicle was being prepared for sale. The bottom line is that this is Mazda's problem, not yours and according to the warranty, it should be fixed for free. The only exception to that would be if the damaged part was caused by previous crash-damage, but even then, the second-hand car warranty offered by the dealer should cover such a pre-existing problem.

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