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Mazda CX-7 VIN Check

NHTSA holds 980 owner complaints on the Mazda CX-7 from 217 production runs; the worst run has 42, the typical one 4.5.

NHTSA complaint records · 980 complaints · 217 runs · 2007–2012 · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Quick answer

The most-reported CX-7 run is JM3ER293970 (2007 builds) with 42 complaints, 9.3× the typical run. Air bags problems make up 23% of reports; 2007 is the worst model year at 13.6 complaints per run; NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for CX-7 model years 2007–2012.

Which build runs owners report most

A production run is the first 11 characters of the VIN: plant, model year, body and engine. The Mazda CX-7 has 217 of them on record. The five runs at the top of this table hold 17% of every CX-7 complaint on file.

FIG.01·Mazda CX-7 — complaints by production run
Production run (VIN 1–11)YearComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
JM3ER293970••••••200742—5
JM3ER293670••••••20073334
JM3ER293X70••••••200731—1
JM3ER293770••••••200731—5
JM3ER293870••••••200730—1
JM3ER293570••••••200728——
JM3ER293270••••••200727——
JM3ER293170••••••200726—1
JM3ER293470••••••20072611
JM3ER293370••••••200726—1
JM3ER293070••••••200722——
JM3ER29L570••••••200717—1
ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records, grouped by VIN prefix

Each of the other 205 CX-7 runs has 17 complaints or fewer.

Which model years to check twice

Complaints per production run, so a year that simply sold more does not top the list. On the Mazda CX-7 the gap between build years is 10.5×: a 2007 car draws 13.6 complaints per run, a 2012 one 1.3.

FIG.02·Mazda CX-7 — complaint rate by model year
YearPer runComplaintsRunsCrashes
20121.338294
20112.3145638
20102.7143531
20092.35424—
20086.1166273
200713.6434325
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Heaviest year here is 2007 at 13.6 complaints per run; lightest is 2012 at 1.3.

What to inspect on this car

One system accounts for 23% of everything Mazda CX-7 owners report: Air Bags, 257 of 980 complaints. Start the pre-purchase inspection there.

FIG.03·Mazda CX-7 — most-reported systems
SystemComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
Air Bags25791
Suspension22521
Engine And Engine Cooling191—19
Engine168111
Exterior Lighting8512
Power Train7132
Steering6053
Electrical System5728
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Recalls to check against your VIN

NHTSA has 7 recall campaigns on the Mazda CX-7; the 6 below cover build years 2007 to 2012. These are for the model and year; whether one is still open on a given car, only that VIN can tell.

FIG.04·Mazda CX-7 — recall campaigns
CampaignComponentModel years
19V782000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module2007–2012
16V593000Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint2007–2012
17V429000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module2007–2011
17V457000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module2007–2012
18V717000Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module2010–2012
09E011000Equipment2007–2009
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

19V782000 was opened in 2019 on cars built from 2007: 12 years on the road before the recall.

The CX-7 against its rivals

The CX-7 draws 4.5 complaints per production run; the Jeep Liberty 7.6, the Jeep Commander 7 and the Infiniti FX35 2.1.

FIG.05·Mazda CX-7 VIN check vs rivals
ModelComplaintsRunsPer runInvolved a crash
Mazda CX-79802174.52.1%
Jeep Liberty7,5229887.66.5%
Jeep Commander2,87941273.5%
Infiniti FX3564302.14.7%
ROWS 4·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

How serious were they

Of the 980 reports on the Mazda CX-7, 2.1% involved a crash against 5.8% across all vehicles, below the norm.

FIG.06·Mazda CX-7 — complaint severity
OutcomeMazda CX-7All vehicles
Complaints filed9801,115,966
Involved a crash21 (2.1%)64,194 (5.8%)
Involved a fire39 (4%)26,974 (2.4%)
Injuries reported1758,013
Deaths reported02,728
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Crash-related reports run 64% below the all-vehicle rate.

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How this check works

The file behind this page holds 1,115,966 complaints filed with NHTSA between 1981 and 2026, across 298,921 production runs. The Mazda CX-7 share of that is 980 complaints over 217 runs, 0.09% of everything on record.

Everything on the Mazda CX-7
Recalls29 campaignsFuel economy23 mpg bestReliability4.0/5Common problems1,131 complaintsDimensionsSize, weight, generationsUsed prices374 listingsWhat yours is worthValue by year & mileageInsurance costEstimated per yearWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout this car2007–2012

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a Mazda CX-7 VIN for free?

Enter the 17 characters above. ForCar matches the first eleven, the production run, against 980 NHTSA complaints from 217 CX-7 runs and 7 recall campaigns. No account, no card.

Which CX-7 production run has the most complaints?

JM3ER293970, a 2007 build, with 42 complaints. The typical CX-7 run has 4.5.

Which CX-7 years have the most complaints?

Per production run, 2007 is heaviest at 13.6 complaints per run and 2012 lightest at 1.3.

Does the CX-7 get more complaints than the Jeep Liberty?

No: 4.5 complaints per production run for the CX-7 against 7.6 for the Jeep Liberty.

How many CX-7 complaints involve a crash?

2.1% of 980 reports, against 5.8% across all vehicles; 39 involved a fire.

Complaint and recall records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Per-run rates computed by ForCar. Federal data covers safety only — title, odometer and insurance history are not included. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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