If you’re driving a newer Mazda CX-70 or CX-90, you might want to pay attention to this one. The Mazda recall affecting these SUVs isn’t just your typical “we need to fix a small thing” situation – we’re talking about problems that could leave you stranded on the side of the road.
Let’s break down what’s happening and why thousands of Mazda owners are heading to their dealerships right now.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
This Mazda recall is massive. We’re talking about more than 150,000 vehicles that need to get fixed, and that’s just in the United States. The affected cars include 2024-2025 CX-90s and 2025 CX-70s, which means if you bought one of these SUVs recently, there’s a good chance you’re part of this recall.
Here’s what makes this situation even more interesting: it’s not just one recall. Mazda actually issued three separate recalls all at once for these vehicles. It’s like discovering your car has multiple computer problems that all need to be fixed at the same time.
Problem #1: Your Fuel Gauge Is Lying to You
The biggest Mazda recall involves nearly 105,000 vehicles with fuel gauge issues. This isn’t just an annoying little glitch – it’s actually dangerous.
“On certain vehicles, an incorrect fuel level may be displayed on the instrument cluster,” Mazda explained in their official statement. “As a result, the driver may be unaware of how much fuel is in the tank, and the vehicle could run out of fuel and stall.”
This means drivers could be caught off guard when their vehicle suddenly runs out of fuel because the gauge was showing incorrect readings. Your engine could cut out unexpectedly because you’re actually running on empty even though the fuel gauge shows fuel remaining.
The problem happens when ethanol in gasoline reacts with materials on something called the fuel sending unit circuit board. It’s basically a chemistry experiment gone wrong inside your gas tank, and it’s messing with the computer that tells you how much fuel you have.
Problem #2: Your Car Might Just Stop Working
The second major issue in this Mazda recall affects about 31,000 vehicles and it’s honestly pretty scary. These cars can lose drive power while you’re driving, which means your SUV could suddenly turn into a very expensive paperweight in the middle of traffic.
“The powertrain control module and engine control modules software may cause malfunction indicator lights to illuminate and a loss of drive power,” according to the recall documents. “Loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.”
This happens because of faulty software in the car’s brain – the computers that control the engine and transmission. When these computers get confused, they might activate something called “failsafe mode” that cuts back the power to protect the engine. Problem is, you might not want your car protecting itself when you’re trying to merge onto a busy freeway.
Problem #3: Dashboard Chaos
The third Mazda recall involves over 80,000 vehicles with something called a Dash Electrical Supply Unit that’s not working properly. This affects a bunch of important safety features that you really don’t want to stop working.
When this unit malfunctions, you could lose your window defroster (great for winter driving), your seat belt warnings (helpful for staying alive), and your 360-degree view monitor (useful for not hitting things while parking). If you’ve got a plug-in hybrid version, the high-voltage battery cooling system might also stop working properly.
Basically, a lot of the smart features that make modern cars safer and more convenient could just decide to take a vacation without telling you.
The Software Solution
Here’s some good news: all three issues in this Mazda recall can be fixed with software updates. Think of it like updating the apps on your phone, except instead of getting new emoji, you’re getting a car that won’t randomly lose power or lie about how much gas you have.
The bad news? These aren’t the kind of updates you can download at home. You have to take your car to a Mazda dealership and let the technicians plug into your car’s computer to install the fixes. Depending on which problems your specific vehicle has, you might need multiple software updates.
What Mazda Is Doing About It
Mazda isn’t just hoping people will figure this out on their own. They’re sending official notification letters to all affected owners, and they’ve already started mailing some of these out. If you own one of these vehicles, you should get your letter by the end of the year.
All the repairs are free, which is exactly what should happen when a manufacturer messes up. Mazda is covering all the costs because these are defects in their products, not problems caused by how people drive or maintain their vehicles.
The company has also set up a customer service line at 800-222-5500 (press option 6) specifically for recall questions. If you’re wondering whether your vehicle is affected, you can call that number or check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website at nhtsa.gov.
How to Check If Your Car Is Affected
The easiest way to find out if your vehicle is part of this Mazda recall is to check your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the NHTSA website. Your VIN is like your car’s social security number – it’s unique to your specific vehicle and tells you exactly what recalls apply to it.
You can find your VIN in several places: on the dashboard near the windshield on the driver’s side, on the driver’s side door frame, or on your insurance and registration documents. Once you have that 17-character code, just plug it into the NHTSA website and it’ll tell you if any recalls affect your car.
The Bigger Picture
This Mazda recall highlights something that’s becoming more common in the car industry: software problems. Modern vehicles are basically computers on wheels, with dozens of different computer systems controlling everything from the engine to the air conditioning.
When these systems work properly, they make cars safer, more efficient, and more comfortable. But when they don’t work, you get situations like this where thousands of vehicles need to be recalled because their computers are misbehaving.
The good news is that software problems can usually be fixed relatively easily with updates. The bad news is that these problems can be pretty serious when they involve things like fuel gauges and engine power.
What You Should Do Right Now
If you own a 2024-2025 CX-90 or a 2025 CX-70, here’s what you need to do:
First, check your VIN on the NHTSA website to see if your specific vehicle is affected by this Mazda recall. Don’t assume anything – even if your neighbor’s identical SUV needs to be fixed, yours might not be affected if it was built at a different time.
If your vehicle is part of the recall, contact your local Mazda dealer to schedule an appointment. Don’t wait around hoping the problem won’t affect you – these are safety issues that could put you and your family at risk.
While you’re waiting for your appointment, be extra careful about monitoring your fuel level. The recall notice recommends refueling before your gauge drops to one-quarter tank, just to be safe. It’s better to buy gas more often than to get stranded somewhere because your fuel gauge was lying.
The Silver Lining
Despite all these problems, there’s actually some good news in this situation. Mazda found these issues and issued recalls before there were any reported crashes or injuries. That means their safety monitoring systems are working – they caught the problems before people got seriously hurt.
The company has also been pretty transparent about what’s wrong and how they’re fixing it. They’re not trying to downplay the issues or make excuses. They’re taking responsibility and covering all the costs to make things right.
Looking Forward
This Mazda recall is a reminder of how complex modern vehicles have become. Your SUV isn’t just a mechanical machine anymore – it’s a sophisticated computer system that controls hundreds of different functions. Most of the time, this technology makes cars better. But when something goes wrong, it can affect a lot of vehicles at once.
The important thing is that Mazda caught these problems and is fixing them for free. If you own one of these vehicles, don’t panic, but do take action. Check your VIN, contact your dealer if needed, and get the software updates installed.
While these software issues are certainly concerning, at least now you know how to get them fixed and get your vehicle back to working properly.
