The new Mazda CX-70 and CX-90 are being recalled in the coming weeks over multiple software issues.
On October 31, Mazda submitted documents to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) outlining three new recalls concerning its two newest SUVs, the CX-70 and CX-90. Both models can be affected by a variety of software issues, though the scale of the recall and which specific vehicles are impacted varies depending on the issue in question.
The largest of the three campaigns potentially affects 80,915 plug-in hybrid vehicles in total, for a problem with the vehicles’ dash electrical supply unit’s software being programmed improperly. According to Mazda, faulty units in the recall population could trigger multiple warning messages when the engine is powered on, including a check engine light. Several systems may also fail to function as intended, including the 360-degree camera, the defroster, the seat belt warning and the PHEV battery’s high-voltage cooling system.
This recall, under NHTSA recall number 24V-814 and Mazda recall number 7124J, covers more CX-90 SUVs, as it’s been on the market longer:
- 70,974 CX-90s affected, built between December 27, 2022 and August 7, 2024
- 9,941 CX-70s affected, built between December 5, 2023 and July 8, 2024
All models under this recall were built in Japan. To fix the problem, dealer technicians will reprogram the dash electrical supply unit’s software, free of charge. Mazda says notices for this recall should go out to owners by the end of this year.
The other two recalls are smaller, but both cover a loss of drive power condition.
Mazda’s other two recall campaigns concern a loss of drive power, either from faulty powertrain control module and engine control module software or problematic inverter software for the vehicles’ EV mode.
The larger of the remaining recalls affects 31,488 vehicles in total (26,533 CX-90s and 4,955 CX-70s). These cars were fitted with powertrain control modules and engine control modules that have improper software. The automaker says that malfunction indicator lights could illuminate under certain driving conditions. Beyond that, drivers can actually experience the car activate a fail-safe mode that limits drive power, which increases the risk of a crash. Mazda will notify affected owners by December 30, and they can take their vehicles to the dealer to get the necessary software update. That update will resolve diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P061B.
Mazda’s third recall again impacts PHEV models — 14,902 in total. Of those, the vast majority (14,886) are the CX-90, while this third campaign only impacts 16 CX-70 SUVs. This issue involves improperly programmed electric inverter software, which could cause cars to flip into their fail-safe condition while in electric-only (EV) mode, again increasing the risk of an accident.
Again, under an EV inverter malfunction, drivers should get a warning light and chime making them aware of the problem. To fix the issue, dealers will update the inverter with better software to resolve diagnostic trouble code P0A2B.
Mazda says it is unaware of any accidents or injuries related to any of the three recalls, and has a similar timeline to fix all three. So, owners should receive three notices by December 30 of the various problems, and then schedule an appointment with the dealer to get all three software updates resolved at the same time. The company says it’s also incorporated the software update into production vehicles outside the scope of these recall campaigns, so newer vehicles shouldn’t have these issues.
