Tailgating a 2024 Mazda CX-90 Could Have a Disastrous Outcome

But what exactly makes the crossover brake on its own? That would be a fault with the automatic braking system that could detect certain objects while the car is on the move, like a vehicle's reflection, thus activating the brakes.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the brakes could activate at low speeds between 10 and 15 mph (16-24 kph), and even if the brake lights still illuminate, there would be a risk of being rear-ended.

The issue is blamed on the improper programming of the vehicle control module (VCM), so the fix will see Mazda's authorized technicians update this component's software. Almost 10,000 units (9,914 to be more precise) of the 2024 CX-90 are involved in this safety recall, and the estimated defect percentage is one percent.

Mazda first received information about a 2024 CX-90's sudden braking from outside the United States at the beginning of 2023, and almost half a year later, it implemented a mass production change to the VCM programming. However, the update was eventually found to have been insufficient, so the company installed a new software a few months later.

During this time, the car manufacturer based in the Land of the Rising Sun continued to analyze field data and test the VCM programming and decided to conduct a recall earlier this month. Fortunately, the auto marque is unaware of any accidents or injuries related to this faulty component that causes the vehicle to brake all of a sudden and states that no field reports have been received from our market.

Mazda's dealer network is already aware of the recall, and the notification letters to owners are expected to be completed on or before July 17, 2024. Owners will be instructed to take their potentially faulty CX-90 to an authorized Mazda dealer, where technicians will reprogram the VCM with fresh software free of charge. Owners who have solved this issue on their own will not be reimbursed, as the factory warranty still covers the vehicles.

The faulty Mazda CX-90s were assembled from December 27, 2022, to September 12, 2023, at the Yamaguchi factory in Japan. Owners with questions on the topic can contact Mazda's customer service at 1-800-222-5500 (recall number 6724E) or the NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The CX-90 has been in production for a little over a year and is available in multiple trim levels in the United States. Its base configuration has an MSRP of $37,845. Mazda's three-row crossover is also available with plug-in hybrid power.