Received a conflicting message about towing from Mazda

[APR28]

Hello..new CX9 owner here

I just purchased a 2009 CX9 Touring AWD a few days ago and trying to set it up for towing a sub-1500lb fishing boat(boat,motor,trailer,gear)

Just need a few questions answered to ease my mind about the purchase. I bought the vehicle from a good but non-Mazda dealer and they tried their best to answer questions but I got too technical for them.

1. Everything says the vehicle is AWD including carfax and advertisement but the car is missing the AWD emblem on the rear. I see what appears to be a rear diff. under the car but if you told me it was a muffler I'd believe you. The dash has a light that blinks for a few seconds after starting that says 4wd. So basically I'm just confirming that this all equals AWD?!


2. I emailed Mazda about this car having the tow prep package and they just responded on what parts(hitch and harness) that I need rather than telling me if I actually have the CA27 radiator or the CA26. Basically I'm trying to figure out if the vehicle can tow 2000lbs or 3500lbs?! Is the radiator code actually written anywhere in the engine bay?

Love the car so far!!

 

[table5511]

Welcome!

They did not put awd badges on them always, I forget when they started putting a physical badge on. From what you have described, you have all wheel drive. I have no dash light that illuminates 4wd upon startup.

Likely the best way to tell if it has the tow prep is if it has a factory hitch. Does it have a cutout in the center of the bumper?

Here is my thread that I posted for instructions on how to remove the factory hitch.
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123806368-DIY-Hitch-Removal&highlight=hitch

Look closely at my pictures. If you have a wiring harness behind the bumper, it likely has the prep.

Take it to a Mazda dealer, have them look at it, they should be able to tell you.

 

[APR28]

There is no hitch on the vehicle and there is no bumper cut-out.

It just seems weird that towing information for these vehicles is all over the place online.

 

[ceric]

APR28,
Welcome to this forum.
Based on what you described, you have the AWD. No doubt.
There is no AWD badge until 2010. (I got mine from eBay off a Volvo... for $5)
Now, AWD does not imply Tow prep. If your CX9 has Tow Prep package, you can safely tow up to 3500lbs.
Otherwise, 2000lbs. The Tow Package includes,
1) heavy duty radiator/fan
2) transmission fluid cooler (extra or heavy duty - not sure)
3) special computer programming to counter fishtailing
To tell,
1) open the hood
2) (use a flash light if you have to)
see if you can find TWO silver heat-sinks near the radiator. If yes, your have Tow Prep. Non-Tow-Prep has only ONE.

Tow Prep does not imply pre-wiring either for earlier models (likely yours). Yes, for later models.
Others might know more about this. I don't want to give you the wrong info here.

 

[APR28]

It boggles my mind that finding out what the vehicle can tow is this tough (deadhorse


edit: so i went by the Mazda dealership today and they couldn't tell me. The guy did look up my VIN and it did say "heavy duty radiator".

 

[ceric]

Finding the two silver heat sinks is not that difficult.
It would take about 5 seconds to spot them.

 

[APR28]

Finding the two silver heat sinks is not that difficult.
It would take about 5 seconds to spot them.

I have two fans on my radiator with what looks like two small heat sinks on the outside of each fan with some electrical connections on them. Each heat sink seems to be about 5" x 5". It kinda looks like a heat sink for a computer processor.

 

[APR28]

Thanks Ceric for replying to thread and helping out...(drinks)


After some research, I found that there is an alternate code for upgraded radiator CY03 or CA27 for the 3500lb tow capacity. My radiator has CY03 Japan stamped on it.

 

[brendwal]

Where do you find the code on the radiator itself? I looked all over the top of it and no code....

 

[sgtschultz]

White ink stamp on top of the radiator core, 6 inches to the left of the upper radiator hose, when facing the windshield.

 

[ceric]

If there are two heat sinks, it is a heavy-duty radiator that came with the tow package.
It is as simple as that.