What breaks most · 2002 to 2018 model years
Mazda Mazda6 problems by year
Owners have filed 1,712 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mazda Mazda6 across model years 2002 to 2018. Three years stand out: 2009 for body and structure complaints, 2010 for air bags complaints and 2003 for engine and cooling complaints. The quietest years are 2013, 2002 and 2016.
- Years to check closely: 2009, 2010, 2003
- Fewest complaints: 2013, 2002, 2016
- Complaints on file
- 17122002 to 2018, all trims
- Worst year
- 2009295 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 11624 fires · 79 injuries · 2 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 60kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 86Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 1 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (12) | |
| 167 | 10 | 9 | Engine and cooling (36) | |
| 154 | 11 | 7 | Air bags (54) | |
| 141 | 12 | 6 | Air bags (73) | |
| 157 | 13 | 6 | Air bags (89) | |
| 149 | 14 | 6 | Air bags (92) | |
| 106 | 15 | 5 | Air bags (77) | |
| 295 | 7 | 10 | Body and structure (97) | |
| 176 | 3 | 9 | Air bags (50) | |
| 72 | 4 | 6 | Air bags (25) | |
| 75 | 5 | 6 | Air bags (28) | |
| 9 | 0 | 4 | Exterior lighting (4) | |
| 92 | 10 | 4 | Electrical system (24) | |
| 45 | 5 | 3 | Brakes (12) | |
| 38 | 5 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (7) | |
| 7 | 1 | 1 | Unknown or other (2) | |
| 1 | 0 | 2 | Equipment and infotainment (1) |
What fails on the 2009 Mazda Mazda6
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 33% |
97 | 1 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2009 Mazda Mazda6 |
| Air bags | 22% |
64 | 4 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 13% |
37 | 1 | Shop suspension parts for the 2009 Mazda Mazda6 |
| Unknown or other | 12% |
34 | 0 | — |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 11% |
31 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2009 Mazda Mazda6 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 8% |
23 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2009 Mazda Mazda6 |
| Wheels | 5% |
15 | 0 | — |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 4% |
13 | 0 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2009 Mazda Mazda6 |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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Had the oil changed yesterday at 93000 miles and was told subframe was extremely rusted. They suggested we only drive in town because it could break with any stress and cause loss of steering.10
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Letter from consumer re: fair and equitable reimbursement customer treatment on 2010 mazda 6 recall repair (defect) not totally paid for by mazda warranty department. *as
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Engine seized up as it was sitting in driveway warming up. Oil was all over the driveway under the car after the seized up.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Mazda Mazda6 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2009, 2010, 2003 carry the most filings on the Mazda Mazda6. The 2009 alone has 295 complaints, led by body and structure.
What is the most common Mazda Mazda6 problem?
On the 2009 model year, the most-reported component is body and structure with 97 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mazda Mazda6 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mazda Mazda6 complaints that include mileage is about 60,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.