Mazda Mazda6

Where it stands out against its peers

• Electrical system: more complaints than 90% of 2014 cars — 34% of its 137 complaints, where an ordinary 2014 car has 17%.
• Electronic stability control (esc): more complaints than 92% of 2014 cars — 7% of its 137 complaints, where an ordinary 2014 car has 3%.
• Wheels: more complaints than 90% of 2014 cars — 6% of its 137 complaints, where an ordinary 2014 car has 2%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 24 owners reported this
• SERVICE BRAKES — 11 owners reported this
• STEERING — 8 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash
• POWER TRAIN — 7 owners reported this
• ENGINE — 5 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 5 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — 5 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE — 4 owners reported this
• SUSPENSION — 4 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• WHEELS — 4 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) — 3 owners reported this
• VISIBILITY/WIPER — 3 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this
• EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 2 owners reported this
• FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE — 2 owners reported this
• FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 2 owners reported this
• PARKING BRAKE,SERVICE BRAKES — 2 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this
• SEATS — 2 owners reported this
• STRUCTURE — 2 owners reported this
• STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER — 2 owners reported this
• VISIBILITY — 2 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

73% of 2019 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• Do not drive

  17V457000

  An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began October 4, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. Note: This recall supersedes recall 17V-012.

• Do not drive

  18V018000

  An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F.

• Do not drive

  18V717000

  An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F.

• Do not drive

  19V782000

  An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. The recall began December 3, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 16V356 and 17V012.

• 13V425000

  If all three door latch mounting screws become excessively loose the door latch mechanism would not engage and the door might open while the vehicle is in motion increasing the risk of accident or injury.

  Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will apply a thread locking adhesive to the door screws and retorque them, free of charge. The recall began on October 29, 2013. Owners may contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's recall number is 7013I.

• 14V114000

  Negative pressure could cause the fuel tank to crack resulting in a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

  Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module and inspect and clean the canister vent line. If a web was found in the line, the fuel tank and check valve on canister vent line will be replaced. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2014. Owners may contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's recall number associated with this campaign is 7214C.

• 14V170000

  If the tank is overfilled, gas may flow into the charcoal canister (an evaporative emissions component) and possibly leak from the canister's external vent, increasing the risk of a fire.

  Mazda will notify owners and dealers will inspect and add an adapter to the shut off valve in the fuel tank and also inspect the charcoal canister for the presence of gasoline, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 19, 2014. Owners may contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 7414D.

• 14V173000

  Once the PCM assumes that the charging system has failed, the vehicle will stop charging and could result in poor acceleration, loss of steering assist and windshield wiper operation, and a possible engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM with updated software, free of charge. The recall began on May 19, 2014. Owners may contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 7314D.

7 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.

• Front Subframe Corrosion

  Preliminary evaluation, opened May 2018, closed November 2018.

• Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened February 2015, still open.

• Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Preliminary evaluation, opened June 2014, closed March 2015.

• Door Latch Failures Due to Loose Screws

  Preliminary evaluation, opened May 2013, closed September 2013.

  Became recall 13V425000.

• Fuel tank sending unit seal leak

  Preliminary evaluation, opened October 2003, closed December 2003.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Mazda filed 300 bulletins about the 2021 Mazda6.

• Electrical system: 61
• Engine: 51
• Engine and engine cooling: 40
• Equipment: 34
• Power train: 15
• Equipment adaptive/mobility: 13
• Structure: 12
• Wheels: 10
• Service brakes: 7
• Steering: 7
• Other: 50

• This SA supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. SA-061/25 12/17/25 DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no… · July 2026
• This SA supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted below in Red. SA-027/26 04/16/26 DESCRIPTION The Mazda DCA-8000 is required for all warranty battery testing.… · July 2026
• This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. 09-012/21 12/13/21, 06/10/21 and 04/27/21 DESCRIPTION Some customers may experience all of… · July 2026
• Valve Stem Seals Class Action Settlement Program for Excessive Oil Consumption and Oil Consumption Powertrain Warranty Extension Special Service Program SSPD5. Updated April 28, 2026 – Related oil… · May 2026
• DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may require the replacement of a damaged VIN plate or vehicle certification label. To obtain a replacement VIN plate (bulkhead-mounted and visible through the lower-left… · May 2026
• This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled… · May 2026
• This SA supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted below in Red. SA-007/25 10/22/25, 06/02/25 and 02/03/25 DESCRIPTION The Mazda DCA-8000 is required for all… · May 2026
• This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued M-Tip(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. MT-002/19 09/30/19 and 12/19/19 DESCRIPTION If an engine assembly is replaced after a… · May 2026

292 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.