2009 Mazda MAZDA6 problems & reliability
386 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6, alongside 9 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
4 complaints report injuries (5 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 vehicles were involved in 20 fatal crashes with 12 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 123 | 32% |
| Suspension | 76 | 20% |
| Air Bags | 75 | 19% |
| Unknown OR Other | 57 | 15% |
| Steering | 36 | 9% |
| Electrical System | 32 | 8% |
| Wheels | 16 | 4% |
| Exterior Lighting | 15 | 4% |
| Tires | 14 | 4% |
| Visibility/wiper | 14 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 84,000 miles (middle 50% between 52,500 and 120,000 miles), based on 245 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Rear cross member broke due to corrosion breaking off lateral arm from driver side of cross member, I may add the front crossmember was repaired due to recall for extreme corrosion not too long ago, as I research this problem I uncover many owners of this vehicle having the same issue in the northeast,even with much…”
Suspension · filed Jul 16, 2026
“The rear subframe rusted out and my control arm broke off! This is extremely serious and because there is no recall I’m going to have to buy an another vehicle. Please issue a recall. I’ve read forms about this and many others have had the same issue with the rear subframe corroding and rotting out.”
Suspension · filed Apr 29, 2026
“My rear subframe rusted thru and has holes in it. It is too dangerous to drive and mazda won't recall the rear like the front subframe knowing that a lot of people are suffering from the same issue. A subframe should last a long time. My mechanic inspected the car and feels like it's not safe to drive.”
Structure · filed Nov 17, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Front Subframe Corrosion
Preliminary Evaluation PE18006 · opened May 21, 2018 · closed Nov 2, 2018 · led to recall 18V631000
- Door Latch Failures Due to Loose Screws
Preliminary Evaluation PE13015 · opened May 9, 2013 · closed Sep 30, 2013 · led to recall 13V425000
Technical service bulletins
252 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. 09-042/04 12/10/04 DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may exhibit inoperative electric rear window defroster grid lines…
09-022-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2026
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 start, DTC(s)…
SA-041-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 19, 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 maintenance…
SA-029-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 21, 2026
If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been…
SA-061-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 17, 2025
A musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (A/C) system is operating. It is most noticeable when the A/C is first turned ON. This odor is the result of mold growth in the A/C…
07-004-25a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 10, 2025
Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage such (melted, separating, etc.) when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. If a structure's windows create…
SA-039/25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 22, 2025
When replacing the SiriusXM satellite radio unit, a call must be made to inform SiriusXM of the existing Radio ID and the new/replacement SAT Radio ID as soon as possible to ensure the customer leaves the dealership…
SA-036-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 14, 2025
Some customers may complain about a noisy HVAC blower motor or odor after a cabin air filter replacement. Foreign debris on the blower motor after servicing the cabin air filter may be the cause. During the removal of…
SA-032-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 19, 2025
Some vehicles may experience an airbag system warning light flashing with DTC B1126:1B or B1127:1B. DTC B1126:1B - Driver-side side air bag module circuit resistance high. DTC B1127:1B - Passenger-side side air bag…
08-001-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 15, 2025
A musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (A/C) system is operating. It is most noticeable when the A/C is first turned ON. This odor is the result of mold growth in the A/C…
07-004-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 25, 2025
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2009 Mazda MAZDA6?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 84,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.