2008 Mazda MAZDA6 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other MAZDA6 years
- About as many complaints as other years 10th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 111 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Mazda MAZDA6. That ranks 10th out of 20 MAZDA6 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (77 complaints, 69%), typically at around 91,500 miles. Complaints mention 15 crashes, 2 fires, 7 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 111owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 15complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Mazda MAZDA6 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 77 | 69% | 91,500 | “numbers air” (32%) | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 8% | 71,568 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 5% | 37,363 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 4% | 38,432 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 4% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 3% | 18,680 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 2% | 45,784 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 2% | 26,994 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 2% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 2% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 2% | 6,800 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 2% | 35,249 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1% | 11,987 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 51,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Mazda MAZDA6 recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2005 MPV, 2004 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is 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 2618F. Note: This recall supersedes recalls 13V130, 14V362, 14V773 and 15V869.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 and 2004 MPV vehicles nationwide. Mazda is also recalling 2005-2006 MPV vehicles in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. On July 9, 2019 this recall was expanded to include certain 2004-2011 RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-354 but have not yet been repaired. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018. Mailing to the affected RX-8 owners began July 6, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F. Note: With the addition of the RX-8 vehicles, this recall fully supersedes recall 16V354.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2008 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on September 12, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1417G. Note: This recall supersedes recall 15V-382.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Mazda is recalling 7,200 my 2007-2008 mazda6 vehicles with california emission specifications. The metal fuel tanks on the affected vehicles may have had the pvc protective coating on the outside of the fuel tank damaged during the assembly process which may result in reduced corrosion resistance.
Risk: This could lead to perforation of the fuel tank, causing fuel leakage. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the bottom surface of the fuel tank for damage to the protective coating and, if necessary, repair the coating or replace the fuel tank. The recall began on august 28, 2008. Owners may contact mazda at 1-800-222-5500, option 2.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
- Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA15001) — opened Feb 24, 2015, still open, led to recall 14V668.
- Air Bag Inflator Rupture (PE14016) — opened Jun 11, 2014, closed Mar 2, 2015, led to recall 13V172000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2008 Mazda Mazda6. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was fuel leaking from the fuel tank. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a leaking fuel tank. The contact was informed that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The dealer…
The front subframe totally rusted out and the wheel disconnected. I purchased this car in 2009, but it was a 2008 vehicle. Apparently there was a recall on this part for the 2009 through 2018 vehicles but it did not include the 2008, which had the exact same problem. My car was kept in the garage…
The front frame is rusted out to the point it is unsafe. This is the same issue for the 2009 2010 models.
Transmission slips and shifts very hard from 1st to 2nd in the cold weather.
Driving 2008 mazda 6 when the at light came on and the automatic transmission slipped from gear reengaged very harshly into third gear. The 5 speed automatic transmission dropped 4th and 5th gear after re-engaging.
Other Mazda MAZDA6 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 MAZDA6 | 17 | 0 |
| 2020 MAZDA6 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019 MAZDA6 | 6 | 1 |
| 2018 MAZDA6 | 58 | 2 |
| 2017 MAZDA6 | 60 | 1 |
| 2016 MAZDA6 | 77 | 1 |
| 2015 MAZDA6 | 60 | 3 |
| 2014 MAZDA6 | 137 | 4 |
| 2013 MAZDA6 | 23 | 4 |
| 2012 MAZDA6 | 99 | 6 |
| 2011 MAZDA6 | 135 | 6 |
| 2010 MAZDA6 | 225 | 9 |
| 2009 MAZDA6 | 386 | 9 |
| 2008 | 111 | 4 |
| 2007 MAZDA6 | 156 | 4 |
| 2006 MAZDA6 | 173 | 3 |
| 2005 MAZDA6 | 147 | 3 |
| 2004 MAZDA6 | 160 | 4 |
| 2003 MAZDA6 | 174 | 6 |
| 2002 MAZDA6 | 28 | 1 |
See all Mazda MAZDA6 problems by year, every Mazda model, or the Mazda VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mazda MAZDA6?
Owners most often report air bags, power train, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 77 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Mazda MAZDA6?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Mazda MAZDA6 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other MAZDA6 model years, the 2008 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.