2009 Mazda MAZDA6 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jul 16, 2026 · 386 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other MAZDA6 years
Far more complaints than other years 1st of 20 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 386 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6. That is the most of any MAZDA6 model year in the database (20 years). The most reported problem area is structure (123 complaints, 32%), typically at around 85,000 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 3 fires, 5 injuries. There are 9 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Structure123 · ~85,000 mi
Suspension76 · ~118,000 mi
Air Bags75 · ~74,576 mi
Unknown or Other57 · ~91,000 mi
Steering36 · ~125,000 mi
Electrical System32 · ~57,000 mi
Wheels16 · ~68,900 mi
Exterior Lighting15 · ~55,000 mi
Tires14 · ~55,000 mi
Visibility/wiper14 · ~78,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Structure problems12332%85,000“dashboard melting” (12%)—
Suspension problems7620%118,000“rear subframe” (28%)$2,350
Air Bags problems7519%74,576“takata air” (13%)—
Unknown or Other5715%91,000——
Steering369%125,000——
Electrical System328%57,000——
Wheels164%68,900——
Exterior Lighting154%55,000——
Tires144%55,000——
Visibility/wiper144%78,000——
Engine113%124,000——
Latches/locks/linkages103%40,000——
Fuel/propulsion System82%70,000——
Service Brakes82%64,271——
Power Train72%105,000——
Engine and Engine Cooling51%40,000——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)31%37,450——
Fuel System, Gasoline31%97,000——
Visibility31%108,000——
Equipment21%13,000——
Seats21%91,009——
Traction Control System21%159,250——
Vehicle Speed Control21%94,873——
Seat Belts10%50,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic10%7,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2018, with 81 complaints
2009: 8200982010: 662011: 8201182012: 772013: 172013172014: 49492015: 342015342016: 34342017: 462017462018: 81812019: 202019202020: 16162021: 112021112022: 882023: 172023172024: 13132025: 9202592026: 22

n = 386 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2009 Mazda MAZDA6 recalls (9)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not driveOct 31, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V782000 · 69,879 vehicles

Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2007-2012 CX-7, CX-9, and 2009-2012 Maza6 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 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.

Structure; suspension:front:control armSep 14, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V631000 · 50,176 vehicles

Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Mazda Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. The front cross member may corrode after exposure to road salt.

Risk: Corrosion may weaken the mounting point for the passenger side lower control arm, unexpectedly changing the steering alignment and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross member and either install a side member and drain hose and apply wax to protect from rust, or install a drain hose and an improved front cross member, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2818I.

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not driveJan 9, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V018000 · 70,227 vehicles

Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2013 Mazda6 and CX-9 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, unless covered in "Zone A," Mazda is recalling certain 2010 Mazda6, CX-7 and CX-9 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Additionally, unless covered in Zone A or Zone B, Mazda is recalling certain 2009 Mazda6, CX-7, and CX-9 vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these 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: 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.

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not driveJul 18, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V457000 · 79,402 vehicles

Problem: Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2012 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2009 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2007-2008 CX-7 and CX-9 sold, or ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle 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 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.

Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not driveJun 29, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V429000 · 205,377 vehicles

Problem: Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2011 Mazda6, and 2007-2011 CX-7 and CX-9 vehicles. 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 front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle 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 passenger frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on August 30, 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 16V356 and all vehicles that were not remedied under that campaign are now covered by this one.

Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactiveAug 11, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V594000 · 41,918 vehicles

Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured February 4, 2008, to December 3, 2009. The protective coating may not have been properly applied to the air bag control unit (ACU) and, as a result, moisture may damage the unit causing it to malfunction.

Risk: Failure of the ACU would illuminate the air bag warning light and prevent the air bags from deploying in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Mazda dealers will replace the ACU, free of charge, however parts are not currently available. The recall began June 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9816H.

Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latchSep 24, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V425000 · 161,400 vehicles

Problem: Mazda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured February 4, 2008, through August 24, 2012. The door latch mounting screws may become loose.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assemblyFeb 25, 2011 · NHTSA campaign 11V134000 · 52,000 vehicles

Problem: Mazda is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 mazda6 vehicles manufactured from april 8, 2008, through february 8, 2010. A certain type of spider may weave a web in the evaporative canister vent line and this may cause a restriction in the line. If this occurs, the fuel tank pressure may become excessively negative when the emission control system works to purge the vapors from the canister.

Risk: As the canister is purged repeatedly during normal operation, the stress on the fuel tank may eventually result in a crack, potentially leading to fuel leakage ad an increased risk of fire.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and clean up the canister vent line, and install a spring to prevent this type of spider from entering the vent line. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before march 25, 2011. Owners may contact mazda customer assistance center at 1-800-222-5500.

Structure:body:door:hinge and attachmentsFeb 4, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V043000 · 29,000 vehicles

Problem: Mazda is recalling 29,000 my 2009 mazda6. The outer door handles may stick which may prevent the door from latching. This situation may allow the door to open while the vehicle is in motion.

Risk: Driving the vehicle with the door unlatched could lead to an unbelted occupant being ejected and could result in death or injury.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the door handles and if necessary repair or replace the handles free of charge. The recall began on february 13, 2009. Owners may contact mazda at 1-800-222-5500.

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

  • Front Subframe Corrosion (PE18006) — opened May 21, 2018, closed Nov 2, 2018, led to recall 18V631000.
  • Door Latch Failures Due to Loose Screws (PE13015) — opened May 9, 2013, closed Sep 30, 2013, led to recall 13V425000.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

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…

Unknown or Other · received Jul 16, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11750964

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…

Suspension · received Apr 29, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11734456

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…

Structure · received Nov 17, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11699875

This car was purchased in 2017 and maintenanced regularly. We recently took it to have the oil changed and to check out a noise that was coming from the passenger side. We were told that the subframe was rusted so badly it was too dangerous to drive and would cost $7k to repair. That caught us by…

Unknown or Other · received Sep 28, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11690156

Component or System that Failed: The front subframe on my 2009 Mazda 6i Touring is completely rusted through. There are holes in the frame and large flakes of rusted metal breaking off. The car is available for inspection if needed. Safety Risk: This is a serious safety concern because if the…

Suspension · received Aug 26, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11683036

Other Mazda MAZDA6 years

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6?

Owners most often report structure, suspension, air bags problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 123 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6?

Yes, 9 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2009 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 2009 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.