repaired · 2021 Q1
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2009 Mazda MAZDA6Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 386 owner complaints about the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6, most often about the structure. It is covered by 9 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-429 the manufacturer reports only 44% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 16, 2026. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 has problems
386 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
123Structure1 crash/fire/injury
76Suspension2 crash/fire/injury
75Air bags5 crash/fire/injury
36Steering
32Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
16Wheels
15Exterior lighting
14Tires
14Visibility/wiper
6815 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 123 | 1 |
| Suspension | 76 | 2 |
| Air bags | 75 | 5 |
| Steering | 36 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 32 | 3 |
| Wheels | 16 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 15 | 0 |
| Tires | 14 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 14 | 0 |
| 15 other systems | 68 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
9 recalls
2009 Mazda MAZDA6 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2020 Q3
Structure
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…
repaired · 2019 Q2
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2019 Q1
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Show 5 more recalls
repaired · 2018 Q4
Passenger side: inflator module
Do not driveRisk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2018 Q3
Air bags
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.
repaired · 2015 Q1
Doors: latch
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…
no report yet
Storage: tank assembly
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…
no report yet
Door: hinge and attachments
Risk. DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE DOOR UNLATCHED COULD LEAD TO AN UNBELTED OCCUPANT BEING EJECTED AND COULD RESULT IN DEATH OR INJURY.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mazda.
Mileage at failure
When do structure problems start?
85kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 91 structure complaints. 62% were reported before 100,000 miles.
3under 30k miles56under 100k miles35100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Suspension
9 owners mentioned a cost$1,600median
Middle half: $1,100 – $2,000
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2009 vs. every other MAZDA6 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the MAZDA6 median. How we score
'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2009 Mazda MAZDA6 safety ratings
2009 Mazda6 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6, and the recalls they led to.
- Door Latch Failures Due to Loose ScrewsLed to recall 13V-425
- Front Subframe CorrosionLed to recall 18V-631
In owners' words
What MAZDA6 owners report
Recent structure complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
The front and rear crossmembers have significant rust. The front has holes and chunks of metal missing due to rust corrosion. The rear has flaking and is deeply pockmarked with rust. These are structural components. Failure can lead to a crash.
2009 Mazda 6 Rear subframe and springs are deemed unsafe due to extreme rusting and corrosion. The vehicle is registered and has been registered in both NY and PA (salt states), however was regularly washed and garage maintained. Vehicle will no longer pass inspection due to this issue and Mazda…
Own a 2009 MAZDA6?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.