KnownCarProblems2006 Mazda Mazda6 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 173 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Mazda Mazda6, most often about the air bags (54% of complaints, typically around 90,000 miles). It is 4th of 20 Mazda6 model years by number of complaints and has 3 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory3 recalls for this car came with a do-not-drive warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2006 Mazda Mazda6 problems
Air bags
93 complaints · 54%Half of these problems showed up before 90,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal, side/window.
The contact owned a 2006 Mazda 6. While driving approximately 40 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the front driver side and caused significant damage to the front end of the contact's vehicle. During the crash, the seat belts did not secure the driver. The air bag deployment was delayed and caused the driver's head…
The contact owned a 2006 Mazda 6. While driving at various speeds, another motorist attempted to pass the contact in a 'do not pass' zone and crashed into the driver side of the contact's vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained broken ribs, which required medical…
Transmission
20 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 51,500 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, manual transmission.
2000 Mazda 626 - automatic transmission - 52k miles 1) no reverse - one time incident in may, moved it forwarded and ran through the other gears and then it went into reverse... So didn't think much of it. In late september, it happened again. Frequency increased over next month. No pattern... Hot, cold, dry, wet…
When accelerating, the car suddenly has no power, then shifts hard down, typically it happens shifting into 3rd or 4th gear. Under about a half pedal, it basically feels like a stall, then jerks you backwards, hard as it kicks into gear and accelerates. I'm told there is a service bulletin that there are transmission…
Engine
19 complaints · 11%Half of these problems showed up before 60,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine, cooling system.
The check engine light comes on. I had the code checked and it is the cooling sensor. The vehicle is not overheating and light will go off for a short time and then come on again.
Tl * the contact owns a 2006 Mazda 6. While driving at an unknown speed in a parking lot, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The acceleration continued even after the hand brake was applied. The contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the side of a truck, tree, and transformer before finally crashing into…
Electrical
11 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 81,000 miles. Parts named most often: 12v/24v/48v battery, ignition.
The contact wanted owns a 2006 Mazda Mazda6. The contact was driving 30 MPH when the electrical components malfunctioned. The alarm sounded, the windows opened and closed, and the door locked on their own. The contact disconnected the battery and called the manufacturer. The manufacturer suggested the contact take the…
The transmission seems to lock up and rev at a high rate, then the cars bucks and either engages at a lower gear or you have to slow to a crawl before the transmission engages. This has happened at low speed and traveling on the interstate with traffic all around, including a semi-truck right behind my vehicle. This…
Steering
7 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 109,000 miles. Parts named most often: linkages.
Steering locked while driving the car in the city at around 35-40 mpg. It would slightly pull the right though very hard. It unlocks if the ignition is turned off and turned back again. The issue repeated 10 days after the first incident followed by a loud thud which appeared to coming from the car as the road was…
I was driving to work at 733am and my brakes locked front wheel slid card did not stop and hit front vehicle and air bags did not deploy and cause me an accident which car was completely a loss and im still scare that the airbags did not work. Im still scare I did not cause myself a worse accident but im emotionally…
Wheels and tires
7 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 136,000 miles. Parts named most often: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs.
Two pair of tires with sidewall cracking around circumference, at least one consistently losing air pressure, required replacement at mileages significantly less than tread wear warranty. All four tires replaced.
Two pair of tires with sidewall cracking around circumference, at least one consistently losing air pressure, required replacement at mileages significantly less than tread wear warranty. All four tires replaced.
Brakes
7 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 74,000 miles.
Brakes have failed 3 separate times in this 2006 Mazda 6. First time I was driving and went through a stop sign. I have the brake pedal to the floor. Pumped the brake and brakes came back on. Second time, backing out of garage no brakes. Had pedal to floor and had to pump them before almost hitting neighbors garage…
The contact owns a 2006 Mazda 6. While driving 5 MPH in the driveway, the brake pedal failed to depress. The vehicle crashed into the home's garage without warning. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to an independent auto shop. The failure…
Body and structure
7 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 80,500 miles. Parts named most often: body, frame and members.
At 75,000 and light driving, the car would 'clunk' hard when it slowed. The dealer took 3 hours and 500 dollars to fix an engine mount bolt. Also they said the check engine light was on. Two oxygen sensors are out and wanted a few hundred dollars more. Sadly disappointed in this lightly Mazda 6 v6 2006 car! The engine…
On 6/18/2018, the passenger side steering control arm broke off the sub-frame of my 2006 Mazda 6 while I was driving it. Fortunately, I was driving on a side street close to home when this happened and not on a highway. I did not know at the time that it was the subframe. All I knew was that there was no control of…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2006 Mazda Mazda6 recalls
Air bags: inflator module
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Air bags: inflator module
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.
Full defect summary
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
Air bags: inflator module
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture
Summary
From 2000 through 2017, takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("psan") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004l. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 blomquist report at www.NHTSA.gov/sites/NHTSA.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substa
Air bag inflator rupture
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe14-016 in june 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.all six vehicles were operated in florida or puerto rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.during the course of pe14-016, odi determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.nonetheless, at odi's in
Air bag inflator rupture
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe14-016 in june 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.all six vehicles were operated in florida or puerto rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.during the course of pe14-016, odi determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.nonetheless, at odi's in
Questions about the 2006 Mazda Mazda6
- What are the most common problems with the 2006 Mazda Mazda6?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: air bags (93 complaints, typically around 90,000 miles); transmission (20 complaints, typically around 51,500 miles); engine (19 complaints, typically around 60,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2006 Mazda Mazda6 have?
- 3 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from October 31, 2019 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2006 a bad year for the Mazda Mazda6?
- It is 4th of 20 Mazda6 model years by number of complaints, with 173 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.