2009 Mazda Mazda6 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2009 Mazda Mazda6 has 386 NHTSA complaints, 9 recalls (4 do-not-drive), and a complaint index of 100, the worst of all 17 model years. It ranks #1 worst and carries an Avoid verdict.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 100/100
- #1 of 17 Mazda6 years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 386
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 9
- 4 Do Not Drive
- Crashes
- 8
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 3
- Injuries
- 5
- Top issue
- Structure & Body
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 23
- 20 city / 29 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 5 / 0
Top 2009 Mazda Mazda6 problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Structure & Body132 (34%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires97 (25%)
- Airbags75 (19%)
- Other59 (15%)
- Electrical System43 (11%)
- Steering36 (9%)
- Engine17 (4%)
- Visibility & Wipers17 (4%)
- Brakes13 (3%)
- Fuel System11 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Rear subframes and chassis members rust through from the inside, sometimes causing the vehicle to break down during normal driving.
- Passenger frontal airbag inflators can fail to deploy properly or trigger a do-not-drive recall.
- Electrical shorts have produced interior fires, including one starting in a heated-seat switch that filled the cabin with smoke.
- Side airbags have deployed in low-speed crashes while frontal airbags failed to deploy in other collisions, contributing to injuries.
- The parking brake button can corrode and stop holding the car in place on a slope.
- Seat belts have been reported to stop locking properly after use.
2009 Mazda Mazda6 recalls
9 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 19V782000Oct 31, 2019Airbags69,879 vehiclesDo Not Drive
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
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.
Remedy: 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.
- NHTSA 18V631000Sep 14, 2018Suspension, Wheels & Tires50,176 vehicles
Suspension:front:control arm
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.
Remedy: 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.
- NHTSA 18V018000Jan 9, 2018Airbags70,227 vehiclesDo Not Drive
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
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.
Remedy: 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.
2009 Mazda Mazda6 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 20 MPG
- Highway
- 29 MPG
- Combined
- 23 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,800
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2009 compared with other Mazda6 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2009 Mazda Mazda6 reliable?
- Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2009 Mazda6 ranks worst among all 17 model years with a complaint index of 100 and 386 complaints, so it carries an Avoid verdict.
- What are the main problems with the 2009 Mazda Mazda6?
- Structure and body complaints, mostly rust and frame corrosion, make up 34% of complaints, followed by suspension issues at 25% and airbag problems at 19%.
- Does the 2009 Mazda6 have a recall?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2009 Mazda6, and 4 of them are do-not-drive recalls, mostly involving passenger frontal airbag inflators.
- At what mileage do 2009 Mazda6 problems typically show up?
- Structure and body complaints have a median failure mileage of 84,000 miles, while electrical system complaints show up at a median of 55,000 miles.
- How does the 2009 Mazda6 compare to other years?
- The 2009 model has the highest complaint index (100) of any Mazda6 year in the dataset, worse than 2010's 94 and 2007's 88, making it the top-ranked Avoid year.