YearToAvoid

2012 Mazda Mazda6 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2012 Mazda Mazda6 has a Complaint Index of 56 and ranks 8th worst out of 17 model years, earning a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 99 complaints, 6 recalls including 3 do-not-drive airbag campaigns, and top problem areas of Electrical System (34%) and Airbags (30%).

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
56/100
#8 of 17 Mazda6 years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
99
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
6
3 Do Not Drive
Crashes
5
reported in complaints
Fires
2
Injuries
6
Top issue
Electrical System
Best nearby year
2019
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
24
21 city / 30 hwy
Injuries / deaths
6 / 0

Top 2012 Mazda Mazda6 problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System34 (34%)
  2. Airbags30 (30%)
  3. Other20 (20%)
  4. Structure & Body13 (13%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (9%)
  6. Fuel System4 (4%)
  7. Steering4 (4%)
  8. Brakes3 (3%)
  9. Engine3 (3%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers2 (2%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Front headlights burn out repeatedly, sometimes with melting around the socket assembly.
  • Low beam headlights are described as too dim to see the road, forcing use of high beams.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in frontal or side-impact crashes at moderate speeds.
  • A fuel system issue tied to an NHTSA recall campaign led to an engine fire while driving.
  • Owners report abnormal engine compartment noise linked to a catalytic converter seal ring.
  • One owner described the vehicle rolling away and crashing while the emergency brake was engaged.
2012 Mazda Mazda6 complaints: complaints filed per quarter172011 Q32015 Q12016 Q22017 Q32018 Q42020 Q32024 Q1
99 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2011 Q3 to 2026 Q1; peak 2017 Q3 (17).

2012 Mazda Mazda6 recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. NHTSA 19V323000Apr 25, 2019Structure & Body51,118 vehicles

    Structure

    Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. 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 June 13, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2818I. Note: This recall is an expansion of Recall 18V-631.

  3. NHTSA 18V717000Oct 12, 2018Airbags155,436 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Mazda 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 2011-2013 Mazda6, 2011-2012 CX-7, and 2011-2015 CX-9 sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless covered in Zone A or Zone B, Mazda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Mazda6, 2010-2012 CX-7, and 2010-2015 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 November 9, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F.

See all 6 recalls for the 2012 Mazda Mazda6 →

2012 Mazda Mazda6 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
30 MPG
Combined
24 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,700
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.

2012 compared with other Mazda6 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Avoid942259 !23
2011Avoid811356 !24
2012Caution56996 !24
2013Caution19234 !24
2014Caution69137430

All Mazda Mazda6 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Mazda Mazda6 reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 Mazda6 carries a Complaint Index of 56 and a Caution verdict, ranking 8th worst among the 17 model years with data.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mazda6?
Electrical System issues make up 34% of complaints, mostly headlight failures, followed by Airbags at 30%, including reports of non-deployment in crashes.
Does the 2012 Mazda6 have a recall?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2012 Mazda6, and 3 of them are do-not-drive recalls involving airbag inflators.
How does the 2012 Mazda6 compare to other years?
The 2012 model's Complaint Index of 56 is lower than several Avoid-rated years like 2009 (100) and 2010 (94), but higher than Good and Best years such as 2017 (25) and 2019 (6).
What is the fuel economy of the 2012 Mazda6?
The EPA rates the 2012 Mazda6 at 24 mpg combined (21 city / 30 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,700.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.