YearToAvoid

2013 Mazda Mazda6 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

19/100

#14 most-complained of 17 Mazda6 years

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

The 2013 Mazda Mazda6 has 23 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 19 out of 100 — #14 highest of 17 Mazda6 model years (verdict: Best). The most reported problem area is brakes (5 complaints, 22% of the total). Complaints report 1 crash and 2 injuries.

Complaints
23
Recalls
4
incl. Do Not Drive
Crashes / fires
1 / 0
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
24
21 city / 30 hwy

Top 2013 Mazda Mazda6 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes5 (22%)
  2. Electrical System5 (22%)
  3. Structure & Body5 (22%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (22%)
  5. Airbags4 (17%)
  6. Other4 (17%)
  7. Visibility & Wipers2 (9%)
  8. Fuel System1 (4%)
  9. Seat Belts1 (4%)
  10. Steering1 (4%)
2013 Mazda Mazda6 complaints: complaints filed per month4Apr 2014Mar 2017Mar 2018Jul 2019Feb 2020Dec 2021Jul 2024
34 complaints filed with NHTSA from Apr 2014 to Sep 2026; peak Oct 2017 (4).

2013 Mazda Mazda6 recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

See all 4 recalls for the 2013 Mazda Mazda6 →

2013 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.

2013 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
2011Avoid811356 !24
2012Caution56996 !24
2013Best19234 !24
2014Caution69137430
2015Good3860330

All Mazda Mazda6 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Mazda Mazda6 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2013 Mazda Mazda6 ranks #14 of 17 among Mazda6 model years (Complaint Index 19/100, verdict: Best). It has 23 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Mazda Mazda6?
The most reported problem areas are brakes (5 complaints), electrical system (5 complaints), and structure & body (5 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 50,000 miles.
Does the 2013 Mazda Mazda6 have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2013 Mazda Mazda6, most recently reported 2019, covering structure & body and airbags. At least one carries a Do Not Drive advisory.
What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Mazda Mazda6?
EPA rates the 2013 Mazda Mazda6 at 24 MPG combined (21 city / 30 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,700. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.