2010 Mazda MAZDA6 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
225 owner complaints analyzed
9 distinct recall campaigns
80,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2010 model year. Data snapshot: . 138 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 53 of 225 complaints (23.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 36 | 16.0% |
| Braking behavior | 31 | 13.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 4.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 1.8% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 1.3% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 0.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 53 |
| Suspension | 43 |
| Structure:Body | 33 |
| Unknown Or Other | 33 |
| Steering | 29 |
| Structure | 23 |
| Exterior Lighting | 20 |
| Electrical System | 13 |
Air Bags: 53; Suspension: 43; Structure:Body: 33; Unknown Or Other: 33; Steering: 29; Structure: 23; Exterior Lighting: 20; Electrical System: 13
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 14 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 27 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 22 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 32 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 29 |
| 150,000 and above | 14 |
Under 25,000: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 27; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 32; 100,000 to 149,999: 29; 150,000 and above: 14
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (32). 87 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 11 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 20 |
| 2015 | 22 |
| 2016 | 31 |
| 2017 | 39 |
| 2018 | 37 |
| 2019 | 18 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2010: 1; 2011: 11; 2012: 2; 2013: 3; 2014: 20; 2015: 22; 2016: 31; 2017: 39; 2018: 37; 2019: 18; 2020: 7; 2021: 8; 2022: 7; 2023: 10; 2024: 5; 2025: 2; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 36 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 31 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10393113 · 2011-03-28 (March 28, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA MAZDA6. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 2 MPH AND ENTERING A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY WHEN THE START/STOP BUTTON WAS INADVERTENTLY ENGAGED AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE START/STOP BUTTON WAS LOCATED BELOW THE AIR CONDITIONER BUTTON AND THE CONTACT BELIEVED THE LOCATION OF THE BUTTON WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10393113 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10399901 · 2011-05-10 (May 10, 2011)
MY 2010 MAZDA 6 WHICH HAS LESS THAN 10,000 MILES ON IT HAS BEEN REPORTED BY THE SERVICE CENTER THAT ALL 4 ROTORS ARE OUT OF ROUND AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE BRAKES AND BRAKE PADS ARE FINE. THE WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ROTORS. ANOTHER ISSUE IS WHEN I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT THE HORN WILL RANDOMLY START BEEPING. THE SERVICE CENTER STATED IT DID NOT HAPPEN FOR THEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 9,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10399901 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10402409 · 2011-05-23 (May 23, 2011)
THE INNER TAIL LIGHT LENSES ON BOTH THE DRIVER & PASSENGER SIDE OF MY 2010 MAZDA 6 TOURING ARE PHYSICALLY MELTING AND BECOMING SEVERELY DEFORMED. THE OUTER, CLEAR LENSES ARE NOT DAMAGED AND THE MELTING IS ORIGINATING IN THE VICINITY OF THE BULBS. CAR HAS NOT BEEN ALTERED FROM THE MFG AND BULBS ARE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED. CAR HAS 48,000 MILES ON IT AND BEYOND THE 36,000 MFG WARRANTY THEREFORE MAZDA WILL NOT REPLACE THEM FOR FREE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SUPPLIER, DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT CAN POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE OR REDUCED BRAKE LIGH…
Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10402409 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10409451 · 2011-06-21 (June 21, 2011)
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AFTER LEAVING CLASS. AFTER BEING ON THE FREEWAY FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES, THE CAR STARTS TO POWER DOWN. ALL OF THE CAUTION LIGHTS START TO COME ON (IE: BATTERY LIGHT, TRACTION LIGHT, OIL LIGHT AND MANY OTHERS). AS I GET OFF THE FREEWAY, THE CAR STARTS TO LOSE MORE POWER, THE FUEL ACCELERATION DID NOT WORK AS WELL AND THE STEERING BECAME VERY HARD BECAUSE SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID. THEN AS I START TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT THERE IS SMOKE COMING FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE CLOSED HOOD. I PUT THE CAR IN PAR…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,385 miles reported. Look up ODI 10409451 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10712728 · 2015-04-24 (April 24, 2015)
TOOK MY 2010 MAZDA 6 TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE. AS PART OF THEIR SAFETY CHECK THEY REPORTED THAT BOTH OF MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE OUT. I WAS QUOTED $172.00 FOR REPLACING THE BULBS. WHEN I GOT HOME I WENT TO U-TUBE TO SEE HOW DIFFICULT THIS WAS TO WARRANT THE CHARGE. ONE OF THE VIDEOS SHOWED A MAZDA 3 OWNER WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM, THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM OUT. HE TAPPED THE OUTER LENS WITH HIS FIST AND THE LIGHT CAME ON. I WENT OUT AND TRIED THE SAME ON MY MAZDA 6 AND BOTH HEADLIGHTS CAME ON AND WERE NORMAL. IT IS OBVIOUS T…
Owner-reported narrative. 37,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10712728 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11129349 · 2018-09-13 (September 13, 2018)
ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 I TOOK MY 2010 MAZDA 6I TO A LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP TO GET PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE DONE ON THE VEHICLE, REPLACING THE DRIVE BELT. WHEN THE MAZDA TECH STARTED THE JOB, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT SUB-FRAME THAT HOLDS THE FRONT END SUSPENSION, STEERING COMPONENTS, MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION WAS RUSTED AND ROTTED OUT WITH SEVERAL HOLES AND FLAKING METAL. THE TECH WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE JOB AS HE STATED HE COULD NOT REMOVE THE SUB-FRAME AND KEEP IT IN TACT. THE TECH REPORTED THAT THIS CREATED A HAZARDOUS AND UNSAFE CO…
Owner-reported narrative. 101,921 miles reported. Look up ODI 11129349 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11209683 · 2019-05-24 (May 24, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA 6. WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION, A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE POPPING NOISE WAS MORE AUDIBLE WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS AND WHILE TURNING WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11209683 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10660679 · 2014-11-24 (November 24, 2014)
VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AS PART OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V134000 ON 21 JULY 2011. HOWEVER, VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK CRACKED IN APRIL 2013 AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. AFTER SMELLING GASOLINE AFTER FILL UP AND NOTICING A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE IN DRIVEWAY IN APRIL 2013, OWNER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO MAZDA DEALER FOR REPAIR. DEALER REPLACED TANK ON 15 APRIL 2013. OVER THE LAST YEAR AND SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, MAZDA HAS SINCE DECLINED TO REIMBURSE OWNER FOR REPAIR AND REPROGRAM ECU PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V114000. RECALL FROM JULY 2011 WAS S…
Owner-reported narrative. 58,627 miles reported. Look up ODI 10660679 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10936628 · 2016-12-20 (December 20, 2016)
I WENT TO CHECK ON SAFERCAR.GOV SINCE I RECEIVED A LETTER SAYING MAZDA WOULD BE REPLACING THE DASH DUE TO GLARE CONDITION POTENTIAL (2015) TO FIND UPDATED STATUS AND ALSO FOR AIR BAG. THE AIR BAG ISSUE IS STILL INCOMPLETE FOR OVER 7 MONTHS. BY VIN LOOK-UP, I FIND TWO ADDITIONAL RECALLS FOR DOOR LATCH AND FUEL TANK IN WHICH I WAS UNAWARE. DATE ON THIS COMPLAINT REFLECTS FIRST CONTACT FROM MAZDA. ALSO, 4 INTERIOR ITEMS BROKEN, INCLUDING A CRACKED REAR-VIEW MIRROR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10936628 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11088605 · 2018-04-17 (April 17, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA 6. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE DOOR AJAR WARNING INDICATOR AND THE DOME LIGHT ILLUMINATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT ALL THE DOORS WERE CLOSED. IN ADDITION, WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR R…
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11088605 at NHTSA ↗