2002 Mazda MAZDA6: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
28 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
48,611 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 24 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 28 complaints (32.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 13 | 46.4% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 14.3% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 10.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 3.6% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 3.6% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 9 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 3 |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 |
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Fan | 2 |
| Equipment | 2 |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 9; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3; Unknown Or Other: 3; Air Bags: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Fan: 2; Equipment: 2; Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 9 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 5 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 4 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 |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 9 |
| 2008 | 2 |
2005: 10; 2006: 7; 2007: 9; 2008: 2
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 13 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 3 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10108169 · 2005-01-28 (January 28, 2005)
MY TIRES KEEP GOING FLAT- 2002 MAZDA 626. THE FIRST FLAT TIRE WAS ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. THE MECHANIC WHO CHANGED IT OUT FOR ME POINTED OUT THAT MY TIRE LOOKED LIKE IT WAS IN GOOD SHAPE (NO HOLES) BUT ALSO LOOKED LIKE MY TIRES ARE LEANING "IN"- WHICH IS PUTTING THE WEAR/TEAR ON THE INSIDE THREADING, THUS WEARING OUT FASTER (ALL THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR LEANING ON EDGE OF TIRES). SECOND FLAT 2 MONTHS AGO, AND THRID THIS WEEK, BEING TOLD THE SAME THING. I WAS ALSO TOLD THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ALIGNMENT. I DO NOT NEED AN ALIGNMENT. . HAVE NOT …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10108169 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10110167 · 2005-02-09 (February 9, 2005)
2002 MAZDA MIATA CONVERT. WITH A TOP THAT HAS LEAKED SINCE PURCHASED IN 8-2002 AND MAZDA REFUSES TO REPLACE TOP AFTER 20 ATTEMPTS TO FIX. YOU DO NOT HAVE MIATA'S LISTED IN YOUR COMPLAINT FIELDS- THIS COMPLAINT IS FOR MIATA. ALSO, FOG LIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES AFTER RECALL WAS PERFORMED- RECALL DID MORE DAMAGE THAN GOOD. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10110167 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10118707 · 2005-04-29 (April 29, 2005)
I HAVE A 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE ES V-6, I PURCHASED IN FEBRUARY, 2002. I BEGAN COMPLAINING OF ELECTRICAL ISSUES (...SPECIFICALLY BATTERY CHARGING/MAINTAINING CHARGE), AT 15000 MILES. INITIALLY, THE CAR WOULD LOSE BATTERY CHARGE; BUT IN JANUARY, 2005, THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THE BATTERY WAS DETERMINED TO BE FAULTY; AND WAS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. THE MILEAGE WAS 29,527. APRIL 22, 2005... I WAS IN THE WEST-BOUND LANES OF INTERSTATE 90, IN SPOKANE, WA. THE FREEWAY IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WITH 3' SHOULDERS; THEN CONCRETE…
Owner-reported narrative. 32,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10118707 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10123798 · 2005-06-01 (June 1, 2005)
THERE IS AN INTERMITTANT PROBLEM WITH THE VENTILATION SYSTEM ON MY 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WITH THE VENT SYSTEM ON (NOT THE A/C) AND THE CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING AND WARMED-UP, AFTER SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES , THE VENT SYSTEM WILL BEGIN BLOWING VERY HOT AIR FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. FOR INSTANCE WHEN THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IS COOL, THE VENT SYSTEM STILL BLOWS EXTREMELY HOT AIR, AS THOUGH THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL WAS SET AT THE HOTTEST TEMP. THIS IS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL IS SET AT THE COOLEST SETTING. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10123798 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10125432 · 2005-06-15 (June 15, 2005)
MAZDA MOTORS CO. HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE CLUTCH IN 2001-2003 MAZDA MIATAS AND HAS ISSUED A TSB (05-001/03). MY MIATA, A 2002 IS 3 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT WITH ONLY 13,000 MILES OF A WARRANTED 36,000 MILES. WHEN I APPROACHED MAZDA CORP. WITH MY PROBLEM I WAS SUMMARILLY TOLD, WITHOUT THEM LOOKING AT MY CAR, THAT IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND ALSO STATED THAT, EVEN IN A WARRANTED STATE, THE CLUTCH WILL BE COVERED FOR ONLY 12,000 MILES. I HAVE READ THE TSB AND NOWHERE IS A MILEAGE NUMBER STATED FOR A COVERED REPAIR. MY COMPLAINT IS, THAT THER…
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10125432 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10125489 · 2005-06-16 (June 16, 2005)
AT APPORX. 48K MILES, THE O/D LIGHT CONTINUED TO FLASH ON AND OFF, AFTER TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC THEY STATED IT NEEDED A NEW SPEED CENSOR, AFTER REPLACING SAID PART THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED, I TOOK IT TO A MAZDA SERVICE DEALER, WHO TOLD ME I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION, WITH LESS THAN 52K MILES ON IT??
Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10125489 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10129047 · 2005-07-18 (July 18, 2005)
PAINT IS CHIPPING OFF FRONT OF HOOD AND COMING OFF THE BUMPER AROUND FOG LAMPS. SERVICE MANAGER AT LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT IT IS ROCK CHIPS AND THAY WANT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE MAZDA 626 HAS ONLY 33,000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN A CAR WITH THIS LOW MILEAGE HAVE SO MANY CHIPS ON IT. I BELIEVE THE PAINT ON THIS CAR IS DEFECTIVE AND THAT MAZDA SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10129047 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10137565 · 2005-09-26 (September 26, 2005)
MAZDA TRIBUTE 2002- WHEN CAR ACCELERATES OVER 40 MILES PER HOUR IT SOUNDS AS IF IT IS GOING OVER A GRATING. IT SHUDDERS AND JERKS. IT HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE WE PURCHASED THIS NEW CAR IN 2002. BROUGHT THIS CAR TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND IT HAS BEEN HARD TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. DEALER FLUSHED TRANSMISSION. CAR IS STILL,SHUDDERING, GRINDING AT ACCELERATION. ANY ONE OUT THERE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM? *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10137565 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
03V207000 · Parking Brake:Indicator Light
Reported: 2003-06-05 (June 5, 2003)
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, "PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS." DURING PRODUCTION, THE FLOAT IN THE FLUID LEVEL SENSOR IN THE BRAKE RESERVOIR CAN BE FORCED OFF OF THE GUIDE RAIL DURING THE FILLING OF THE MASTER CYLINDER.
Consequence: SHOULD THIS OCCUR, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE FLOAT WILL NOT RETURN TO THE GUIDE RAIL AND THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL WARNING INDICATOR MAY NOT FUNCTION.
Remedy: MAZDA HAS NOT YET PROVIDED A REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 14, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
NHTSA campaign record ↗