Mazda6 Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Not unusually. Owners have filed 107 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2021 Mazda6. For the Mazda6, that's 0.27 engine complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2021 cohorts, below the 0.44 median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2018, 2009 and 2014.
Engine complaints
107
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2021 models
Per 1,000 sold
0.27
2015–2021 cohorts
Share of all complaints
7.7%
of 1,387 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
1
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Mazda6 engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling, and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 4 | — | 3.6% | 0 | — | 25 |
| 2009WORST | 16 | — | 4.2% | 0 | — | 38 |
| 2010 | 5 | — | 2.2% | 1 | — | 34 |
| 2011 | 3 | — | 2.2% | 0 | — | 46 |
| 2012 | 3 | — | 3% | 1 | — | 33 |
| 2013 | 0 | — | 0% | 0 | — | 26 |
| 2014WORST | 15 | — | 10.9% | 0 | — | 115 |
| 2015 | 4 | 0.07 | 6.7% | 0 | — | 102 |
| 2016 | 7 | 0.15 | 9.2% | 1 | — | 110 |
| 2017 | 4 | 0.12 | 6.8% | 0 | — | 54 |
| 2018WORST | 31 | 1 | 57.4% | 1 | 19V497000 | 174 |
| 2019 | 1 | 0.05 | 16.7% | 0 | 19V497000 | 154 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0.06 | 50% | 0 | — | 120 |
| 2021 | 13 | 0.7 | 76.5% | 0 | — | 104 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Mazda6 engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 107 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Mazda6 years to avoid for the engine
2018 Mazda6
31 engine complaints (57.4% of the year's 54), 1 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: overheating or coolant loss. Covered by engine recall 19V497000.
2009 Mazda6
16 engine complaints (4.2% of the year's 385). Most often described: stalling or shutting off while driving.
2014 Mazda6
15 engine complaints (10.9% of the year's 137). Most often described: stalling or shutting off while driving.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Mazda6 years to avoid.
Mazda6 engine recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Engine for any Mazda6 model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 19V497000 · 2019-06-27 · 2018–2019 models
A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2018 Mazda6 have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 31 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Mazda6, 57.4% of all 54 complaints for that year, or 1 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "overheating or coolant loss" (13 complaints). One engine-related recall covers it: 19V497000. 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2009 Mazda6 have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 16 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2009 Mazda6, 4.2% of all 385 complaints for that year. The most common description is "stalling or shutting off while driving" (2 complaints).
Does the 2014 Mazda6 have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 15 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2014 Mazda6, 10.9% of all 137 complaints for that year. The most common description is "stalling or shutting off while driving" (8 complaints).
Which Mazda6 years have the most engine complaints?
2018 (31), 2009 (16) and 2014 (15), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Mazda6 engine problems?
In the 107 engine complaints, owners most often describe stalling or shutting off while driving (18.7%), overheating or coolant loss (17.8%) and oil consumption or oil leaks (16.8%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Mazda6 model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration