Mazda Mazda6 — the 12 years we've written up
2010–2021, side by side: what goes wrong on each, what the fix costs, and what they typically ask. 8 of the 12 carry a high-severity issue.
What this page is
These are the 12 Mazda Mazda6 model years Kestrel has done the homework on — not every year Mazda built one. A year that isn't listed here isn't a year we're warning you off; it's one we haven't written up yet. Ranking a whole model run would mean telling you about years we've never looked at.
Mazda Mazda6 by year
How many owner complaints NHTSA holds. A big number usually means a lot were sold; the shape matters more than the total.
Year by year
2.5 engine burns oil — low-oil light between changes, valve stem seals blamed — $1,200–$3,000 for valve stem seals; more if the head comes off
Cylinder head coolant and oil leaks — inherited from the 2018–2019 record — $3,000–$6,000 for a cylinder head; $8,000–$12,000 for a replacement engine
PCM software error can stall the engine (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Cracked cylinder head — coolant or oil leak at the exhaust side, sometimes a new engine — $3,000–$6,000 for a cylinder head; $8,000–$12,000 for a replacement engine at a dealer
Mazda Connect touchscreen "ghost touches" — the screen presses its own buttons while you drive — $100–$400 for a touch panel; $600–$1,200 for a replacement display unit
Rear wheel arch and subframe rust (salt states) — $800-$3,000+
Parking brake actuator shaft corrodes inside the rear caliper and binds (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $300–$800 per rear caliper if it has seized since
Rear wheel-arch / rocker rust (salt states) — $300-$1,500+
Crossmembers rust through at the control arm mounts (front is a salt-belt recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $1,000–$3,000 for a rear crossmember, which the recall does not cover
Takata passenger airbag inflator — two recall rounds, the second for cars already fixed once — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Front and rear crossmembers rust through where the control arms mount (front is a recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $1,000–$3,000 for a rear crossmember the recall does not cover
Takata passenger airbag inflator and a moisture-damaged airbag control unit (multiple recalls) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
4 of these 12 have no high-severity issue in our write-up. That means we didn't find an expensive recurring fault — not that one cannot exist on the specific vehicle you're looking at.
Looking at one in particular?
This page covers the Mazda Mazda6 in general. The Kestrel report covers the one you're looking at — the asking price against the market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.
Get My Verdict — $7.99Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for that year.
Known issues are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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