Most common 2003 Mazda Mazda6 problems
Share of the 174 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mazda Mazda6 complaints by model year
Best Mazda6 years: 2019, 2013, 2021. Years to avoid: 2009, 2010, 2014, 2003. Compare all years →
2003 Mazda Mazda6 recalls (6)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2005 MPV, 2004 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 and 2004 MPV vehicles nationwide. Mazda is also recalling 2005-2006 MPV vehicles in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2008 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery
On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel sender unit (fsu) May have been improperly installed in the fuel tank, producing an inadequate seal, and fuel May leak.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the top of the fuel tank, and if necessary, repair or replace it. Owner notification began February 9, 2004. Owners should contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500.
Parking brake › Indicator light
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.
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…
Exterior lighting › Fog lights
On certain Mini vans and passenger vehicles, the socket holder in the fog lights is installed in the lamp casing using pressure. During operation of the fog light, the heat from the bulb can expand the socket holder. The expansion can force the socket holder rearward.
Remedy: Dealers will install a spring to prevent the socket holder from separating from the lamp case. Owner notification began on July 14, 2003.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2003 Mazda Mazda6:
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Fuel tank sending unit seal leak
In some of the subject vehicles, the fsu lock ring seal May have been installed improperly.the fuel tank May be assembled with insufficient compression on the fsu lock ring seal due to cross-threading the lock ring, the seal May be out of position at the time of installation,or the fuel tank May be assembled with insufficient compression on the seal due to distortion of the tank shell.each of these conditions May…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
What 2003 Mazda Mazda6 owners say
Engine & cooling all 46 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Mazda Mazda6. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that blue smoke was emitting from the tail pipe as the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. The mechanic stated that the catalytic converters were clogged and would have to be replaced. Additionally, the mechanic stated that the front passenger's side tie rod was loose and could fracture. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Mazda 6. The contact stated while inspecting the vehicle, an unknown fluid started leaking onto the ground. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the radiator cap and coolant bypass fitting had malfunctioned. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 125,326.
Transmission & drivetrain all 36 →
After two years of driving this car the clutch pedal assembly completely broke puncturing through the fire wall and brake reservoir, luckily I was starting the vehicle in a hospital parking lot when I pushed the clutch in it went completely to the floor and did not come back up. It was completely inoperable, I had to have the car towed after patching the firewall and replacing the clutch pedal assembly for $1800 I was told that part was faulty on this vehicle and if it happened once it would probably happen again. One year later it broke again only this time I was driving down the road when I went to shift gears the clutch went to the floor and didn't come back up, I had to pull over luckily I didn't get hit or cause an accident. I was told by Mazda there would be no recall because this part isn't a direct safety issue.
On 17 feb 2011 I was driving my 2003 Mazda 6s and while driving at a low speed of 25 MPH all my lights on my dashboard turned on and my car immediately began to reduce speed almost to a stand still. Luckily I was able to pull to the side of the road in time to avoid any accidents or possible damage to my vehicle. I restarted my car and was able to proceed in driving. However my engine light remained on. I researched this issue online and found that someone with the same model vehicle and year had the same issue almost verbatim. The referenced a service bulletin from Mazda bulletin no: 01-016/06 released in 2006 regarding throttle body replacement. I read the bulletin and sure enough it stated to inspect the letters on the throttle body. It showed aa,ab,ba markings = no good and bb marking = good. So I inspected my vehicles throttle body letter and sure enough it was "aa". …
Air bags all 30 →
I hit a deer at 45 miles an hour then hit the hit totalling the car, the airbag did not come out, the seat belt did not lock causing me to be slammed into the steeling wheel, now I suffer great pain, can't move my neck, can't lay down bc of such bad headache I throw up, I sleep sitting up, something in the car like metal fragment hit me in the left eye, now I can barely see out of my left eye. And must continue medical treatment. And someone is going to pay for my medical treatment and pain and suffering, bc that seat belt not locking caused my injuries, my insurance company totalled my car out bc of the severe damage to it.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 Mazda 6. While driving 40 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 15V345000 (air bags) and 15V382000 (air bags); however, the parts needed to repair the vehicle were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 190,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available and parts distribution disconnect, respectively.
2003 Mazda Mazda6 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Mazda Mazda6 a good car?
Based on 174 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Mazda6 rates use caution: 1.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Mazda6 at the same age. It is one of the Mazda6 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Mazda Mazda6?
The engine & cooling — 46 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (36) and air bags (30).
How many recalls does the 2003 Mazda Mazda6 have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2003 Mazda Mazda6, the most recent from October 31, 2019 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mazda Mazda6?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2019, 2013 and 2021. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2009, 2010, 2014 and 2003. See the full Mazda Mazda6 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Mazda Mazda6 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 25,000 miles; 54% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.