Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Mazda Mazda6 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
When I take my foot off the gas it stays at the same speed or it speeds up on its own. When I press on the break sometimes it feels like it's not going to stop and just keep going or it jerks forward when I stop. This happens when I am driving on the road and the cruise control is not on when this happens.
I had a terrible experience couple of days ago. When I was driving back home in the midnight and in the middle of nowhere, my less than 2 and half years old Mazda 6 start to make very loud annoying noise. I was scared to death at that time. Later I found out there is a manufacture defect relating to the problem that I had experienced, which Mazda has known the problem about a year ago. They even have a bulletin describe this problem and the title is '04-004/04 2003-2003 Mazda 6 -front brake judder and /or brake moan noise'. They never made any recalls on this issue and leave this risk to their customer intentionally.
We bought our new 2003 Mazda 6 in July 2003. Few months later my wife noted a loud scraping/grinding noise from the front end when making sharp slow left or right turns with brakes applied. The noise also occurred when pulling into a parking space. This happened 3-4 times weekly. Finally , we brought the car into the dealership at least 3 times for the problem, but the noise could not be reproduced consistently. A engine belt was replaced in 12/03, but the problem persisted. During the last visit in 2/14/04 to the dealer, we were told that the brakes could be at fault and Mazda is looking for a solution.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Mazda 6. The contact stated that it takes an extended period of time to stop the vehicle when the brake pedal is depressed. He also heard a loud grinding noise when attempting to stop the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to a local repair shop and they stated that the brake shoes dug into the rotors. As a result, the rotors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired at the cost of $289. He notified the manufacturer in reference to premature wear of the rotors, but was not provided with any assistance. The VIN was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 25,000.
Dt*: the contact stated there were several problems with the vehicle. The first problem involved the brake pads that were worn out and had to be replaced after 20,000 miles. The second problem dealt with manual transmission. Sometimes the manual transmission shifted roughly. Third problem, in cold weather, the engine surged and revved high for three seconds. The dealership told the contact the brake wear was normal. The dealership could not duplicate the other problems.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Mazda 6. The contact took the vehicle for an oil change when the mechanic informed him that the brake lines were bending and pushing into the axle boots. The mechanic replaced the axle and brake lines at the contacts expense. The dealer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage is 51,000. Updated 10/05/10 updated 10/07/10
Front (right) end squeaks/grinds mainly while turning, however has continued after straightening out. Started around 10,000 miles. I've taken it in 3 different times to two different dealers. This last time (now at ~50,000) I was told it was a break pad problem and that: my break pads were 80% worn. My rotors needed to be turned. I was also now charged for this visit that still didn't fix the problem.
2003 Mazda 6 2.3l a/t with 10,450 miles: right front disc brake component(s) failure. Took the car to a Mazda service center and was told a special repair kit was required but that Mazda was only authorizing the dealers to repair this under warrenty, on a case-by-case basis. I have not experienced brake failure at this time, and I have scheduled service to examine and repair.
Brakes makes a hard grouding noise when coming to a complete stop. Took to the dealer to have it looked at. The tech said he couldn't find anything. This happens every day.in aug 2003 there was a recall on the brakes. I took the car in so that they can look at it in August for the recall. The brakes are still making that noise.
It was at 7,000 miles on vehicle, that I experienced the brakes acting like they were out of round. It was at 11,000 miles that I had the brakes checked out. I was told that all 4 disk brake rotors needed to be resurfaced. Dealership said it was because I had taken my car to a car wash and that all 4 rotors had warped.
Related recalls
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…
Brake complaints in other Mazda6 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2003 Mazda Mazda6?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the brakes of the 2003 Mazda Mazda6, 14% of the model year's 174 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › rotor (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Mazda Mazda6 brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 03V-207 (indicator light, Jun 5, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2003 Mazda Mazda6 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 10,000 miles, and 74% before 25,000 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.