Most common 2004 Mazda Mazda6 problems
Share of the 160 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 →
2004 Mazda Mazda6 recalls (4)
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.
Seat belts › Rear/other
On certain passenger vehicles, the right and/or left rear seat belts May not lock properly due to missing retaining pins on the housing.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear seat belts and replace defective seat belt retractors. The recall began on December 27, 2004. Owners should contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500, option #4.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2004 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…
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 2004 Mazda Mazda6 owners say
Air bags all 55 →
Have contacted Sport Durst Mazda in [redacted] about recall on air bags. Told me I had to drive vehicle to their shop. Told them the letter said Do Not Drive. They said they'd do the recall if I bring it to them. I live in [redacted]. I don't understand why I can not get repair done unless I drive my 2004 Mazda 6 station wagon with over 300 thousand miles on it to them. What do I need to do. This is my only vehicle since my 2017 Hyundai sonata was stolen and motor locked up with only 70 thousand miles on it 7-28-2025
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owned a 2004 Mazda 6. The contact's vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V345000 (air bags), but had not been able to determine when the parts would become available for the recall repair for months. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but they did not confirm if the parts were available. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact's vehicle was crashed into by another vehicle. The driver's and front passenger side air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that the other vehicle's air bags May have deployed. The driver sustained whiplash and bruising of the hands due to the force of the impact. Medical attention was not needed. A passenger sustained minor whiplash, but no other injuries or medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a yard. …
Transmission & drivetrain
Very hard shifts from 1st to 3rd gear it's a automatic transmission it's getting worse it will do it at random times and it's getting to the point I'm scared to drive the car. mazda should listen to everyone else's problems with the same transmission it's ridiculous
Over time, the clutch in my manual transmission 2004 Mazda 6 v6 hatchback has been getting noisy, difficult to modulate with surprising sloppy movement in a sideways motion when being depressed, and has been greatly worrying me. Upon investigation, I discovered cracks in the formed and welded steel frame that holds the clutch pedal where the whole assembly bolts to the firewall. I've adjusted my clutch linkage, bled the hydraulic line and attempted to bend the frame back to square, but eventually this frame is going to fail and I will be unable to push the clutch and change gears. If this happens while driving, I could crash and be injured or killed. In addition, the clutch pedal frame, as it bends to the left with every shift, makes contact with an electrical/cpu box mounting frame next to the clutch, which is additionally worrisome. …
Engine & cooling
The v6 motor in my Mazda 6s has been leaking oil for almost 10 of the 12 years I've owned it. The oil leaks out of the faulty seals on the timing chain cover in front of the passenger, and the oil drops onto the catalytic converter. This oil vaporizes and that vapor enters the cabin in slow speed driving and when stopped at intersections. I complained about a burning oil smell many times while the car was still under warranty, and the Mazda service techs always pretended like they didn't find any problem. Years down the road, I am finding this is a rampant problem with all Ford and Mazda cars and suvs with this "Duratec" 3.0 v6 which was made by Ford. It is installed in many Ford, Mercury and Mazda vehicles. I carry a fire extinguisher with me in the event I have an under hood fire, and I'm very worried about my health after all these years of breathing this vapor. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Mazda 6. While driving 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the battery was replaced, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the oil needed to be changed and the starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. After the vehicle was serviced and while driving at an unknown speed, an abnormal sound emitted from under the hood and the check oil warning light illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that there was metal fragments in the oil and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 115,000.
2004 Mazda Mazda6 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Mazda Mazda6 a good car?
Based on 160 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Mazda6 rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Mazda6 at the same age. 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 2004 Mazda Mazda6?
The air bags — 55 complaints, 34% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (19) and engine & cooling (18).
How many recalls does the 2004 Mazda Mazda6 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2004 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 2004 Mazda Mazda6 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 66,000 miles; 42% 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.