Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Mazda Mazda6 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My car had a air bag recal and a subframe and other misc recalls so I contacted the dealership near me which was In Springfield Mo and set a apt and had it replaced then got a call the next day saying they wuld meet me half way with a loaner car which was in Mansfield mo for the subframe replacement and they have had it for over a month and they called and told me it was ready for pick up 6/21/21 and I drove up there Wed to pick it up and it wuldnt start wuldnt do nothing dead battery. Dealership then hooked up a jump box the gauges started jumping all back and fourth like something was shorted or a short some were got it started and the min the jump box turned off the it killed all power the car shut completly off to nothing. …
While driving 40mph heard a pop, hissing sound and unable to steer vehicle. Stopped at roadside to examine tires, which were ok. Incredibly difficult to steer wheel and to stay on the road while swerving. I was within a mile of Belle Tire for a mechanic to look at my Mazda 6. He showed me how the open recall on the front crossmember was repaired only on the right wheel side, and the left front wheel had the same amount of rust completely broken apart. A phone call was made to the Mazda dealer closest, problem was relayed to service manager, and said even with my pictures, Mazda needs inspection on vehicle, and wait for repair was a month. As my only vehicle ,it took 2 days to get repaired by Belle Tire. …
I own a 2009 mazda 6 witch is my only vehicle I had tooken it to a mechanic shop due to noise comming from the front and rear of the car under farther investigation I was notified by the mechanic that the entire front and rear subframes were badly rotted and rusty i than took the car to a mazda dealer for further inspection we're I was notified that they would replace the front sub frame under recall but I would still have to pay out of pocket for all the other suspension components long story short I was given an estimate of thousands n thousands of dollars that I could not afford and was told the car is unsafe to drive mainly due to the rear subframe and components bein severely rusted I would just like to know why there hasent been a recall for the rear subframe on this vehicle when there has been hundreds of other complaints about the same thing I'm goin through about the same year …
In August 6th, 2018, I was driving back from work with my 4y old son in quebec city at 50 km/h. When I want to stop at the red-light I sensed a significant loss of steering control to the right and I was completely shocked because I was just about to hit a cyclist. And my son was frustrated too. Luckily nothing bad happened. But from there I wasn't able to drive correctly, I held the steering wheel to 60 degrees to the left while going at 25 km/h to be able to drive straight and get back to my home. The following day I drove my car to the nearest garage, and to my surprise, the guy told me that the subframe at the right near to the wheel is completely corroded and the steering rack was separated from its mounts causing the steering loss. …
Car suddenly veered right on the highway and scraped both fenders and the mirror against a cement barricade. Steering has been unpredictable. While elevated on jack stands with both front wheels hanging, crouched facing the right passenger side tire, the tire can be gripped with the left hand on the rear facing tread and right hand on the front facing tire tread, then moved in and out with large amounts of play, wobble, and clunking noises. There is also a large amount of noise and clunking coming from the area where the streering " linkage" ( term?) connects to the hydraulic rack when the front of the car is on jackstands and the steering wheel is moved to both extremities. The hydraulic steering rack appears to flex left and right when the car is on the ground in the normal driving position and the steering wheel is moved to both extremities. …
Driving down the road and noticed my steering wheel started to not be aligned. I then noticed the steering response wasn't there like it usually was. I was on a highway and the car started steering as if it were a boat. A delay in the steering response was creating a dangerous driving experience. I brought it in to the dealership and they had told me that the part that holds everything together had completely rusted out. I could not take the car back with me as it was too unsafe to drive on the road. It's been 4 weeks now and still my car sits at the dealership. The car doesn't even have 90K on it and is in great condition other than that. Four weeks of no car and no word on anything about how it's going to get fixed has cost me money in rentals and also kept me from getting to all the jobs I need to get to. …
Bought 2009 Mazda 6 brand new. Car has 140,000 miles well maintained. I had to slam on my brakes to avoid a collision with a truck pulling a trailer. The truck was at a stop sign facing west, I had right of way driving north, truck driver pulled out in front of me turning left to go south. My speed aprox.40mph to dead stop.. My vehicle never left the road or no impact with other vehicle. As I started to drive straight, I had to keep my steering 20-30 degrees to left because my car pulled hard to the right. I pulled over to check for flat tire. That was not the issue. I was able to turn around and proceed to a Mazda dealer aprox 2 miles south . I left the car there for Mazda to inspect. The service advisor called me and told me the front sub frame had split/cracked due to rust corrosion--"thats northeast ohio for you". Repair estimate $2000-$2500. Repairs are not done. …
Steering safety issue urgent. Vehicle was being driven on a highway when suddenly lost steering, front end of vehicle elevated upon turning steering wheel when it was stopped and stationary. Subframe of vehicle rotted prematurely allowing steering linkage attached to subframe to become detached. Vehicle unsafe and required tow to dealership. Dealership inspected vehicle and reported subframe needed replacement in order to fix safety issue - car not able to be driven until repair complete. Vehicle had been serviced at same dealership for years and issue never reported with subframe. This is an extremely unsafe condition for these vehicles. Technician verbally reported that premature rust/rot could be due to location of ac condenser drain line. Subframe replaced with new Mazda OEM subframe. Friend with same make/model/year recently reported same issue with subframe.
I went for an oil change and found out that the frame that holds the engine in place was completely rotted out and that my engine could fall out at any given time. Also, because of the rot, the rod that should be attached to the steering was not attached because the bolts had nothing to adhere to. This could have resulted in me driving with my daughter and losing my steering and possibly getting in a fatal accident. The car is in the shop as it is not able to be driven per my mechanic for safety reasons as well as failing inspection fro this. Please contact me as soon as possible as I do not have any transportation and I work full time. I can be reached at [redacted]. Or my mechanic at hometowne auto, [redacted].
Was driving vehicle at 45 mile per hour. Suddenly noticed steering wheel was off center. I did not hit a pothole or any other obstructions on the road. Steering became very loose and vehicle hard to steer. When braking the vehicle started to make squealing sound and pulled to one side. Suspension became very harsh even on good surface road.. This is a catastrophic failure with no warning. Fortunately was able to get vehicle to auto repair center without getting into accident. Auto repair facility examined vehicle and showed me that engine cradle - subframe had rusted thought and broke. This caused the engine to go off center which caused the braking, steering, and suspension issues. Auto repair facility told me the vehicle was not safe to drive and made me sign a waiver to release the vehicle.
Steering complaints in other Mazda6 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2009 Mazda Mazda6?
NHTSA has 36 complaints about the steering of the 2009 Mazda Mazda6, 9% of the model year's 386 complaints. The component named most often is linkages › tie rod assembly (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Mazda Mazda6 steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2009 Mazda Mazda6, though it has 9 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 Mazda Mazda6 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 125,000 miles, and 3% 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.