Most common 2011 Mazda Mazda6 problems
Share of the 135 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 →
2011 Mazda Mazda6 recalls (6)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2007-2012 CX-7, CX-9, and 2009-2012 Maza6 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 repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge.
Structure
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode…
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross member and either install a side member and drain hose and apply wax to protect from rust, or install a drain hose and an improved front cross member, free of…
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Mazda CX-9 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2018.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2011 Mazda6, and 2007-2011 CX-7 and CX-9 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge.
Fuel system, gasoline
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured September 14, 2009, through May 2, 2011, and equipped with 2.5L engine. In the affected vehicles, spiders may weave a web in the evaporative canister vent hose, blocking it and causing the fuel tank to have an excessive…
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module and inspect and clean the canister vent line.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Mazda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured February 4, 2008, through August 24, 2012. The door latch mounting screws may become loose.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will apply a thread locking adhesive to the door screws and retorque them, free of charge. The recall began on October 29, 2013. Owners may contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500.
What 2011 Mazda Mazda6 owners say
Suspension all 50 →
The contact owns a 2011 Mazda MZ6. The contact stated that while her son was driving at approximately 60-65 MPH, the rear subframe had detached, causing the vehicle to spin across four lanes of traffic and then crash into the median wall. The air bags were not deployed. A police report was filed that listed the cause of failure as a passenger's side rear tire blowout due to cracks along the tire. The contact's son sustained a back injury and medical attention was received. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence where an independent mechanic diagnosed that the rear subframe had detached. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Mazda Mazda6. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the contact attempted to swerve out the way of another vehicle as she suddenly lost control of the vehicle. Due to the failure, the contact force to steer the vehicle to the left as the contact attempted to maintain control of the vehicle. The contact managed to pull over into a parking lot and called her husband for assistance. Despite the failure, the contact managed to drive the vehicle home despite the vehicle being extremely difficult to maneuver. The contact's husband managed to drive the vehicle to a local mechanic, who determined that the front subframe had failed due to excessive corrosion of the subframe. The mechanic then informed the contact of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V323000 (Structure, Suspension); however, the contact was informed that her vehicle was not included in the recall. …
Body & structure all 30 →
The contact owns a 2011 Mazda Mazda6. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the contact attempted to swerve out the way of another vehicle as she suddenly lost control of the vehicle. Due to the failure, the contact force to steer the vehicle to the left as the contact attempted to maintain control of the vehicle. The contact managed to pull over into a parking lot and called her husband for assistance. Despite the failure, the contact managed to drive the vehicle home despite the vehicle being extremely difficult to maneuver. The contact's husband managed to drive the vehicle to a local mechanic, who determined that the front subframe had failed due to excessive corrosion of the subframe. The mechanic then informed the contact of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V323000 (Structure, Suspension); however, the contact was informed that her vehicle was not included in the recall. …
The contact owns a 2011 Mazda Mazda6. The contact stated that while her mother was driving at slow speeds in a parking area, there was an abnormally loud metallic sound coming from underneath the vehicle, and moments later, the vehicle became extremely difficult to maneuver. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the rear crossmember had detached from the vehicle due to excessive corrosion of the subframe. The contact was informed that the vehicle could not be repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V323000 (Structure, Suspension); the VIN was previously included, but was repaired in 2019. The contact stated that the recall repair was for the front passenger's side lower control arm. …
Air bags all 28 →
Two car collision at an intersection .city streets. Both cars in motion. Air bag deployed but didn't inflate. Smoke filled interior. Attending fireman at first thought the car was on fire. Examination showed that smoke was coming from a rupture in the air bag near the point where the bag was connected to the steering wheel.
Had an head on car accident on the street my tire blow out and hit a light pole. The passenger air bag did not come out, also the driver airbag came out but it was deflated no air was in it or what ever makes an air bag blow up. In which cost me to hit my head on the steering wheel.
2011 Mazda Mazda6 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 30 / 24 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Mazda Mazda6 a good car?
Based on 135 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 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 2011 Mazda Mazda6?
The suspension — 50 complaints, 37% of all complaints for this model year, most often about subframe/mounting bracket. Next are the body & structure (30) and air bags (28).
How many recalls does the 2011 Mazda Mazda6 have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2011 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 2011 Mazda Mazda6 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 90,000 miles; 20% 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.