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Mazda

2010 Mazda MAZDA6

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2010 Mazda MAZDA6 has 317 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.1x the segment average of 78. The most common issue is body/structure problems (19% of all complaints), specifically: this concerns the plastic safety bumper on my mazda and plastic bumpers in general. mine is a safety hazard and in danger of breaking off. i believe it to be a defective product. i have a mazda6 touring plus which is ten months old, with less than 12,000 miles. my bumper began cracking two months a. There are 9 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 6 crash reports 1 injury

317

Total Complaints

9

Recalls Issued

/5

Safety Stars

4.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

BODY/STRUCTURE

60 complaints
19%
  • THIS CONCERNS THE PLASTIC SAFETY BUMPER ON MY MAZDA AND PLASTIC BUMPERS IN GENERAL. MINE IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND IN DANGER OF BREAKING OFF. I BELIEVE IT TO BE A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. I HAVE A MAZDA6 TOURING PLUS WHICH IS TEN MONTHS OLD, WITH LESS THAN 12,000 MILES. MY BUMPER BEGAN CRACKING TWO MONTHS A
  • I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THIS ONGOING ISSUE WITH MY MAZDA 6 2010 MODEL. THE WAY MAZDA DESIGN SIDE MIRROR THAT'S VERY COMFY FOR SPIDER. OUR BOTH LEFT & RIGHT MIRROR HAS SPIDER WEB ALL THE TIME. WE NEED TO CLEAN THAT IN ALL SEASONS. THERE ARE MULTIPLE SAFETY RECALL FOR MAZDA 6 2010. [XXX] INFOR
  • HI, MY MAZDA HAVE A MELT DASH. *TR
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

THIS CONCERNS THE PLASTIC SAFETY BUMPER ON MY MAZDA AND PLASTIC BUMPERS IN GENERAL. MINE IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND IN DANGER OF BREAKING OFF. I BELIEVE IT TO BE A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. I HAVE A MAZDA6 TOURING PLUS WHICH IS TEN MONTHS OLD, WITH LESS THAN 12,000 MILES. MY BUMPER BEGAN CRACKING TWO MONTHS A

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2010 Mazda MAZDA6

Based on 208 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 85K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 60-100K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage
0-30K
30
30-60K
39
60-100K
66
100-150K
50
150-200K
18
200K+
5

BRAKES

Earlier than typicalmedian 30K mi · 14 reports
0-30K
7
30-60K
3
60-100K
2
100-150K
1
150-200K
0
200K+
1

LIGHTING

Reported earliermedian 73K mi · 18 reports
0-30K
3
30-60K
5
60-100K
5
100-150K
4
150-200K
1
200K+
0

ELECTRICAL

Reported earliermedian 45K mi · 12 reports
0-30K
3
30-60K
5
60-100K
2
100-150K
2
150-200K
0
200K+
0

BODY/STRUCTURE

In line with typicalmedian 89K mi · 46 reports
0-30K
3
30-60K
11
60-100K
14
100-150K
10
150-200K
7
200K+
1

OTHER

In line with typicalmedian 84K mi · 19 reports
0-30K
1
30-60K
3
60-100K
8
100-150K
7
150-200K
0
200K+
0

AIR BAGS

In line with typicalmedian 80K mi · 15 reports
0-30K
3
30-60K
1
60-100K
8
100-150K
3
150-200K
0
200K+
0

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (9)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE12/10/2018

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. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, unless covered in "Zone A," Mazda is recalling certain 2011-2013 Mazda6, 2011-2012 CX-7, and 2011-2015 CX-9 sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless covered in Zone A or Zone B, Mazda is recalling certain 2010-2013 Mazda6, 2010-2012 CX-7, and 2010-2015 CX-9 vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 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. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2010 Mazda MAZDA6

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.
Full coverage / year
$1,366
Full coverage / month
$114
Liability only / year
$611
vs US avg
-18%
How this estimate is calculated
US base full-coverage premium$1674
× state (US)1.00x
× vehicle class (sedan-midsize)0.96x
× theft risk1.00x
× safety rating1.00x
× vehicle age0.85x
= Full coverage estimate$1366

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Mazda MAZDA6 Service Intervals

Oil change
8K mi / 12 mo
Tire rotation
8K mi
Brake fluid
24 months
Transmission fluid
60K mi
Engine coolant
120K mi
Spark plugs
60K mi
Cabin air filter
15K mi
Engine air filter
30K mi
Differential (AWD/4WD)
60K mi

SkyActiv-G naturally aspirated engines. AWD models need transfer case and rear differential service every 60K.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Mazda New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)
3 yr / 36K mi
Powertrain
5 yr / 60K mi
Hybrid/EV battery
8 yr / 100K mi
Corrosion (rust perforation)
5 yr / unlimited mi
Roadside assistance
3 yr / 36K mi

These are the terms for a new Mazda. If you're buying a used 2010 MAZDA6, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Mazda dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)
$500
AIR BAGS(~50K mi)
$500
SUSPENSION(~50K mi)
$500
OTHER(~50K mi)
$500
STEERING(~50K mi)
$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 317 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

  • BODY/STRUCTURE: THIS CONCERNS THE PLASTIC SAFETY BUMPER ON MY MAZDA AND PLASTIC BUMPERS IN GENERAL. MINE IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND IN DANGER OF BREAKING OFF. I BELIEVE IT TO BE A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. I HAVE A MAZDA6 TOURING PLUS WHICH IS TEN MONTHS OLD, WITH LESS THAN 12,000 MILES. MY BUMPER BEGAN CRACKING TWO MONTHS A

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • AIR BAGS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA, MAZDA6. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHEN AN OCCUPANT WAS PRESENT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEAL

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • SUSPENSION: THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT TRACK STRAIGHT, EVEN ON A LEVEL ROAD. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (ABOVE 50 MPH) IT HAS A DECIDED PULL TO THE LEFT, REGARDLESS OF THE LATERAL SLOPE OF THE ROAD. CONSTANT CLOCKWISE PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO KEEP VEHICLE FROM DRIFTING IN A LEFTWARD DIRECTION.

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • OTHER: THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2010 MAZDA 6 IS MELTING. IT IS BECOMING OILY AND VERY STICKY AND THERE IS NOTHING ON THE MARKET TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM. MAZDA SAYS THE ONLY THING I CAN DO IS BUY A NEW DASH AT $900.00. 4 YEAR OLD CAR....NOT ACCEPTABLE. *TR

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • RECALLS: Verify all 9 recalls have been completed — free at any Mazda dealer
  • General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)

NHTSA Safety Rating

No NHTSA safety rating available

At a Glance

Complaints
317
Recalls
9
Fire reports
2
Crash reports
6
Injury reports
1
Segment avg
78

Check a Specific VIN

See recalls for YOUR 2010 Mazda MAZDA6