2007 Mazda MAZDA6 Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year centre on the air bag inflator recalls that affected the car over many years, and on a good number of owners whose air bag warning light stayed lit or whose bags did not deploy in a crash. Beyond restraint systems, owners describe automatic transmission shifting problems, engine noises traced to the VVT actuator and timing chain, and various electrical faults. Many reports arrive at high mileage, though some transmission and engine complaints come in well under 70,000 miles.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light and no-deploy concerns

   • 92 complaints (59%)
   • median 103,500 mi at 8.7 yrs old (19 state mileage)
   • 11 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2023

   Owners repeatedly describe the air bag warning indicator coming on and staying on, sometimes intermittently, and sometimes straight after a recall repair was performed. Several describe collisions in which the front air bags did not deploy despite substantial front-end damage. A number report that recall notices arrived but parts were not available for months, and at least one describes an inflator that smoked and caught fire after deploying. Mostly reported between about 45,000 and 135,000 miles, in complaints filed from 2014 through 2019.

   Recall 19V781000 · DO NOT DRIVERecall 18V402000 · DO NOT DRIVERecall 17V474000 · DO NOT DRIVE1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask for proof that the Takata inflator recalls (passenger and driver side) were completed and check whether the air bag light goes out after the self-test on start-up. A light that stays on is worth diagnosing before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My daughter's Mazda was involved in a fender bender which deployed the driver air bag, while the police officer was taking the accident report from the drivers involved, the officer noticed that the airbag was starting to smoke and then burst into flames. Only the interior of the vehicle burned from the dash to the back seat(the fire department arrived and put the fire out) I have video of the fire and I'm hoping the officer put his observations in the report. The officer said he never saw an air bag catch fire like that.”

   NHTSA complaint #10536201, filed 2013-08, 83,000 miles

   “Takata recall - I just received a recall notice on our 2007 Mazda 6 passenger side airbags. The notice said that no solution was available yet. And, they suggest no one ride or sit in the passenger seat while driving. Are you serious? I appreciate the late safety notice and their liability coverage by burying that statement on the back page of a business letter, however, what about offering us consumers options? 1. Disable the passenger side airbag at our choice and their expense until a replacement part can be installed at their expense? 2. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10893534, filed 2016-08, 77,500 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic transmission hard shifts and jerking

   • 14 complaints (9%)
   • median 73,500 mi at 4.6 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • filed 2007–2021

   Owners describe harsh or delayed gear changes, a loud thump and jerk between 3rd and 4th gear, slipping, and occasionally the car failing to move out of a gear or revving as if in neutral. Some report the behaviour is worse when cold. Where dealers were involved, some found nothing, one changed the fluid with the symptoms continuing or worsening, and in one case a transmission seal leak led to torque converter damage on a nearly new car. Reported from under 5,000 miles up to about 118,000 miles, with several complaints in the 60,000-115,000 range.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Drive the car from cold and through several gear changes at light and moderate throttle, listening for thumps and feeling for slipping. Ask whether the transmission fluid has been serviced and whether any transmission codes are stored.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The other day I was driving and I was trying to speed up to get on the interstate ramp. My car acted like it didn't want to shift out of 3rd gear and wouldn't accelerate much. It then shifted into 4th gear and there was a very loud thud and the car jerked. The thud and jerk have begun to happen almost every time the car shifts from 3rd to 4th gear.”

   NHTSA complaint #10406266, filed 2011-06, 94,000 miles

   “I have a manual transmission and there is a clunk noise from 2nd to 3rd gear at high speeds all the time and seems to be getting worse. My friend has an 2006 Mazda 6 manual with the same problem, was wondering if there was any kind of recall on this because we have the same problem on similar vehicles”

   NHTSA complaint #10863658, filed 2016-05, 65,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine noise from VVT actuator and timing chain

   • 9 complaints (6%)
   • median 60,989 mi at 3.8 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2007–2021

   Owners describe a loud abnormal noise from the front of the engine, sometimes right after a cold start, that turned out to be the VVT actuator or the timing chain and tensioner. Others report internal engine damage — a thrown rod at around 66,000 miles, a ticking noise that led to top-end work, and oil leaks at the rear main seal and oil filter housing seal. In several cases the dealer or manufacturer declined to cover repairs citing warranty terms or maintenance records. Spread widely, from a few thousand miles on new cars up to about 228,000 miles; a cluster of reports sits between 60,000 and 130,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Listen for rattles or a ticking sound from the front of the engine on a cold start, and check for oil residue under the engine shield. Ask whether the timing chain, tensioner or VVT actuator has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “All of a sudden our car started making a horrific sound, especially when accelerating. We took it to a mechanic who had to replace the timing chain kit and tensioner assemblies. Doing simple online searches for this problem, this appears to be a major issue with a lot of Mazda vehicles, yet still there has not been a recall covering this issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #10679845, filed 2015-01, 120,000 miles

   “Mazda sedan6 purchased 05/2007- current mileage 2800- discovered oil leak at engine rear main seal. Service mgr offered to correct problem. Oil leak not noticeable-oil dropping on under engine shield and coagulating. Low mileage might indicate problem existed at time of manufacture. If so, replacement of vehicle is proper action on part of manufacturer/seller.”

   NHTSA complaint #10237396, filed 2008-08, 2,820 miles

Buying note. On this model year, the first thing to confirm is that every Takata air bag recall was completed, since complaints about warning lights and non-deployment are common. Then drive an automatic car thoroughly when cold and listen for engine noise on start-up, as transmission and timing chain complaints appear in the sample across a wide mileage range.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.