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Mazda MX-6Model year report

1993 Mazda MX-6 Problems

Complaints
54filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
112,435miles, 9 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
23 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 21 city / 28 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 1993 Mazda MX-6 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 1993 Mazda MX-6 most often report rear brake calipers and parking brake mechanisms that seize or do not fully release, and front coil springs that break or burst. Caliper problems are often described as heat or a hard release after braking, while spring failures are described as sudden events with loud noises and tire damage. Where mileage is given, these reports range from about 112,000 to about 160,000 miles.

  1. Brakes

    Rear brake calipers seize or do not release

    • 8 complaints (15%)
    • median 112,280 mi at 8.7 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
    • filed 1998–2007

    Owners describe a brake caliper or parking brake mechanism that seizes or does not fully release after the brake is released, sometimes after heavy braking. Some report overheated rotors, a sudden pull to one side, or a loss of brake power, and heat that distorted a caliper in another report. In some cases the parking brake stayed locked and would not release until the owner forced the lever by hand from under the car. According to complaints, some dealers denied knowledge of the problem or declined to replace calipers, including replacement parts that began to fail. Where mileage is given it is near 112,000 miles, and several describe the caliper sticking after braking or while driving.

    What to check: Ask the seller or dealer whether the rear brake calipers and parking brake mechanism have been inspected, and check that the parking brake releases fully after use. Look for uneven pad wear or a hot wheel after a short drive, and ask for any caliper or parking brake repair records.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Please see ergonite.demon.co.uk/probemx/probefaq.htm the web address I gave details the problem. The replacement calipers the dealer installed 23,000 miles ago are starting to fail. Dealer refuses to replace. I consider caliper failure to be a valid safety concern. Similar complaints are at #518871 and #700173 in complaints database.”

    NHTSA complaint #706612, filed 1999-05

    “Applied parking brake. Rear brake caliper parking brake mechanism design failure caused the rear caliper to not release after releasing the parking brake handle. Had to manually (from underneath the car) force the actuator lever back.”

    NHTSA complaint #10106502, filed 2005-01, 112,435 miles
  2. Suspension

    Front coil spring breaks or bursts

    Mentioned in 4 of 32 sampled complaints

    Owners describe a front coil spring that broke or burst with a loud noise, sometimes while driving, shifting into reverse, or entering a driveway. Some report a tire blowout or a punctured tire, vehicle shaking, or squeaking and groaning over bumps after the spring failed. According to complaints, a dealer said the car was still under warranty but would only install a guard assembly, since the spring had already failed. Some owners say the dealer or manufacturer had been notified of the problem or was already aware of it. Where mileage is given, the spring failures were at about 125,000 and 160,000 miles, and the reports describe sudden failure while driving, shifting into reverse, or entering a driveway.

    What to check: Inspect the front coil springs for cracks or a diagonal break, and ask whether a guard assembly was installed after any earlier spring failure. Ask the seller for spring, strut, or tire repair records, since some complaints describe a broken spring damaging a tire.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While driving there was a pop from the right front area of car. Then the area began squeeking and groaning when consumer would hit a bump. Jacked the side up and found that the front right spring had burst in a diagonal fashion.”

    NHTSA complaint #10020846, filed 2003-06, 160,000 miles

    “While traveling heard huge noise, front coil spring bursted, and vehicle started shaking. Manufacturer has been notified. Consumer entering his drive way his new tire popped as the spring pierced it because of that he need new spring, struts , tire and front end alignment.”

    NHTSA complaint #862927, filed 2000-06

Buying note. Ask the seller about rear brake caliper and parking brake service, and check the front springs for cracks or any earlier replacement before buying. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a brake drag check and a look at the springs can help, since the reports cover both brake and suspension problems.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 32 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.

NHTSA recorded 54 consumer complaints for the 1993 Mazda MX-6. 9 of the complaints include a mileage, and 11% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 112,435 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 6 an injury, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 8 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Other or unknown (2), Seats (2), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Fuel system (1), Vehicle speed control (1).

Example complaints

Brakes: “On the models with rear disc brakes: after applying, and then releasing the parking brake in a normal manner the parking brake actuator pivoting pin bearing on one of the rear calipers seized, causing it not release or to not fully release. This could cause a handling/braking instability issue, not to mention premature brake pad wear/failure. An improperly designed caliper involving the seal around the parking brake actuator pivoting pin and bearing was the cause of the failures.”

NHTSA complaint #10190419, filed 2007-05, 112,125 miles

Engine cooling: “Engine is making a knocking noise. Contacted dealer, and informed consumer that there was a technical bulletin with the same basic problem, that when engine is cold there is a knocking noise due to carbon built up in the combustion chamber within the engine.”

NHTSA complaint #851756, filed 1999-11

Steering: “The vehicle suddenly veered to the right pulling my daughter off the road and head on into a telephone pole. The point of impact was the right front of the vehicle, although she was wearing a seat belt and the vehicle was equipt with an air bag she still was thrown head first into the windshield of the car. The air bag did deploy but did not stop her. The vehicle is a total loss.”

NHTSA complaint #10128576, filed 2005-07, 171,000 miles

Suspension: “I own a 1993 Mazda mx6, I have had to replace ball joints on one side of the vehicle twice and once on the other side, I went on the net and saw that there was problems with the ball joints on this model, and was trying to see if I could be reimbursed, I have the bills and dates that the repairs was done.”

NHTSA complaint #10047650, filed 2003-11

Mileage when problems were reported

11% of the 9 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 108,000 and 136,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–2511%25–500%50–750%75–10067%100–15022%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (9 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 112,435 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’958’97’99’01’03’05’08
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 1993 Mazda MX-6 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
MX-6 FWD2.0L 4-cyl5-speed manual233126$2,600
MX-6 FWD2.0L 4-cyl4-speed automatic212823$2,900
MX-6 FWD2.5L 6-cyl5-speed manual182420$4,100
MX-6 FWD2.5L 6-cyl4-speed automatic172319$4,350

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 1993 Mazda MX-6 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 8 on record; the latest 8 are shown.

Other model years of the Mazda MX-6

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
199612110,0002—23—Not enough data
19953396,0002—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19944680,1132—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199354112,4352—23Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19927—0———Not enough data
199113—0———Not enough data
199014—0———Not enough data
198928—1——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198816140,0005———Stable

All Mazda MX-6 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1993 Mazda MX-6?

Owners of the 1993 Mazda MX-6 most often report rear brake calipers and parking brake mechanisms that seize or do not fully release, and front coil springs that break or burst. The issues reported most often: Rear brake calipers seize or do not release; Front coil spring breaks or bursts.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 1993 Mazda MX-6 have?

NHTSA recorded 54 consumer complaints for the 1993 Mazda MX-6 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 1993 Mazda MX-6 is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 13 complaints (24% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 9.

Has the 1993 Mazda MX-6 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 1993 Mazda MX-6 get?

The EPA rates the 1993 Mazda MX-6 (MX-6, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 23 mpg combined, 21 city and 28 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 1993 Mazda MX-6 reported?

Among the 9 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 112,435 miles and the middle half falls between 108,000 and 136,000 miles; 11% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.