Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Mazda Mazda6, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags30
- Exterior lighting28
- Unknown or other20
- Electrical system12
- Structure12
- Suspension8
- Steering4
- Fuel/propulsion system3
- Engine2
- Visibility/wiper2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 6 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 29 2012 Mazda6 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 18 people died inside them, and 3 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
Registered new in Europe in 2012
17,592 new Mazda Mazda6 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2012; the largest markets were Germany (6,110), the United Kingdom (4,083), Austria (1,118).
- Average mass
- 1,521 kg
- Average power
- 111 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 53% · Petrol 47%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Engines
The most common engines in 2012 Mazda Mazda6 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 petrol (107 kW, 143 hp), 2.0 petrol (114 kW, 153 hp) and 1.8 petrol (88 kW, 118 hp), out of 4 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 petrol | 107 kW 143 hp | 382 |
| 2.0 petrol | 114 kW 153 hp | 307 |
| 1.8 petrol | 88 kW 118 hp | 137 |
| 2.0 petrol | 121 kW 162 hp | 68 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
915 first registered in 2012 are on Dutch roads; 20% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €32,734.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde609
- Band onvoldoende profiel259
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt231
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)162
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht154
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld151
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm131
- Stofhoes fuseekogel beschadigd en dicht niet af126
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
2,374 cars built in 2012 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 221 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 3,107 of these cars first registered in 2012 took their annual MOT test. 65% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2012 the figure was 66%.
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
559 of these cars first registered in 2012 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 210,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
768 2012 cars are on the New Zealand register; 5% arrived as used imports, 93% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; 0 of 1 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Mazda Mazda6 4 DR FWD | ★★★★☆ | 9.3 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- 4 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 9.4–11.6 L/100 km (about 20–25 mpg US), CO₂ 216–267 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda6 · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 10.8 | 7.8 | 9.4 |
| Mazda6 · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 11.2 | 7.9 | 9.7 |
| Mazda6 · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.4 | 9.4 | 11.6 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2012 Mazda Mazda6.
| 2019201 25 Apr 2019 | Structure Issue: The front cross-member may rust due to a manufacturing defect. This could affect handling and cause reduced steering control. Note: This problem only… |
| 2018597 30 Oct 2018 | Airbag On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, could eventually degrade the propella… |
| 2014075 11 Mar 2014 | Fuel System On certain vehicles equipped with the 2.5L engine, a particular type of spider may weave a web in the evaporative canister vent line which may cause a restricti… |
| 2013322 23 Sept 2013 | Structure On certain vehicles, door latch screws could loosen over time, causing the door(s) to fail to latch when closed and illuminating the door ajar warning light. If… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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. The inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
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 Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The front cross member may corrode after exposure to road salt.
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.
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2012 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 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 included in "Zone A" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2009 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2007-2008 CX-7 and CX-9 sold, or 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. 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 rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
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 amount of negative pressure.
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mazda told its dealers about the 2012 Mazda Mazda6: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11007022 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage such (melted, separating, etc.) when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 11007019 | If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. |
| 11007010 | Some customer's might state that they notice fluid or oil leaking/dripping on the ground when the vehicle is parked. For this concern, inspect the vehicle for any trace of a fluid or oil leak and use the following examples as a guide to determine if it is severe enough to require a repair, or just to clean the area and monitor it at the next service. |
| 11006987 | In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealers responsibility to comply with Federal, State, and local laws concerning odometer and related documentation requirements when providing a repair or replacement. Mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers. When a speedometer is replaced, the new speedometer will read zero (0) miles. This procedure is extremely important to accurately represent actual vehicle mi |
| 11005671 | Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. |
| 11003398 | Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. |
| 10251387 | Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. |
| 10244679 | If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. |
| 10243569 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 10240496 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 10237216 | If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. |
| 10232299 | Speedometer replacement procedure |
| 10226924 | If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. Examples: 1. Devices connected to the DLC-2 (battery discharge/DTC stored) 2. Cell phone charger/accessory in 12V socket (engine no start or unable to turn off) 3. GPS tracking device (engine no start/battery discha |
| 10226814 | Some customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. In most cases the oil that is present is normal, and a result of the oil that remains on the shaft during the normal sweeping process of the shaft seal. Follow the inspection guidelines below to determine if the condition is a result of the normal sweeping process or a failure of the shaft seal. |
| 10225724 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 10217209 | In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. |
| 10215274 | This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery replacement cost. For new vehicles in stock at the dealer, inspect and maintain the battery periodically according to the repair procedure. |
| 10213460 | LDWS or ALH warning light on with DTC C1001:92 |
| 10213432 | Incoming Call Always display first name of phonebook/contact list |
| 10213430 | Excessive condensation or water within the headlamp assembly caustion |
| 10213429 | Paint damage Mazda pocket paint guide |
| 10213427 | HandsFree bluetooth module and/or text messaging troubleshooting procedure |
| 10213425 | Speedometer replacement procedure |
| 10213423 | Siriusxm satellite radio registration transfer after unit replacement |
| 10213422 | PROPER USAGE OF DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)