2009 MAZDA MAZDA6 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

My rear subframe rusted thru and has holes in it. It is too dangerous to drive and mazda won't recall the rear like the front subframe knowing that a lot of people are suffering from the same issue. A subframe should last a long time. My mechanic inspected the car and feels like it's not safe to drive.

This car was purchased in 2017 and maintenanced regularly. We recently took it to have the oil changed and to check out a noise that was coming from the passenger side. We were told that the subframe was rusted so badly it was too dangerous to drive and would cost $7k to repair. That caught us by surprise and we ended up having to buy a car by the next day. We traded the car in… However, I started doing some research and noted that this is very common and there was a recall between 2010 and 2014. I’m pretty upset that we lost this car without having any recall notification after the purchase. Could this have been taken care of instead of having to get a new car?

Component or System that Failed: The front subframe on my 2009 Mazda 6i Touring is completely rusted through. There are holes in the frame and large flakes of rusted metal breaking off. The car is available for inspection if needed. Safety Risk: This is a serious safety concern because if the subframe fails, I could lose steering or suspension control while driving. That would put me and other drivers at immediate risk of an accident. Reproduction / Confirmation: An independent mechanic confirmed the problem and told me the car is unsafe to drive in its current condition. Inspection: The vehicle had the original Mazda subframe corrosion recall performed years ago, but now the same exact problem has come back. The car has not yet been re-inspected by Mazda, but the severity of the rust is obvious. Warning Lamps / Symptoms: There were no warning lights or messages before this happened. The issue was only noticed when the rust and holes became visible on the underside of the car during a recent inspection.

Hello, My name is [XXX] . I took our Mazda 6 in for wheel balance and alignment and was informed of very serious rust issues in the rear suspension. I was pretty shocked at what they showed me. I worked at Raben Tire for 10 years and I've never seen anything like this. I have two retired mechanic friends look at it, and they (along with the mechanic from firestone) said they cannot even fathom how this level of rust is possible (80+% of the miles on this vehicle are highway). One of my retired mechanic friends started looking into it and said he'd noticed the 09 Mazda recalls for suspension rust. We all thought that made sense given how immensely abnormal this rusting is. The recall list sent to me says "front" suspension. I'm not sure why the front is listed and not the rear, but this, to all of us, is very clearly faulty (the rusting is INCREDIBLY abnormal) and we believe should be considered as part of the suspension rust recall (there are no rusting issues anywhere else). Ive provided pictures. This is incredibly unsafe. The rear suspension could collapse at any moment while driving and cause casualties. Thank you for your time, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The passenger crash pad has deteriorated and become sticky and cracked. This may affect deployment of airbag and perhaps allow outside environmental elements to affect the airbag. The takata fiasco being an example of environmental factors affecting airbag safety.