Selling a junk or broken Mazda6

You can sell it where it sits instead. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

What went wrong, generation by generation

Each of these came from a Mazda6 owner writing to NHTSA, and our count is from October 10, 2026. They aren't a score for how reliable the Mazda6 is. Recall vehicle counts are whole-campaign figures, and many of these campaigns include the CX-7, CX-9, RX-8 or MPV. Generation years come from Wikipedia.

First generation (GG1): 2003-2008

US cars were built at the AutoAlliance plant in Flat Rock, Michigan. The first one came off the line on October 1, 2002, a month after 626 production ended. Engines included a 2.3-liter four, and Wikipedia says the MZI V6 went only into Flat Rock cars for the US and Canada. These six years hold 950 complaints.

Air bags lead every year from 2003 to 2008, with 426 complaints between them. Three do-not-drive air bag campaigns cover these cars. On 2003-2008 Mazda6s, recall 17V474000 swaps out the driver's frontal air bag inflator. Recall 18V402000 replaces the front passenger inflator. Recall 19V781000 goes back to cars whose passenger inflator had already been swapped under an earlier recall. All three carry the do-not-drive warning.

The 2003 has 6 recall campaigns. One, 03V531000, fixed fuel sender units that could be poorly sealed and leak fuel.

Second generation (GH): 2009-2013

North American model years 2009-2013, built at Flat Rock until August 24, 2012, when production moved back to Hofu, Japan. Engines included a 2.5-liter four. These years hold 868 complaints, and the 2009 has the most of any Mazda6 year, 386.

Structure leads the 2009, with 106 complaints; across 2009-2011 it is 179 of the car's 214 structure complaints. Recall 19V323000 applies to certain 2011-2013 Mazda6s tied by sale or registration to Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois and other named states. Dealers inspect the cross member and may install a side member and drain hose and apply wax. Suspension is the top component on the 2011.

The spider recall belongs here. Recall 11V134000 covered 2009-2010 cars because a type of spider could spin a web in the evaporative canister vent line. Wikipedia names it the yellow sac spider and says Mazda reissued the recall on April 5, 2014 for 2010-2013 cars with the 2.5-liter engine.

Air bags show up again: recalls 17V429000, 17V457000 and 19V782000 replace passenger inflators on 2009-2012 cars, each with a do-not-drive warning. Recall 13V425000 fixed door latch screws that could work loose on 2009-2013 cars; that campaign counted 161,400 vehicles.

Third generation (GJ/GL): 2014-2021

Built from 2012 to 2024, with the last US model year in the EPA's data the 2021. These years hold 417 complaints. The 2014 has 137, and 37 name the electrical system.

Recall 14V675000 updated tire pressure monitor software on 2014-2015 cars. Recall 17V393000 checked parking brake actuators that could corrode on 2014-2015 cars, in a campaign shared with the Mazda3. Recall 17V546000 protected occupant classification wiring under the passenger seat on the 2016. On the 2018, 28 complaints name the engine, and recall 19V497000 reprogrammed engine software that could stall the car on 2018-2019 models.

Complaints and recall campaigns by model year

These Mazda6 numbers were taken from NHTSA's complaint files on October 10, 2026. If one Mazda6 campaign spans a few years, every one of those years shows it, while the grouped row counts it once. NHTSA also lists 28 complaints under a 2002 Mazda6, a year before the first in the EPA's data.

The low numbers near the bottom come partly from those cars being younger, with fewer years for owners to report.

Should you fix it or sell it?

• Air bag recall open? Recall repairs are done by Mazda dealers. Check the VIN with NHTSA's recall lookup, then phone a dealer. If you would rather not deal with it, our open recall guide explains selling with one outstanding.
• Cross member worry on a 2011-2013? Ask a dealer about recall 19V323000. If rust is what stops the car, see failed inspection or rust.
• Engine stalling on a 2018? Check that the software recall was done before paying for a diagnosis.
• Repair quote bigger than the car's value? Selling it whole saves you the bill.

Selling your Mazda6 whole

1. Note the VIN, mileage and what's wrong, plus any open recall.
2. Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Let us know where the car is and if the wheels turn. We offer free pickup anywhere in the US, so a car with a do-not-drive warning can stay parked until it's towed.
4. Sell the whole car as it sits. Don't strip it, and tell us about any parts that are already gone.
5. When the truck comes, keep the title and photo ID close. For plates and insurance once it's gone, see after you sell.

More Mazdas: the 626 it replaced, the Mazda3, or every Mazda we cover.