Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Mazda 6 Series problems

Owners filed 360 complaints about the 1997 Mazda 6 Series with NHTSA between Jan 1997 and Dec 2018. The most-cited component is power train (230).

Complaints
360
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
17
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
27
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train230
  2. Engine and engine cooling39
  3. Air bags36
  4. Electrical system30
  5. Equipment14
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic13
  7. Vehicle speed control8
  8. Steering8
  9. Tires5
  10. Exterior lighting4
  11. Seats4
  12. Suspension3
  13. Fuel system, gasoline3
  14. Visibility3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19977
199827
199923
200021
200141
200234
200344
200445
200549
200621
200711
200821
20095
20100
20111
20121
20131
20140
20151
20164
20172
20181

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

230 reports2 crashes
“LEFT HOME TO GO TO WORK MADE IT ABOUT 3 MILES FROM MY HOME AND MY TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING AS I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A HWY. I WAS TURNING ONTO FROM A SIDE STREET. I WAS ABOUT HIT AS MY MAZDA WOULD NOT GO AND QUIT WORKING ON A BLIND CORNER. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 4, 2015Power trainODI 10714440

Engine and engine cooling

39 reports1 crash1 fire1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MAZDA 626. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON APRIL 16, 2007. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC ,WHO DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER WAS CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE BELT. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS RECALL # 98V206001 CONCERNING ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING ON, AND HE SHOULD CALL THE MAZDA MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS VEHICLEWAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE RECALL WAS NOT REMEDIED PREVIOUSLY. THE CONTACT ARRIVED AT A MAZDA DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS, WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THIS VEHICLERWAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. HE SHOWED THE DEALER A COPY OF THE RECALL NOTICE, AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BRANDED WITH NO WARRANTY. THE DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 83,936, AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2007Engine and engine coolingODI 10189476

Air bags

36 reports11 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 MAZDA 626. WHILE AT A STOP, ANOTHER VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CHEST AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 7, 2016Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10854162

Electrical system

30 reports1 crash3 fires1 related recall
“THE VEHICLE IS STALLING DURING ACCELERATION AND AFTER. SOMETIMES IT'S STOPS AND CLEAR ITSELF UP AND THEN THROWS ITSELF INTO OVERDRIVE (O/D OFF LIGHTS STARTS FLASHING) ALL WHILE DRIVING IT IN THE STREET(CITY AND INTERSTATE). WHEN YOU LET THE CAR SIT AND NOT RUN IT WILL NOT FLASH BUT AFTER DRIVING AMD NOT GETTING ANY SPEED IT DOES IT AGAIN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 8, 2018Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11157034

Equipment

14 reports1 fire
“I HAD A COUPON FOR $14.99-OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION FROM FIRESTONE.COM. I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE SHOP...DID NOT ROTATE TIRES AND SAID THEY HAD NO COUPON. I WAS CHARGED MORE THAN THE COUPON. I RELUCTANTLY PAID THE BILL. I THEN DROVE TO LAKEVILLE, MN...ON MY WAY TO VISIT FATHER IN BATESVILLE, AR. I NOTICED A STRANGE SMELL AND ALMOST THE SAME TIME MY CAR POPPED OUT OF GEAR. SO I PULLED OFF I-35 AND CHECKED THE OIL. THE CAP WAS NOT ON CORRECTLY, (1 1/2 TURNS THEN IT WAS TIGHTENED) I CALLED FIRESTONE IMMEDIATELY TO REPORT THE CAP AND SMELL. MY DIPSTICK READ FULL...I WAS NOT ABLE TO CHECK THE TRANNY FLUID SINCE IT IS BELOW (MANUAL TRANSMISSION), BUT WAS ASSURED BY FIRESTONE THEY CHECK THE LEVEL WITH AN OIL CHANGE. LONG STORY SHORT...I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY OILPAN AND TRANSMISSION. NOW TODAY THERE IS NO FLUID IN MY RADIATOR...AND I HAVE DRAINED ALL OF MY RESOURCES AND HAVE BECOME DELINQUENT WILL MY REGULAR BUDGET. THERE WAS ONLY 1/2 QT OIL IN MY MOTOR AND 1/2 QT TRANNY FLUID IN MY TRANSMISSION. I HAVE ALL MY RECEIPTS FROM REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND HAVE SPOKEN TO MECHANICS. THEY HAVE REPEATED TO ME THAT I NEED TO FIND LEGAL COUNSEL OR GET HELP SINCE THE CAR WAS FINE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 16, 2008Equipment, Unknown or otherODI 10238467

Service brakes, hydraulic

13 reports2 crashes
“IN ADDITION TO SMELLING GAS - THE RADIO AND ANTENNA DOESN'T WORK. NOW THE SUNROOF WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON MORE OFTEN THAN NOT SINCE I HAD THE CAR. THE KEY SOMETIMES WON'T FIT INTO DOOR LOCK AND EVEN THOUGH THE CAR LOOKS BRAND NEW AND HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OFF - IT JUST SEEMS TO FALL APART. THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT LOCK FELL APART BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS THE SUNROOF WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY. THIS IS MY 3RD MAZDA AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2004Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, EquipmentODI 10069215
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.