Mazda · Mazda6 · 2002
1
Recall
28
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2002 Mazda Mazda6 has 1 recall and 28 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: power train (6 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 25, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, "PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS." DURING PRODUCTION, THE FLOAT IN THE FLUID LEVEL SENSOR IN THE BRAKE RESERVOIR CAN BE FORCED OFF OF THE GUIDE RAIL DURING THE FILLING OF THE MASTER CYLINDER.
Remedy Status
MAZDA HAS NOT YET PROVIDED A REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 14, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
DRIVER'S SIDE CAR SEAT BELT LATCH BROKE. DEALER REQUIRED PREPAYMENT TO ORDER PART FROM MANUFACTURER. MANUFACTURER DOES NOT INVENTORY THIS PART. IT HAS TO COME FROM JAPAN. UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR SINCE THE SEAT BELT LATCH IS BROKEN. THIS IS A "SAFETY ISSUE" PART. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY WELL-MAINTAINED 2002 MAZDA MPV (ODO 66,000MILES) ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WAS AS IF IT WAS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. HAD CAR TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY, WHICH DIAGNOSED FAILED TRANSMISSION. HAD IT TOWED TO MAZDA DEALER, WHO CORROBORATED THE DIAGNOSIS, AND PUT IN A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. COST TO ME: $3,546.09. DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT; I'M VERY UPSET. I ASKED FOR THE OLD PART, BUT THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE "CORE CHARGE", WHICH I DECLINED. *TR
THE 2002 MPV HAS HAD RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH THE FAN CONTROL MODULE. THEIR HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS ITEM, BUT AFTER HAVING HAD THE FAN CONTROL MODULE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY THE SAME PROBLEM RESURFACED AFTER ONLY 24,000 MILES -- AND THIS TIME WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE REPAIR COST $233.35. *TR
MAZDA USA MAZDA MPV 2002 DEAR SIRS: I OWN A MAZDA MPV 2002 MODEL WHICH HAS BEEN HAVING MINOR SPORADIC TROUBLE FOR SOME TIME. BETWEEN 1500 AND 1800 RPM IT WOULD SOMETIMES JERK AND SPUTTER AND THEN IT WOULD SETTLE DOWN AND CONTINUE. I'VE TAKEN THIS TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS DURING ROUTINE SCHEDULED SERVICE AND THEY SAID THAT COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING UNTIL THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WELL AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF THIS, FINALLY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON , I REPLACED THE COILS 1,2,3 I NOTICED AN IMPROVEMENT BUT EVENTUALLY THE PROBLEM RECURRED AND WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THE REMAINING 3 COILS PLUS A HOSE. FOUR DAYS AFTER LEAVING THE SHOP ON A TRIP OF 50 MILES THE ENGINE LOST POWER ON A HIGHWAY CREATING A DANGEROUS CONDITION FOR MY FAMILY. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD IT WAS UNRELATED AND THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION TO THE TUNE OF $3400 AFTER HAVING ALREADY SPENT $1200. *TR
VEHICLE HAS A PCV HOSE FAILURE FACTORY RECALL. ITS FAILED FOUR TIMES - THE HOSE IS NOT RESISTANT TO OIL. IT EATS ITSELF OUT FROM THE INSIDE OUT. IT THAN SUCKS ITSELF IN AND GETS A GROWING HOLE. VACUUM PRESSURE GETS SO LOW THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER BEGINS TO FAILURE CAUSING BREAK FAILURE. MAZDA HAS SINCE UPGRADE THE "NEW" IMPROVED PART TO A MORE "IMPROVED NEW" PART THAT FIXES THIS PROBLEM. THEY REFUSE TO FIX MY VAN AGAIN BECAUSE THEY ALREADY FIXED IT ONCE. THEY SHOULD OF FIXED IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. I'M ON MY FOURTH HOSE NOW AND I THINK SINCE THEY UPGRADE THE PART AGAIN IT SHOWS THEY KNOW THEY INSTALLED A DEFECTIVE PART ON MY VAN IN THE FIRST PLACE. *JB
THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2002 MAZDA 626 SEDAN BURNED OUT WITHOUT WARNING WHILE BEING OPERATED DURING NORMAL HIGHWAY CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS WELL-MAINTAINED DURING MY PERIOD OF OWNERSHIP. I WAS TOLD BY THE MAZDA MECHANICS THAT THE 626 WAS "NOTORIOUS" FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS LIKE THIS, AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT ADVISE ANY ATTEMPT TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE PROBABILITY OF A SIMILAR FAILURE WAS HIGH, AND THAT THE "ECAT" TRANSMISSION WAS NOT DESIGNED TO BE REBUILT. ESSENTIALLY, ONCE THE TRANSMISSION FAILS IN THIS VEHICLE (AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS SIMPLY A MATTER OF TIME), THAT THE ONLY OPTION TO RECOUP ANY LOSS IS TO SELL THE CAR FOR PARTS. *JB
2002 MAZDA MPV TRANSMISSION AND WATER PUMP WENT OUT AT 58,000 MILES. NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND MAZDA WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. THE CAR JUST DIED IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, AND LUCKILY NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FIX WAS $4,000 IN REPAIRS PAID BY ME. SIX WEEKS LATER, I AM TOLD THAT I HAVE TO REPLACE A COIL AND SPARK PLUG FOR ANOTHER $500. THE MECHANIC EVEN SAID THAT I MAY HAVE TO REPLACE MORE COILS IN THE COMING MONTHS.*AK
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA 6. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS NO ACCELERATION POWER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND IT WAS RESTARTED. THE SLOW ACCELERATION OCCURS EVERY DAY, BUT THE STALLING AND SHUTTING OFF IS OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY. THE VIN, PURCHASE DATE, AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 57,000.
MY 2002 MAZDA 626 ONLY HAD 88,000 MILES ON THE CAR BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. *TR
STOPPED ON HIGHWAY DUE TO POLICE ACTIVITY. VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND AT 40 MPH CAUSING THE SEATS TO COLLAPSE FOLLOWED BY A FRONT-SIDE COLLISION IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO CONSEQUENCES OF THE FAILURE AND THE PART WAS NOT REPLACED DUE TO THE TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF THEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO INSTALLED A TRANSMISSION KIT. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED A SECOND TIME AND THE SAME REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED A REBUILT TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE INSTALLED. UPDATED 10/6/2006 - THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVEN IN HOT WEATHER AND CAUSED THE PARTS TO MELT DOWN. *NM
ON MAZDA MPV MINIVAN 2002- OVER/DRIVE OFF LIGHT BLINKS, AND CAR BUCKS AS IT TRIES TO SHIFT. IF I SHIFT IT MANUALLY FROM 2ND TO 3RD, AND THEN DRIVE THE LIGHT WILL GO OFF, AND IT WILL START TO SHIFT PROPERLY AGAIN WHEN PUT IN DRIVE. MAZDA SERVICE WANTS TO CHARGE ME $3600.00 DOLLARS TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION, WHEN IT IS PROBABLY A FAULTY SENSOR. *JB
DRIVING THE MAZDA TRIBUTE INTO A PARKING LOT AND THE CAR SUDDENLY WENT TO FIFTY MILES PER HOUR AND THE TACH WENT UP TO 3000 RPM, APPLIED THE BRAKE AND PUT CAR INTO PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM GOING ANY FURTHER. DEALER WAS CALLED AND CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED AT THE MAZDA DEALER EVERY THREE THOUSAND MILES. DEALER CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT AN ERROR CODE CAME UP THAT SHOWED THAT THE ECT TEMPERATURE SENSOR FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE COMPUTER TO SEND EXCESS FUEL INTO THE FUEL INJECTORS WHICH CAUSED A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM AND CHARGED $400.00 FOR THE REPAIR. THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR PROBLEM IF I WAS DRIVING IN OPEN TRAFFIC. MAZDA SHOULD BE REVIEWING FOR POSSIBLE DEFECT AND NHTSA SHOULD BE OPENING A SEARCH FOR OTHER VEHICLES HAVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM. CAR IS A MAZDA TRIBUTE 2002. *NM
I 'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER OVERFLOW BOTTLE (SUB TANK) THREE TIMES. EACH TIME THERE WAS A PIN HOLD IN THEM, WHICH ALLOWS THE CAR TO RUN HOT AND SHUT DOWN. I TRULY BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THOSE BOTTLES. I OWN A 2002 MAZDA 626. I HAD TO PURCHASE THE BOTTLES EACH TIME. THEY REQUEST THAT YOU GIVE UP OLD FOR THE NEW. *JB
2002 MAZDA 626 WITH 37000 MILES. HAD A NEW TRANSMISSION ABOUT AUG, 2004. STARTED HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEMS ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO. NELSON MAZDA IN NASHVILLE, TN TOLD US SOMEONE FILLED THE FLUID TOO HIGH WHEN WE HAD OUR OIL CHANGED. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OBVIOUS SOMETHING WAS WRONG, AND WE WERE ONLY 2 WEEKS OUT OF OUR WARRANTY, THEY WOULD DO NOTHING BUT "ADJUST THE FLUID". THIS WEEK IT STARTED SHIFTING BAD AND BEFORE THE DAY WAS UP IT WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. WE TOOK IT TO A LOCAL TRUSTWORTHY GARAGE WHO SAID THE TRANS. FLUID WAS "BURNED TO A CRISP" AND NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AGAIN. NELSON MAZDA WILL DO NOTHING TO HELP. NOTHING. A CAR SHOULD NOT NEED HAVE A SECOND BAD TRANSMISSION IN 3 1/2 YEARS AND 37000 MILES. *NM
TOOK MY 2002 TRIBUTE FOR OIL CHANGE AND DURING THE 21 POINT EXAM THEY NOTICED THAT MY ABS RING ON THE RIGHT AXLE WAS FRACTURED. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON WITH TRIBUTES. THE ABS RING CANNOT BE REPLACE, THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE RIGHT AXLE ASSEMBLY AND WILL COST $600. IF IT IS NOT REPLACED MY ABS BRAKES AND TRACTION CONTROL WILL FAIL. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. MY WARRANTY JUST EXPIRED AND IT IS NOT COVERED. *JB
ON COLD STARTS THERE IS A LOUD TICKING SOUND FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. ONCE ENGINE WARMS UP THE TICKING GOES AWAY. WE BROUGHT OUR 2002 MAZDA MPV TO A LOCAL CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND HE DIAGNOSED A CRACKED FRONT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. WE CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AT MAZDA TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM AND PER MAZDA SINCE WE EXCEEDED OUR WARRANTY BY 5 MONTHS IT WILL NOT BE COVERED. AFTER ASKING US ABOUT OUR REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE HISTORY WITH MAZDA WE REPORTED HAVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SERVICE DONE, BRAKE SERVICE, AND COOLANT FLUSH SERVICE DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE GENTLEMAN AT MAZDA ASKED US TO HOLD SO HE COULD TALK TO THE SUPERVISOR. WHEN HE RETURNED HE ASKED ABOUT THE OIL CHANGES. I STATED THAT I DO THOSE EVERY 3,000 MILES. AFTER PUTTING ME ON HOLD AGAIN, HE STATED THAT HE COULD NOT HELP US AFTER ALL. WHEN WE BOUGHT THE VAN I ASKED IF I COULD DO MY OWN MAINTENANCE AND WOULD IT VOID ANY WARRANTY PROBLEMS AND THE SALESMAN SAID "NO". I WENT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO SPECIALIZES IN EXHAUST AND EMISSION SYSTEMS. I EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO HIM AND HE SAID HE WOULD LOOK INTO FOR US. HE CALLED BACK 3 DAYS LATER AND STATED THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME SITUATION WE ARE HAVING. IN DOING A NATIONAL PARTS SEARCH AT ALL NATIONAL SALVAGE YARDS TO FIND AN EXHAUST MANIFOLD FOR THE VAN HE FOUND ONE IN FLORIDA, BUT IT ALSO HAD A CRACK IN IT AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAVE HAD NUMEROUS INQUIRIES ABOUT THE SAME EXHAUST MANIFOLD PART. WE TOOK IT UPON OURSELVES TO DO RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLDS ON MAZDA MPV'S. WE WERE QUOTED OVER $1,000 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, BUT WE FEEL AFTER CONSULTING WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NEVER OCCURRED AND THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD ON THESE ENGINES ARE MOST LIKELY DEFECTIVE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. WHAT IS OUR NEXT STEP? BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU?? *NM
I HAVE A 2002 MAZDA MILLENIA PURCHASED NEW FROM KOONS MAZDA 9-17-2002. IN AUGUST OF 2005 I RETURNED TO KOONS TO HAVE A HEADLAMP REPLACED.LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER I NOTICED THE PROJECTION OF MY HEADLAMPS WERE AIMED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SKY.THE NEXT MORNING I NOTICED BOTH HEADLAMPS WERE LAYING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.I RETURNED TOKOONS ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST ME $700.00 PER HEDLAMP ASSY.I HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO GET MAZDA CORPORATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY HAVE DECLINED. IM TOLD MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRENTY. BECAUSE THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE HEADLAMPS AND THE EXPOSURE TO OTHER COMPONENTS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IT COULD START A FIRE. THEN THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM,THAT ACTIVATES IF I'M DOING 55MPH ON THE BELTWAY'IT CAUSES THE CAR TO SPUTTER AND JERK .THIS IS A BAD WEATHER DEVICE DESIGNED TO AID WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE BAD.THIS FAILURE JUST STARTED IN DECEMBER.I ONLY HAVE 60K MILES ON THE CAR. *NM
PAINT IS CHIPPING OFF FRONT OF HOOD AND COMING OFF THE BUMPER AROUND FOG LAMPS. SERVICE MANAGER AT LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT IT IS ROCK CHIPS AND THAY WANT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE MAZDA 626 HAS ONLY 33,000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN A CAR WITH THIS LOW MILEAGE HAVE SO MANY CHIPS ON IT. I BELIEVE THE PAINT ON THIS CAR IS DEFECTIVE AND THAT MAZDA SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
AT APPORX. 48K MILES, THE O/D LIGHT CONTINUED TO FLASH ON AND OFF, AFTER TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC THEY STATED IT NEEDED A NEW SPEED CENSOR, AFTER REPLACING SAID PART THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED, I TOOK IT TO A MAZDA SERVICE DEALER, WHO TOLD ME I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION, WITH LESS THAN 52K MILES ON IT??
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2002 Mazda Mazda6 has 1 recall recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 28 owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Mazda Mazda6.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2002 Mazda Mazda6.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2002 Mazda Mazda6 are power train (6 reports), engine and engine cooling (4 reports), unknown or other (3 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 1 recall on record for the 2002 Mazda Mazda6. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.