There are 7 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2011 Mazda Mazda6in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The headlights are increasingly failing. They are so dim that i can not safely drive at night. They burn out easily. I have to replace them about 4 times a year now. In the first few years of owning the car the headlights were fine. But now it is a major safely issue for myself and others on the road. It seems like with age the headlights or components are wearing out. I am considering getting rid of this car only due to the headlights. I have considered changing to a xenon system but i am scared of the wiring and do not want to risk a wiring issue. This is my only concern with this car and it appears that most who have the same car have the same headlight issue. This should be recalled to save lifes! It is dangerous to drive this car at night with such poor lighting.
I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN MAY 2016 WITH 68K MILES ON IT. FIRST MONTH REPLACED BOTH HEADLIGHTS BECAUSE THE DRIVERS SIDE WENT OUT. FIGURED OK NO PROBLEM NORMAL SITUATION, REPLACED BOTH DUE TO GOOD PRACTICE YOU DON'T JUST REPLACE ONE. FAST FORWARD 3 MONTHS LATER, THINK IT WAS ALMOST THANKSGIVING. IT WAS GETTING DARK, AND I FIGURED OK IT SEEMS WAY DARKER THAN IT SHOULD. I PULLED OVER TO REALIZE, I HAD NO HEADLIGHTS. I PROCEEDED UP THE ROAD TO WHERE I KNEW AN AUTOZONE WAS, AND PURCHASED A NEW SET OF SYLVANIA LONG LIFE BULBS, I THINK, I JUST KNOW THEY WERE EXPENSIVE, ABOUT $120. SO I WHIPPED OUT THE CREDIT CARD AND PURCHASED THEM ALONG WITH A SCREW DRIVER AND PLIERS AND PROCEEDED TO DESTROY MY NEW CARHART SWEATSHIRT LAYING IN THE PARKING LOT JAMMING MY ARMS IN THE WHEEL WELLS TO REPLACE THESE BULBS. YEAH THIS WAS REAL FUN CONSIDERING IT STARTED TO RAIN. ANYWAY, I WON THAT BATTLE, BUT LITTLE DID I KNOW I WAS GOING TO LOSE THE WAR! PLEASE SEE WORD DOCUMENT ATTACHED FOR REST OF THIS NIGHTMARE. I RAN OUT OF SPACE TRYING TO DESCRIBE IT HERE.
TAKATA RECALL :I HAVE A MAZDA 6 2011 2.5V AND THE DRIVER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT GOES OUT EVERY SINGLE NIGHT I DRIVE AND I HAVE TO TAP IT REALLY HARD TO BRING IT BACK ON AND I SAW THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE FROM MAZDA 6 2011-2013 OWNERS IN SOCIAL MEDIA
HAVE TO REPLACE BOTH LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS EVERY YEAR. NOW SOMETHING HAS BURNED OUT OR MELTED AND A SIMPLE BULB REPLACEMENT WILL NOT FIX THE CONSTANT REOCCURRING ISSUE.
WE HAVE REPLACED PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM AND DRIVER SIDE LOWBEAM LIGHTS SINCE MARCH 2015. AFTER READING COUNTLESS REVIEWS OVER LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, MANY MANY PEOPLE HAVE REPLACED MORE OFTEN THAN THIS. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW BECAUSE A SLIGHT RAP ON AFFECTED HEADLIGHT WILL MAKE IT TEMPORARILY WORK. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL BY MAZDA TO FIX THIS ISSUE VERY SOON..
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MAZDA 6. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERABLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000......UPDATED 02/10/16 *BF VEHICLE SOLD 2/24/18, UPDATED 3/22/18*JB
I WAS PULLED OVER MY LOCAL POLICE FOR NO HEAD LAMP. THEY LET ME OFF WITH A WARNING. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET THE NEXT DAY AND FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS A KNOWN DEFECT BY MAZDA AND THEY ARE DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. I FOUND OVER 4 DOZEN TESTIMONIALS FROM CAR OWNERS DESCRIBING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON THE EXACT SAME MODEL. THEY WERE TOLD BY MAZDA NORTH AMERICA TO "RAP ON THE PLASTIC HEADLAMP COVER" AND THAT WOULD TURN ON THE LAMP....WHICH IT DOES. IN MY OPINION, MAZDA IS NEGLIGENT IN CORRECTING A KNOWN DEFECT. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026