2006 Mazda Mazda6 Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2006 Mazda Mazda6. The contact stated when the vehicle was started, the engine made a loud ticking noise. The contact stated that once the vehicle had warmed up, the would drive normal; however, while driving 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the Variable Valve Timing Actuator (VVTA) was not functioning as needed causing the engine stall and loud ticking sound. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.

NHTSA ID

11472316

Incident

Nov 30, 2019

Mileage

123,000 mi

TRANSMISSION ROUGHLY JERKS ITSELF INTO 2ND-3RD GEAR. WHEN THE CAR HAS COME TO A STOP AND IS THEN ACCELERATED, ENGINE STALLS FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN SLAMS ITSELF INTO 2ND OR 3RD GEAR. THIS POSES AS A REAR-END THREAT, AS THE CAR IS FORCEFULLY PUT INTO GEAR, CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK FORWARD SUDDENLY. FOR ME THIS ONLY OCCURS AT LOWER SPEEDS (10-30 MPH). I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND MANY OTHERS HAVE COME ACROSS THE SAME THING.

NHTSA ID

11256471

Incident

May 18, 2018

Mileage

99,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA 6. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CLUTCH WOULD SHIFT AUTOMATICALLY INTO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE REVVED. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, THE GEAR WOULD FORCEFULLY SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE OFTEN WHILE ON INCLINES OR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOURTH, FIFTH, OR SIXTH GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15,000.

NHTSA ID

10908018

Incident

May 30, 2008

Mileage

15,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA 6. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10845608

Incident

Feb 25, 2016

DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT ABOUT 65 MPH, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, SECONDS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER, MY MAZDA6 SHUT OFF AND I LOST POWER STEERING. I GOT STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE LEFT SIDE (IF STANDING IN FRONT OF CAR) UNDER THE HOOD AND RADIATOR FLUID WAS POURING OUT THE BOTTOM. CAR WOULDN'T START, CLICK CLICK CLICK, HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME. HAD A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC LOOK AT THE CAR, HE SAID THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN. **MY CAR GAVE ZERO INDICATIONS THAT IT WAS OVERHEATING, NO CHANGE IN THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE.** I THINK THERE IS A DEFECT SOMEWHERE IN THIS AREA, AS IT SHOULD'VE TOLD ME IT WAS OVERHEATING. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW IN JUNE 2006 AND HAVE BABIED IT. THIS IS THE FIRST AND ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE EVER HAD WITH IT. I DID NOT REPLACE THE ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10701456

Incident

Feb 27, 2015

Mileage

91,000 mi

WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF THE ENGINE COOLING FAN SOUNDS LIKE THE CAR IN STILL RUNNING...IT REVS UP AND BACK DOWN AND IT KEEPS REPEATING THIS THREE OR FOUR TIMES. I THOUGHT THE HOOD WAS GOING TO BLOW OFF BUT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INSIDE THE CAR DOES NOT SAY IT IS OVERHEATING. I BELIEVE THIS THE RESULT OF A FAULTY COOLING FAN CONTROL MODULE. THIS CONTROL MODULE SHOULD REALLY BE RECALLED BECAUSE IT IS PROBABLY CAUSING OTHER PROBLEMS AND IT IS KIND OF SCARY WHEN YOUR CAR IN SITTING IN YOUR GARAGE TURNED OFF BUT KEEPS GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10693879

Incident

Jan 1, 2015

Mileage

119,000 mi

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA 6. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED IN A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED EVEN AFTER THE HAND BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A TRUCK, TREE, AND TRANSFORMER BEFORE FINALLY CRASHING INTO A METAL FENCE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000. UPDATED 08/12/14*LJ

NHTSA ID

10592527

Incident

May 17, 2014

Mileage

66,000 mi

I NOTICED THE COOLING FAN COMING ON EVERY TIME I TURN THE CAR ON AND IT DOESN'T TURN OFF FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. THE ENGINE IS RUNNING IN THE NORMAL TEMPERATURE RANGE, SO I DON'T THINK THE FAN SHOULD BE RUNNING CONSTANTLY. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC, WHO NOTIFIED ME OF A RECALL BY MAZDA FOR THE FAN CONTROL MODULE FOR THE SAME PRODUCTION YEAR AND THE SAME MAKE/MODEL. I REACHED OUT TO MAZDA, BUT THEY NOTIFIED ME MY VIN DIDN'T FALL IN THE RANGE OF THE RECALL. IT SEEMS ODD THAT THE SAME PRODUCT WOULD HAVE THE SAME ISSUE IN THE SAME CAR BUT NOT BE COVERED BY THE RECALL. I WANTED TO NOTIFY THE NHTSA OF THE ISSUE IN HOPES THAT MAZDA WOULD RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THANKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10592028

Incident

May 5, 2014

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA6. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIATOR FAN FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE RADIATOR FAN CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

NHTSA ID

10584690

Incident

Apr 17, 2014

Mileage

97,000 mi

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I HAD THE CODE CHECKED AND IT IS THE COOLING SENSOR. THE VEHICLE IS NOT OVERHEATING AND LIGHT WILL GO OFF FOR A SHORT TIME AND THEN COME ON AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10549877

Incident

Sep 24, 2012

Mileage

60,000 mi

AT 75,000 AND LIGHT DRIVING, THE CAR WOULD 'CLUNK' HARD WHEN IT SLOWED. THE DEALER TOOK 3 HOURS AND 500 DOLLARS TO FIX AN ENGINE MOUNT BOLT. ALSO THEY SAID THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. TWO OXYGEN SENSORS ARE OUT AND WANTED A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS MORE. SADLY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS LIGHTLY MAZDA 6 V6 2006 CAR! THE ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS WOULD HAVE BEEN HORRIBLE IF THE ENGINE FELL IN TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10508704

Incident

Apr 18, 2013

Mileage

75,000 mi

I CURRENTLY OWN A MAZDA 6 (2006) WHICH I ACQUIRE O MARCH 13, 2007. SINCE FEBRUARY 15, 2007 MY CAR STARTED TO STALLS AND SHUT OFF. I HAD TAKEN MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER (MAZDA JIM CLICK) FOR REPAIRS SINCE THE PROBLEM ARISE. WHEN I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE I ALSO PAID FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PLATINUM (PAS). THE EXTENDED WARRANTY IS FOR 72 MONTHS OR 100,000 MILES WHICH EVER OCCURRED FIRST WHICH INCLUDE ANY MECHANICAL OR ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR REPAIRS FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THEY HAD EXCHANGES PARTS OFF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE APPARENTLY THAT WAS THE ISSUE BUT UP TO THIS MOMENT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. BACK IN JUNE 6, 2006 I TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT KEPT MY VEHICLE FOR 39 DAYS; MY CAR WAS RETURN TO ME ON JULY 15, 2008 AND APPARENTLY AGAIN THE CAR WAS FIXED. ON AUGUST 2, 2008 THE VEHICLE STALL AND SHUT OFF AGAIN; THE PROBLEM PERSIST FOR 3 DAYS ON A ROLL AND THAT'S WHEN I DECIDE TO CALL JIM CLICK SO THEY CAN TOWED THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. SINCE THAT DATE THE DEALER IS STILL TRYING TO LOCATE WHAT IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. NOW THE DEALER DECIDES TO EXCHANGE THE COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE DEALER TOWED BY VEHICLE BACK TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON AUGUST 4, 2008; I INFORMED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANAGER THAT I WILL BE CONTACTING THE BBB FOR THIS ISSUE. CURRENT MILES: 52300 (APRX.). AT THIS MOMENT I HAVE A CLAIM OPEN WITH THE BBB AND MAZDA NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS HAS CONTACT ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10239908

Incident

Feb 15, 2007

Mileage

37,000 mi

2006 MADZA 6 WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR A MONTH AND THE CAR IS STILL IN DISREPAIR**NAR**CC THE CONSUMER STATED A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A GRINDING METAL SOUND. THE CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE LOOKED UNDER IT AND NOTICED FLUID WAS SPILLING OUT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AFTER 2 WEEKS THE DEALER STATED THE REPAIR WORK WAS FINISHED, HOWEVER 3 DAYS LATER, THE CONSUMER BEGAN TO HEAR THE SAME METAL SOUND AS BEFORE ONLY THIS TIME, THE CONSUMER HAD NO GEARS AND NO CLUTCH. THE CONSUMER THEN RECEIVED A CALL FROM HE DEALERSHIP STATING THE VEHICLE HAD BLOWN A ROD AND THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE AND NOT THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD HE WOULD NEED TO PROVIDE RECEIPTS OF OIL CHANGES OR THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE FIXED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10198069

Incident

Jun 1, 2006

MY NEW 2006 MAZDA 6 SEDAN THAT WAS PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER 30 MILES AWAY FROM S.F.. RIGHT AFTER DRIVEN HOME, IT HAD THE SEVERE OVERHEATING SMELL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CAR. SUCH OVERHEATING SMELL OCCURRED EVEN WHEN MOVING THE CAR TO THE CURB. DEALER SAID IT WAS NEW CARS BURNING OFF SMELL. TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER: CHANGED THE ENGINE COOLING THERMOSTAT, THE RADIATOR CAP, COOLANT RESERVOIR TANK AND RE-FLASHED THE POWERTRAIN. WAS TOLD THAT RESIDUAL SMELL WILL LINGER FOR A COUPLE WEEKS. THE OVERHEATING SMELL PERSISTS INSIDE THE CAR WHEN THE AIR VENT IS SET AT COLD OUTSIDE AIR. USUALLY SMELL STARTS IN ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER A MILE OF ORDINARY CITY DRIVE AT 25 MPH TO 35 MPH ON FLAT ROAD. IT GETS STRONGER AND SOMETIMES HOT AIR BLOWS IN WHEN THE DAY IS WARM (AROUND 68F TO ABOVE 70F). IF CAR IS PARKED FOR HOURS IN AN OPEN SPACE AFTER SEVERAL MILES DRIVE, HOT AIR AND SMELL BLOWS IMMEDIATELY AT START AND STAY ON. ON FREEWAY THE SMELL IS LESS STRONG BUT BECOMES VERY BAD WHEN EXIT TO A STOP SIGN. DURING THE COOLER DAYS OF 50F TO 65F, THE ONSET OF THE OVERHEATING SMELL IS DELAY. THERE IS NO SUCH SMELL IN THE VENT AIR WHEN SET FOR ''WARM'' AIR AT NIGHT OR AT ''AIR CONDITION'' TO CHECK IF SMELL IS FROM AIR DUCT. NOW THE CAR HAS 3000 MILES ON IT AND THE SMELL PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. A FEW TIMES I HAVE HEADACHE AFTER DRIVING WITH THE SMELL. FOR THIS PROBLEM I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR FOUR TIMES BETWEEN BOTH DEALERS AND CALLED THE MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER TWO TIMES. EACH TIME THEY DID A PRESSURE LEAK TEST AND TOLD ME THE CAR IS OK WITHIN MANUFACTURER''S SPECS. THEY ALL CLAIMED THAT THERE IS NO SUCH SMELL IN THE DRIVING CONDITIONS AS I DESCRIBED. NOTHING IS DONE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. LAST MONTH FOUND OIL STAIN UNDER CAR AND SOME RADIATOR HOSES TURN WHITE WITH POWDER. LAST WEEK THE LOCAL DEALER CHANGED THE LEAKING STRUT AND THE SLIGHTLY LEAKING OVERFLOW TUBE TO THE COOLANT RESERVOIR TANK. IT ALSO SAID COLOR CHANGE OF RADIATOR HOSE INTO ENGINE IS NORMAL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10185240

Incident

May 27, 2006

Mileage

40 mi

THERE SEEMS TO BE NO ONE SIGNIFICANT EVENT THAT HAS LEAD UP TO THE ISSUES I AM CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE WITH TIME OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. IT STARTED WITH A MINOR STUTTER BACK IN LATE JULY/EARLY AUGUST. IT WORSENED A FEW DAYS AFTER THE COMPUTER WAS REFLASHED FOR THE RECALL IN EARLY SEPTEMBER. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WAS A CATALYST TO THIS PROBLEM OR NOT SINCE IT WAS STUTTERING BEFORE A LITTLE BIT ALSO. BY LATE SEPTEMBER THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE WORSENING. BY MID-OCTOBER IT WAS STUTTERING CONSTANTLY WHEN DRIVING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM WORSENED WITH COOL WEATHER WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. ON NIGHTS BELOW ABOUT 30 DEGREES, THE CAR STUTTERS AND BUCKS SEVERELY FOR THE FIRST FEW MINUTES UNTIL THE ENGINE IS WARMED UP. ACCELERATION IS SOMETIMES UNPREDICTABLE DURING THIS TIME. SO FAR, MAZDA HAS REPLACED THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR AND UPDATED THE ECU TO THE LATEST AVAILABLE AS OF NOVEMBER. SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED PRIOR TO THIS PER MY REQUEST. NOTHING SEEMS TO MAKE AN IMPACT. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THIS PROBLEM (COLD START) SEEMS TO WORSEN ON ROUGH/UNEVEN ROADS. GAS TYPE (93 OR 94 AND NAME BRAND) SEEMS TO MAKE NO NOTICEABLE IMPACT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10178613

Incident

Sep 5, 2006

Mileage

3,400 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTERWARDS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED MOMENTARILY, AND THE ENGINE WAS EASILY RESTARTED. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, AND PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH DID NOT PRODUCE ANY FAILURE CODES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

NHTSA ID

10174924

Incident

Dec 1, 2006

Mileage

6,694 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE IDLING, A HIGH PITCH NOISE CAME FROM THE ENGINE. THE NOISE WAS ALSO PRESENT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS DURING NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE NOISE CAME FROM THE BELT TENSIONER AND REPLACED IT. THE NOISE PERSISTED AND AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE WATER PUMP WAS THE SOURCE OF THE NOISE AND REPLACED THE PUMP HOUSING GASKET. NONE OF THE REPAIRS PERFORMED ELIMINATED THE NOISE AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. CUSTOMER SERVICE COLLECTED THE INFORMATION BUT NO SOLUTION WAS PROVIDED. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE INABILITY OF THE MECHANICS TO PRODUCE A SOLUTION IN VEHICLE PURCHASED BRAND NEW WITH ONLY 1323 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10167601

Incident

Aug 14, 2006

Mileage

1,323 mi

ENGINE POWER DECREASES SUBSTANTIALLY GOING UPHILL WHEN YOU PUSH ACCELERATOR. EVEN AFTER THE RECALL ITEM WAS FIXED (REPROGRAMMED COMPUTER), IT STILL DOES IT, ESPECIALLY ON OTHER THEN 93 OCTANE GAS WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE. WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS WITH ACCIDENTS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10166507

Incident

Mar 17, 2006

Mileage

8,000 mi

I LEASED MY FULLY LOADED 2006 MAZDA A6 BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2005. EVER SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE CAR. FIRST, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS NOT GOING DOWN. A FEW DAYS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR, I REALIZED THAT THE TURBO KEPT GIVING OUT ON ME. THEN I CAME ACROSS A HUGE DILEMMA, WHERE THE LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL, DRIVE SHAFT, AND ALL THE BOLTS AND HINGES HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF A BOLT WHICH WAS NOT TORQUE ENOUGH. THEN, THE BRAKES KEPT MAKING AN ANNOYING NOISE EVEN WITHOUT THE BRAKES APPLIED AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TIRES WEAR AND TEAR WAS HORRIBLE AT 6,000 MILES, TO THE POINT WHERE I SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THEM, AND MAZDA DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. LATER I FOUND OUT THAT THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRE WAS TOO LOW. AFTER THAT, THE KEYLESS ENTRY/KEYLESS START REMOTE STOPPED WORKING, AND HAD TO OPEN THE CAR MANUALLY, WHICH GOT FIXED AFTER 2 ATTEMPTS, AND JUST REPLACED THE WHOLE THING. NOW, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR AXLE, AND HOW IT HAS TO BE REPLACED, BECAUSE WHEN THE LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL PROBLEM CAME ACROSS, THEY NEGLECTED TO LOOK OR FIX THE AXLE FROM THE START. NOW THEY HAVE THE COURAGE TO TELL ME THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE AXLE, AND RENT A CAR, AND ALL THE EXPENSES, BECAUSE THEY WERE NEGLIGENT OF LOOKING AT IT FROM THE START. THEY ARE BLAMING THE AXLE ISSUE ON THE TIRES, WHEN THEY WERE BAD TO START WITH AND THE TIRES THAT WERE GOING BAD WERE THE FRONT ONES, NOT THE REAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10162385

Incident

Jul 13, 2006

Mileage

12,000 mi