RoadVitals

2011 Mazda Mazda6 Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Sep 4, 2022
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
8%
of 134 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Mazda Mazda6 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 4, 2022

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.

NHTSA ID
11482799
Incident
Aug 30, 2022
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Dec 9, 2020

HEADLIGHT ON BOTH SIDES GO OUT OFTEN. AFTER HAVING THIS ISSUE FAR TOO MANY TIMES, I LOOKED ONLINE HOPING TO FIND A SOLUTION AND DISCOVERED MULTIPLE MAZDA OWNERS ARE HAVING SAME PROBLEM. ITS A MALFUNCTION IN THE MAZDA THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY MAZDA THIS HAPPENED EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2011 I HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT BULBS TWICE A YEAR AT LEAST .

NHTSA ID
11378623
Incident
Dec 9, 2020
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 19, 2019

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.

NHTSA ID
11245130
Incident
Aug 18, 2019
Mileage
76,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 2, 2017

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

NHTSA ID
11042809
Incident
Nov 1, 2017
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 20, 2017

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.

NHTSA ID
11035155
Incident
Oct 19, 2017
Mileage
112,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jan 22, 2016

THE LOW BEAM LIGHT GOES OUT EVERY TIME THE CAR IS OFF FOR THE NIGHT ,IN THE MORNING WHEN TURNED BACK ON YOU NEED TO HIT THE LIGHT OR THE FONT FENDER ON DRIVER SIDE WHER THE PROBLEM IS,EVERY TIME EVERY MORNING,I HAVE TO DO THIS IN ORDER FOR THE LOW BEAM LIGHT TO WORK, L/S LOW BEAM LIGHT..MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM JUST GO ON YOUTUBE..

NHTSA ID
10821802
Incident
Jan 13, 2016
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 28, 2015

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

NHTSA ID
10778144
Incident
Sep 28, 2014
Mileage
55,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jun 15, 2015

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..

NHTSA ID
10725416
Incident
Mar 10, 2015
Mileage
70,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed May 10, 2015

THE BULBS ON MY VEHICLE SEEM TO BLOW OUT WITHIN A MONTH OR 2. WE TRIED DIFFERENT BULBS AND IT STILL HAPPENS. WE ARE SPENDING TONS OF MONEY REPLACING HEADLIGHTS AND THE CAR IS ONLY DRIVEN A COUPLE MILES A DAY.

NHTSA ID
10715543
Incident
Dec 17, 2014
Mileage
32,075 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Mar 3, 2015

THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WILL GO OUT ON MY 2011 MAZDA 6 EVEN THOUGH THE BULB AND FUSES ARE STILL INTACT AND WORKING PROPERLY. IT WORKED WHEN I PARKED MY CAR AND TURNED THEM OFF MANUALLY AND THEN DID NOT COME BACK ON THE NEXT TIME I STARTED MY CAR AND TURNED THE LIGHTS ON. IT IS DEFINITELY A FLAW FROM MAZDA AS NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT IS NOT ONLY THE 2011 MODELS, SEARCH FOR "MAZDA HEADLIGHT ISSUE" AND A VARIETY OF THE MAZDA 6'S ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10691766
Incident
Feb 4, 2015
Mileage
52,145 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 17, 2013

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

NHTSA ID
10503337
Incident
Mar 16, 2013
Mileage
34,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .