Rear cross member broke due to corrosion breaking off lateral arm from driver side of cross member, I may add the front crossmember was repaired due to recall for extreme corrosion not too long ago, as I research this problem I uncover many owners of this vehicle having the same issue in the northeast,even with much lower mileage.mazda should be held accountable.$3,926.62 for part alone on Mazda parts.com
2009 Mazda MAZDA6 suspension problems
76 complaints (20% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 118,000. 2 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 76
- of this car's complaints
- 20%
- typical mileage
- 118,000
- crashes
- 2
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Front: wheel bearing1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Mazda MAZDA6 suspension problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 suspension
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
Front Subframe Corrosion
In a letter dated September 14, 2018, Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) notified the federal safety agency of a defect in the front subframe assemblies of model year (MY) 2009 through 2010 Mazda6 vehicles in certain states with high road salt use in winter months (Recall 18V‑631). The recall covers approximately 48,814 vehicles that were sold or ever registered in the following states and District of Columbia:Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Mazda indicated that the recalled vehicles may have insufficient paint coating on the front cross member, which after continuous use in salt states may cause premature corrosion of the cross member. As the corrosion progresses over time, the structural integrity of the mounting point at the passenger side of the lower control arm may deteriorate and cause the steering alignment to change. If the steering alignment changes significantly while the vehicle is in motion this may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.ODI's analysis of complaints it has received from the public (VOQ's) and Mazda complaint data submitted in response to the information request letter for PE18-006 identified a total of 53 non-duplicative reports alleging incidents in which front cross-member corrosion had progressed to the stage of complete or partial separation of the subject steering or suspension components and another 98 reports alleging premature and/or excessive corrosion of the subject components with no separation. Mazda's recall will inspect the subframe and apply structural reinforcements, anti-corrosive wax and an AC drain tube free of charge. In cases of excessive corrosion, the subframe will be replaced free of charge.All 53 complaints alleging complete or partial separations involved vehicles that will be covered under Mazda's recall, resulting in a failure rate of 108.6 reports per 100,000 vehicles (R/100k) in the recalled population. When all complaints are analyzed by region, 150 involve vehicles included in Mazda's recall (307.3 R/100k) and just 1 involved a MY 2009 through 2010 Mazda6 vehicle not included in 18V‑631 (2.8 R/100k). The field data indicate that Mazda's recall adequately covers vehicles with a risk of experiencing premature corrosion-related failure of the subject steering and suspension components in the subject vehicles. Based on Mazda's safety recall, this investigation is closed.The following VOQs allege loss or compromised steering control while vehicle was in motion:11115277, 11115790, 11128449, 10706604, 10846298, 10899584, 11019306, 11033821, 11048014, 11074634, 11078734, 11080014, 11083781, 11090944, 11091913, 11098279, 11101718, 11102209, 11102796, 11110606, 11110773, 11112830, 11113461, 11113963, 11114039, 11114567, 11114939, 11115303, 11119368, 11119423, 11121341, 11123997, 11124647, 11128648, 11128774, 11130281, 11132046, 11133295, 11133511, 11138829, 11139187, 11139486The following VOQs allege subframe corrosion detection prior to subframe failure:11141172, 11131161, 11129747, 11129349, 11129185, 11128591, 11128223, 11124644, 11122948, 11120047, 11119752, 11119362, 11118786, 11118242, 11115432, 11114568, 11114477, 11114061, 11105334, 11104096, 11103756, 11103724, 11101659, 11100420, 11099962, 11097874, 11084411, 11081783, 11034064, 11025276, 10956316Some VOQs have been omitted from this list due to duplicate VOQ submission between ODI records and Mazda records.
PE18006
What 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The rear subframe rusted out and my control arm broke off! This is extremely serious and because there is no recall I’m going to have to buy an another vehicle. Please issue a recall. I’ve read forms about this and many others have had the same issue with the rear subframe corroding and rotting out.
Component or System that Failed: The front subframe on my 2009 Mazda 6i Touring is completely rusted through. There are holes in the frame and large flakes of rusted metal breaking off. The car is available for inspection if needed. Safety Risk: This is a serious safety concern because if the subframe fails, I could lose steering or suspension control while driving. That would put me and other drivers at immediate risk of an accident. Reproduction / Confirmation: An independent mechanic confirmed the problem and told me the car is unsafe to drive in its current condition. Inspection: The vehicle had the original Mazda subframe corrosion recall performed years ago, but now the same exact problem has come back. The car has not yet been re-inspected by Mazda, but the severity of the rust is obvious. Warning Lamps / Symptoms: There were no warning lights or messages before this happened. The issue was only noticed when the rust and holes became visible on the underside of the car during a recent inspection.
Hello, My name is [XXX] . I took our Mazda 6 in for wheel balance and alignment and was informed of very serious rust issues in the rear suspension. I was pretty shocked at what they showed me. I worked at Raben Tire for 10 years and I've never seen anything like this. I have two retired mechanic friends look at it, and they (along with the mechanic from firestone) said they cannot even fathom how this level of rust is possible (80+% of the miles on this vehicle are highway). One of my retired mechanic friends started looking into it and said he'd noticed the 09 Mazda recalls for suspension rust. We all thought that made sense given how immensely abnormal this rusting is. The recall list sent to me says "front" suspension. I'm not sure why the front is listed and not the rear, but this, to all of us, is very clearly faulty (the rusting is INCREDIBLY abnormal) and we believe should be considered as part of the suspension rust recall (there are no rusting issues anywhere else). Ive provided pictures. This is incredibly unsafe. The rear suspension could collapse at any moment while driving and cause casualties. Thank you for your time, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The front and rear crossmembers have significant rust. The front has holes and chunks of metal missing due to rust corrosion. The rear has flaking and is deeply pockmarked with rust. These are structural components. Failure can lead to a crash.
The rear Suspension Frame has failed due to corrosion. The right rear tire has worn severely from the premature failure of that part on the right side. I feel it was a defect in Engineering by Mazda. My email: [XXX] Mobile: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The rear frame has failed due to corrosion on the right side. The rear passenger tire is canted in on the topside worn severely worn. This was noted when I drove home from my job. This is a critical part of the vehicle and should've never failed. I'm hopeful to hear from the NHTSB for a repair to be done properly by Mazda;
Rear suspension cross-member corroded to the point that a minor pothole separated the right lower control arm mounting point from the cross-member, rendering the car undrivable. The rest of the car is fairly rust-free.
Rear subframe corrosion
2009 Mazda 6 Rear subframe and springs are deemed unsafe due to extreme rusting and corrosion. The vehicle is registered and has been registered in both NY and PA (salt states), however was regularly washed and garage maintained. Vehicle will no longer pass inspection due to this issue and Mazda indicates no recall for the rear at this time and is ignoring that this is a highly prevalent issue. Mazda recalled and acknowledged this issue on these makes/models related to the front; however refuses to acknowledge and repair/recall the issue extending to the rear. The vehicle is in otherwise good shape, and the extreme rusting to the subframe/springs is not consistent with normal wear and tear. This is an extremely prevalent issue arising to these vehicles being ignored by Mazda. Mechanics are indicating the issue is extremely deteriorated and not safe, but that the vehicle is in otherwise good shape and the issue is consistent with faulty parts.
Questions about the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 suspension
Does the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 have suspension problems?
Owners have filed 76 complaints about the suspension of the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6, 20% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 suspension problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 118,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 suspension?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Mazda MAZDA6 have bad suspension?
The Mazda MAZDA6 model years with the most suspension complaints are 2009 (76 complaints), 2011 (51 complaints) and 2010 (43 complaints).
Other 2009 Mazda MAZDA6 problems
Body 123Airbags 75Steering 36Electrical 32Visibility 17Engine 16Wheels 16Lights 15Tires 14Fuel system 11Locks 10Brakes 9Transmission 7Driver assistance 4Acceleration 2Seats 2Seat belts 1
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