FaultScore

2011 Mazda MAZDA6 headlight problems

11 of the 186 complaints about the 2011 Mazda MAZDA6 are about the lighting — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 55,000 miles.

A

11

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Exterior Lighting 10 90.9%
Headlights 1 9.1%

Lights across every Mazda MAZDA6 year

2009 15 20.0%
2010 21 28.0%
2011 11 14.7%
2012 28 37.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Alvarado, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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 complaint #11482799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Liverpool, NY

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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 complaint #11378623 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 76,000 miles Manahawkin, NJ

EXTERIOR 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.

NHTSA complaint #11245130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Stockton, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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 complaint #11042809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 112,000 miles Zillah, WA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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 complaint #11035155 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rahway, NJ

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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 complaint #10821802 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 55,000 miles Westminster, MD

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

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

NHTSA complaint #10778144 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 70,000 miles Blakely, GA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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 complaint #10725416 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,075 miles Greenwell Springs, LA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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 complaint #10715543 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 52,145 miles NEW Castle, PA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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.

NHTSA complaint #10691766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 34,000 miles Renton, WA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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.

NHTSA complaint #10503337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2011 Mazda MAZDA6 problems

← Full 2011 Mazda MAZDA6 report