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1989 problems

FaultScore report

1989 Mazda MX6 problems

Owners have filed 42 complaints about the 1989 Mazda MX6 with NHTSA between 1995 and 2003. The largest single group is the seat belts.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Mazda MX6

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Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

Complaints

Crashes reported

Fires reported

Injuries reported

How 1989 compares with every other Mazda MX6

Click any bar to open that year's report.

2 1 16 42

86 87 88 89

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1989 Mazda MX6

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Seat Belts 15 35.7%

Seats 8 19.0%

Engine & Cooling 4 9.5%

Equipment & Accessories 3 7.1%

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 3 7.1%

Acceleration & Cruise Control 3 7.1%

2 crashes, 0 fires

Body & Structure 3 7.1%

Electrical System 2 4.8%

Brakes 1 2.4%

Exactly what failed

NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.

Buckle Assembly 8 36.4%

Anchorage 3 13.6%

Linkages 2 9.1%

Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc. 2 9.1%

Engine 2 9.1%

Retractor 2 9.1%

Door 2 9.1%

Rear Window 1 4.5%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Feb 1995 peak 7 Dec 2003

NHTSA investigations into the 1989 Mazda MX6

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

EA95005 Opened 10 Mar 1995 Closed 1 Aug 1995 SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE

PE91088 Opened 18 Jun 1991 Closed 21 Oct 1991 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

THROTTLE STICKING

PE89167 Opened 15 Sep 1989 Closed 21 Dec 1989 POWER TRAIN

TRANSMISSION OIL LINE FIRE

Recalls on the 1989 Mazda MX6

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

United States — NHTSA

95V103005 24 May 1995

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.

Risk: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

93E035000 13 Oct 1993

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:DRUM

THE GROOVE FOR THE REAR WHEEL BEARING RETAINER RING WAS INCORRECTLY MACHINED.

Risk: IF THE RETAINING RING DOES NOT SIT CORRECTLY IN THEGROOVE, THE AXLE LUG NUTS WILL BREAK, CAUSING THE BRAKE DRUM, WHEEL, AND TIREASSEMBLY TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Filed 29 Nov 1999 Hillside M, NY 1 injured

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRINVING CAUSED ACCIDENT. YH

NHTSA complaint #604400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 23 Jun 1997 FT. LEE, NJ Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

OWNER PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE WHEN VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AND HIT A VEHICLE, THEN IT ACCELERATED FORWARD HITTING ANOTHER PARKED CAR; THEN RAN ONTO THE SIDEWALK. THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHEN TURNED OFF, BUT DID THE SAMETHING WHEN TURNED BACK ON AND PUT INTO GEAR. DEALER SAYS MAY HAVE BEEN THE RUG.

NHTSA complaint #813393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 8 Jun 1995 Kentwood, MI Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SUDDEN ACCELERATION 2 TIMES, 1 TIME RESULTING IN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #480617 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Filed 11 Dec 2003 Sioux Falls, SD

SEATS

NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS:EAT ASSEMBLY WELDS BROKE OFF CAUSING THE SEAT TO WOBBLE. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND I CANNOT FIND ANYONE THAT IS WILLING TO REPAIR IT. IF IN AN ACCIDENT, I COULD BE HARMED ALONG WITH ANY PASSENGER I MAY HAVE IN BACK (MY KIDS). *AK WINDSHIELD WIPERS JUST STOPPED WORKING. MOTOR FAILURE?? ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAILING. FUSES ARE NOT BLOWN. INTERIOR LIGHTS WORK SPORADICALLY, RADIO LIGHTING HAS NEVER WORKED SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR. (4 YEARS AGO) . *AK EMERGENCY BRAKE IS "UNFIXABLE" I HAVE HAD THIS SERVICED TWO TIMES AND IT STILL WILL NOT WORK.