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2011 Mazda Mazda6 problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
7%
7 of 97 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2011 Mazda Mazda6. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 7% of relevant complaints.

Better than 99% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 38 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 5%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2011 Mazda Mazda6 have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 7 of 97 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2011 Mazda Mazda6 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (7%). For comparison, the 2010 scores 7% and the 2012 scores 14%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
7
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
135
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
6
8 crashes · 6 injuries

Complaints by component

SUSPENSION50 · 37%
STRUCTURE30 · 22%
AIR BAGS28 · 21%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER22 · 16%
STEERING16 · 12%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING11 · 8%

The years either side

2010
7%
11 of 225
2011
7%
7 of 135
2012
14%
6 of 99
2013
too few complaints
2014
26%
34 of 137
2015
23%
12 of 60
2016
29%
20 of 77
2017
14%
8 of 60
2018
68%
39 of 58
2019
too few complaints
2020
too few complaints
2021
too few complaints
2022
no data
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2011 Mazda Mazda6

What one owner reported

SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN05/28/2021
Rear CONTROL ARM broke off the REAR SUBFAME due heavy RUST. I had to replace the entire rear subframe plus both control arms. This incident occurred WHILE I WAS DRIVING! Now I find out that the front end is shot as well and that Mazda is only recalling the front subframe and not the rear and I want to know why. Somebod…

One of 7 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2011 Mazda Mazda6?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2011 Mazda Mazda6 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 6 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

fuel system, gasoline14V114000 · Mar 2014

Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured September 14, 2009, through May 2, 2011, and equipped with 2.5L engine. In the affected vehicles, spiders may weave a web in the evaporative canister vent hose, blocking it and causing the fuel tank to have an excessive amount of negative pressure.

Risk: Negative pressure could cause the fuel tank to crack resulting in a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module and inspect and clean the canister vent line. If a web was found in the line, the fuel tank and check valve on canister vent line will…

5 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module19V782000 · Oct 2019
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2007-2012 CX-7, CX-9, and 2009-2012 Maza6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced…
structure19V323000 · Apr 2019
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky,…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module18V717000 · Oct 2018
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Mazda CX-9 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana,…
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module17V429000 · Jun 2017
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2011 Mazda6, and 2007-2011 CX-7 and CX-9 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of…
latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch13V425000 · Sep 2013
Mazda is recalling certain model year 2009-2013 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured February 4, 2008, through August 24, 2012. The door latch mounting screws may become loose.

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2011 Mazda Mazda6? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2011 Mazda Mazda6

Does the 2011 Mazda Mazda6 have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 7 of 97 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2011 Mazda Mazda6 concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (7%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2011 Mazda Mazda6?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2011 Mazda Mazda6 involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 6 in total: 14V114000 (fuel system, gasoline). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Mazda Mazda6 years are better?

The 2011 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Mazda Mazda6 years we track (7%). The other years run higher.

Should I buy a 2011 Mazda Mazda6?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2011 Mazda Mazda6 shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.