This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SAs and bulletin(s) listed below: The changes are noted below in red. SA-010/23 02/09/23 DESCRIPTION Some customers may experience one or more electrical malfunctions after a vehicle body repair. A newly painted fender stay (2) may be causing a poor front harness (1) ground connection. The front fender stay (2) newly painted surface at ground point (3), where attachment bolt (4) is seated, may create a poor front harness ground connection. NOTE: DO NOT paint ground point (3) attachment bolt (4) is seated. NEWLY INSTALLED FRONT FENDER STAY NOTE: CAUTION: If the bolt (4) contact area (3) is painted when the front fender stay (2) is newly repl
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 Mazda Mazda6 electrical problems
moderate 17 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
17
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
When does it fail?
Of the 17 electrical complaints filed for the 2017 Mazda Mazda6, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 12 model years of Mazda Mazda6 in our records for electrical problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
Electrical accounts for 29% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 4 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗For improvement of electrical diagnosis, the SKYACTIV® Wiring Terminal Test Kits has been delivered all the dealers. The terminal test kit enables you: To check pin fit drag of all PCM terminals used in SKYACTIV® vehicles and compare suspect terminal drag with a known good terminal. To measure the voltage/resistance avoiding any terminal damage.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗For improvement of electrical diagnosis, the SKYACTIV® Wiring Terminal Test Kits has been delivered all the dealers. The terminal test kit enables you: To check pin fit drag of all PCM terminals used in SKYACTIV® vehicles and compare suspect terminal drag with a known good terminal. To measure the voltage/resistance avoiding any terminal damage.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant issue across 17 complaints is infotainment ghost touch—the touchscreen registering inputs with no user contact. Owners report volume jumping to maximum, radio stations changing, navigation rerouting, and Bluetooth making unwanted voice calls, all while driving. One owner's volume jumped from 10–15 to 50+ at a red light; another's screen went berserk every time the car fell below 10 mph in humid weather. The phantom touches also disable safety features—brake assist and rain-sensing wipers turned off mid-drive in at least one case.
Mazda acknowledges the issue under technical service bulletin SSPB6 but only recalls 2014–2016 Mazda3 models, leaving 2017 Mazda6 owners unprotected. Touchscreen replacement runs $600–$1,250 with no warranty coverage after the factory period expires. One owner paid over $900.
Secondary electrical issues include keyless entry fob detection failures requiring physical proximity to the start button, cruise control that accelerates uncontrollably and won't slow via steering wheel buttons, and Bluetooth dropout during calls. One unusual complaint documents rodents chewing the engine wiring harness near high-voltage coils while the car sat parked, creating a fire hazard.
Owners consistently describe the ghost touch as a distraction that forced some to stop driving children in the vehicle and violates hands-free phone laws when Bluetooth activates unauthorized calls.
Same Mazda Mazda6 electrical reports on nearby years: 2014
Failure modes owners describe
Infotainment Ghost Touch — Screen Phantom Input
Touchscreen registers inputs with no user contact, causing unintended selection of radio stations, volume adjustments, navigation changes, and access to phone contacts via Bluetooth.
When: Occurs while driving and while parked; worse in humid conditions and at low speeds under 10 mph; some owners report frequency of a few times per week to continuous occurrence
Symptoms owners cite: Volume blares to maximum (50+) without user input; Radio station changes automatically; Navigation routes change uncontrollably; Bluetooth makes unwanted voice calls to contacts repeatedly; Screen flickers, fluctuates, and beeps unprompted; Display switches between light and dark mode on its own
Codes mentioned: B108E04 (Display-System Internal Failure)
Repairs/costs cited: Touchscreen replacement required; cost cited at $600–$1,250 depending on configuration (navigation adds ~$1,000); one owner paid over $900 in summer 2021
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mazda acknowledges the issue; TSB SSPB6 issued for earlier Mazda3 models (2014–2016) and extended to other Mazda models, but 2017 Mazda6 not included in recall; Mazda does not cover repair under warranty after expiration; one owner referenced Case #00104322 opened with Mazda
Infotainment Ghost Touch — Safety Feature Deactivation
Phantom touches disable critical safety features, including brake assist and rain-sensing wipers, during operation without owner awareness.
When: During driving, particularly at low speeds
Symptoms owners cite: Brake assist setting turns off automatically; Rain-sensing wipers deactivate during operation; Owner must restart vehicle to re-enable features
Repairs/costs cited: Features restore after vehicle power cycle; no parts replacement noted for this specific issue
Keyless Entry / Push-Button Start Intermittent Failure
Key fob not consistently detected by vehicle; push-button start requires physical fob proximity or hovering over button to initiate engine start.
When: Intermittent, ongoing over 2+ years of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle does not detect key fob proximity; Push-button start requires hovering fob directly over button; Key fob indicator light remains on constantly
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mazda dealership unable to resolve issue
Cruise Control Malfunction — Unintended Acceleration
Once activated, cruise control causes vehicle to accelerate without user input and fails to decelerate when steering wheel control buttons are pressed; feature is no longer functional.
When: During interstate travel on multi-hour trip
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerates on its own with cruise control enabled; Steering wheel speed-down button does not respond; Speed decrease only occurs when brake pedal is pressed; Cruise control no longer operates
Collision Avoidance System Indicator Cycling
Collision avoidance warning light turns on and off intermittently without clear trigger or user action.
When: Intermittent occurrence
Symptoms owners cite: Collision avoidance light cycles on and off
Bluetooth Connectivity Dropout and Malfunction
Bluetooth disconnects unexpectedly during calls and receives ghost-touch inputs that originate unwanted voice calls from contact list.
When: During phone calls
Symptoms owners cite: Bluetooth cuts out mid-call; Unintended calls to contacts placed without user input; Difficult to disconnect ghost-initiated calls; steering wheel buttons ineffective
Repairs/costs cited: Owners cite inability to use hands-free operation, violating state hands-free cell phone laws (Maryland, Georgia noted)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TSB SSPB6 references Bluetooth issue; Mazda quoted $1,250 for Mazda6 repair but covered Mazda3 repairs under warranty
Engine Wiring Harness Rodent Damage
Rodents chewed through main wiring harness near engine coils while vehicle was parked, creating fire hazard from high-voltage wire exposure. Engine cover design allows easy rodent access and nesting.
When: While parked in city environment
Symptoms owners cite: One wire completely severed by rodent; Adjacent wire partially chewed; Engine cover insulation material removed by rodents; Fire risk from shorted high-voltage wires
Repairs/costs cited: Wiring harness replacement required
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
My "infotainment" system was experiencing ghost touching. In other words, the touch screen in the car that controls everything from radio to bluetooth to settings for safety features such as braking assist and automatic sensor wipers would completely go crazy and select/unselect features in the touchscreen. Sometimes it was one touch at a time (ie, change the radio station). Over time, and the…
Ghost touch: my vehicle has the same "ghost touch" problem described in NHTSA id number 11375393. Functions on the touch screen randomly activate themselves. This occurs both while driving and while stopped. It is difficult to cancel these random actions, and it is distracting to deal with this problem while driving. I first noticed it around 32k miles, which is about 15k miles ago, and it…
Ghost touch- radio/audio center randomly switches modes, stations, functions and will access phone contacts via bluetooth and make random voice calls . Once connected, it is very difficult to disconnect. Often times the call will be repeated several times. This occurs both while sitting still or when driving. It is very distracting to try to disconnect random voice calls while driving. The…
The infotainment system will have repeated ghost touches rendering the screen virtually useless. This is a known issue that mazda is not repairing and they are making the car owner responsible on paying for the fix of their broken product.
Please see https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2019/MC-10166895-0001.pdf PARTS AND WARRANTY INFORMATION SSPB6 I, and many other Mazda6 owners, have this exact problem which prevents cell phones from being able to connect to the car's Bluetooth. As a result, drivers can not follow the law, i.e. All Maryland drivers are prohibited from using a Cell Phone without a Hands Free Device while operating a…
The infotainment system is experiencing problems of operating by itself (ghost touch) similar to the hazard experienced on certain 2014-2016 Mazda 3s.
I’ve had my 2017 Mazda6 for 2 years and first had an issue when the vehicle could not detect the key fob was near. A Mazda dealership at that time could not resolve the issue. Now at times the vehicle won’t start unless i physically hover the key fob over the push to start button. I continued with the purchase and now 2 years in I’ve had so many issues with the infotainment screen acting insane,…
Had electrical trouble with your 2017 Mazda Mazda6?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2017 Mazda Mazda6?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 17 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 17 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 42,035 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/Mazda/Mazda6.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.