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2018 Mazda Mazda6 powertrain problems

moderate Owners of the 2018 Mazda Mazda6 have filed 7 NHTSA complaints about the powertrain at roughly $2,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See powertrain across all vehicles →

Complaints
7
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
powertrain complaints on the Mazda Mazda6, by model year
Model yearpowertrain complaints
2014 Mazda6 19
2015 Mazda6 5
2016 Mazda6 9
2017 Mazda6 3
2018 Mazda6 (this page) 7

When does it fail?

Of the 7 powertrain complaints filed for the 2018 Mazda Mazda6, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.

0-25k
2 (100%)
25-50k
0 (0%)
50-75k
0 (0%)
75-100k
0 (0%)
100-125k
0 (0%)
125-150k
0 (0%)
150k+
0 (0%)

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.

Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins

The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain 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.

Service Bulletin 01-008-26 May 2026

This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. 01-008/23 06/05/23 Some vehicles may exhibit rattling noises from the engine compartment and oil leakage from the drive belt auto tensioner. This may be caused by insufficient sealing at the drive belt auto tensioner damper when the auto tensioner fully operates under both high ambient temperature and high load conditions. To eliminate this concern, the shape of the drive belt auto tensioner damper has been changed. REPAIR PROCEDURE If the tensioner is found to be "No Good" after completing the Drive Belt Auto Tensioner Inspection, replace it with a modified part according to the instructio

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗
Service Bulletin SA-029-26 Apr 2026

This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE Refer to the applicable Workshop Manual or Owner's Manual for vehicle -specific manufacturer scheduled maintenance.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗
Service Bulletin SA-051-25 Nov 2025

Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) Diagnostic Guidelines Diagnostic Guidelines When diagnosing NVH concerns, it is essential to first classify the issue into one of three primary categories: Noise, Vibration, or Harshness. Many customer complaints may involve overlapping symptoms, such as both noise and vibration, so identifying the dominant characteristic is critical. Once the primary symptom is determined, follow the appropriate diagnostic path. For example, if a concern includes both noise and vibration but is related to vehicle speed, the vibration diagnostic path should be followed. When considering component replacement during the diagnostic process, it is best practice to start wit

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗
Service Bulletin SA-052-25 Nov 2025

Some customer's might state that they notice fluid or oil leaking/dripping on the ground when the vehicle is parked. For this concern, inspect the vehicle for any trace of a fluid or oil leak and use the following examples as a guide to determine if it is severe enough to require a repair, or just to clean the area and monitor it at the next service. Examples of residue or seepage that may not be considered a leak and that may not require repair based on splash shield inspection.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗
Service Bulletin SA-079-24 Oct 2024

The SKYACTIV-DRIVE FW6A-EL AT uses “Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) Type: FZ”. Only use “ATF-FZ” to fill or top off the fluid level. ATF-FZ is specially designed for use in the SKYACTIV-DRIVE series AT. It is a low viscosity formula with less friction for better fuel economy. NOTE: ATF-FZ is colored blue for easy identification.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.

What owners are reporting 4 most recent

powertrain · filed 09/18/2025

Was driving then car suddenly shut down and all panel lights turned on. The car would not start after an hour it started but was Perkins when driving. Mechanics were unable to diagnose the issue.

powertrain · 7,200 mi · filed 08/26/2019

Vehixle has open recall #3719f. Took vehicle in for service on july 15 and according to NHTSA recall has even out since june 27.2019. To this day I have not gotten any letter or anything stating car has open recall when the car can turn of randomly. Will be taking car in on 08/26/19 but I'm concerned as to why this has not been addressed in any letters or emails

powertrain · 10,000 mi · filed 08/12/2022

The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda6. The contact stated that he had experienced a transmission surged on five separate occasions since owning the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer after each failure and various unknown repairs and software updates were performed on the vehicle. However, the failure persisted after each visit. The…

powertrain · filed 07/06/2021

I took my car in for scheduled maintenance and the technicians at the Mazda dealer found out the tensioner and belt needed to be replaced, when the car is less than 36k in miles. Vehicles being repaired under warranty but a tensioner should not be going out this early in the lifespan of a 2 year old car. I have found a lot of people are complaining for the same issue. This can cause the cars to…

Had powertrain trouble with your 2018 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 powertrain problem on the 2018 Mazda Mazda6?

It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 7 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.

At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?

Based on the 7 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 8,600 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 $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?

No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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/2018/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.
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