Laguna Hills, CA – May 30, 2019 – Mazda is recalling certain 2009-2013 Mazda6 sedans sold or registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. A critical steering component could fail due to corrosion problems. This is an expansion of an earlier recall from 2018. As many as 49,339 vehicles may be affected.
The Defect
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report on this issue, the front cross member, a part of the vehicle suspension, may corrode after exposure to road salt over time due to insufficient paint coating on the component. If the part fails, it can lead to breakage of the cross member, sudden changes in steering alignment and reduced steering control, particularly in situations such as driving over a pothole at high speed. This could result in the increased risk of crash and injury.
Signs Of Trouble
A story by Consumer Reports said that vehicle owners may notice the problem when they hear an unusual noise resulting from the front wheel touching a piece of the vehicle trim, or when the steering wheel becomes off-center. The noise can be heard both outside and inside the vehicle. Mechanics may also be able to detect the problem when the car is taken in for service.
Timeline Of Events
On Sept. 14, 2018 Mazda originally submitted a defect information report to NHTSA concerning 2009-2010 Mazda6 vehicles experiencing corrosion of the cross member due to road salt.
Between September and December 2018, the automaker received a number of new field reports indicating that the same condition was affecting 2011 vehicles. On Jan. 11, 2019, Transport Canada sent Mazda an inquiry about cross member corrosion in Mazda6 2011-2013 vehicles. Following discussion with Transport Canada, Mazda decided March 21 to respond to the inquiry after conducting an investigation of the issue and evaluating the need for field action.
On April 22, the automaker concluded that 2011-2013 vehicles were subject to the same defect as those recalled earlier. After a review by the Quality Audit Committee, Mazda launched a proactive field action for all affected vehicles.
The Solution
The recall will begin June 24, 2019. Mazda will notify owners by mail, instructing them to take their vehicles to the nearest dealership for inspection. Depending on the condition of the vehicle, dealers will either install a side member and a drain hose and apply wax to protect from rust, or they will install a drain hose and an improved front cross member, at no cost to vehicle owners. In addition, a reimbursement plan is available for eligible owners who already paid to have these repairs done.
Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda’s number for this recall is 2818I. This recall is an expansion of Recall 18V-631. The NHTSA Campaign Number for this recall is 19V-323.
