1989 Mazda MX6 problems & reliability
28 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1989 Mazda MX6. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts → | 15 | 54% |
| Seats | 8 | 29% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 11% |
| Structure | 3 | 11% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 11% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 7% |
| Equipment | 2 | 7% |
| Visibility | 2 | 7% |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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…”
Visibility · filed Dec 11, 2003
“The safety belt on the driver's side does not retract back into the holder, leaving the belt useless. I wondered if this would be a recall or if I need to have it serviced. Thanks. *ak”
Seat Belts · filed Jul 15, 1999
“Whil.e driving the electrical system malfunctioned, causing headlights and interior lights to get dimmer. Also,engine check light came on. There was no braking and steering ability at all, had to use the emergenncy parking brake to stop the vehicle which almost caused an accident. Please provide further information.”
Electrical System · filed Mar 8, 1999
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA95005 · opened Mar 10, 1995 · closed Aug 1, 1995 · led to recall 95V103005
- THROTTLE STICKING
Preliminary Evaluation PE91088 · opened Jun 18, 1991 · closed Oct 21, 1991
- TRANSMISSION OIL LINE FIRE
Preliminary Evaluation PE89167 · opened Sep 15, 1989 · closed Dec 21, 1989
Technical service bulletins
6 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1989 Mazda MX6.
Pre-painting preparations for front and rear bumpers. *yc
97102302097 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 23, 1997
Subject pertaining to mtx overhaul information. *yc
97102300397 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 23, 1997
USE OF A/C TRACER DYE. *TW
008/97 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 19, 1997
Parts replacement after airbag deployment. *tw
007/97T · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 25, 1997
Maintenance free battery - diagnostic and charging procedure. *tw
001/97G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 8, 1997
Wiper motor inoperative - circuit breaker activation. *tw
003/97G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 19, 1997
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1989 Mazda MX6 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1989 Mazda MX6?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.