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Mazda MAZDA6 Recall 18V631: Road Salt Can Weaken Front Suspension, Risking Crash

NHTSA campaign 18V631, reported September 14, 2018, 50,176 vehicles potentially affected.

What this recall means for you

Road salt can cause corrosion in the front cross member of certain 2009-2010 Mazda MAZDA6 vehicles. Over time, this corrosion can weaken the point where the passenger-side lower control arm is mounted, which may unexpectedly change steering alignment.

An unexpected change in alignment can make the vehicle harder to control and increases the risk of a crash. This recall affects vehicles sold or registered in a list of Northeastern, Midwestern, and Mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia, where road salt use is common.

Mazda will notify affected owners. Dealers will inspect the front cross member and either install a side member and drain hose and apply wax to protect against rust, or install a drain hose and an improved front cross member. The repair is free of charge. Owners can contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4, and should check their VIN for open recalls.

Check whether this recall is open on your vehicle

The repair is normally free at an authorized dealer.

Official recall notice

Safety recall 18V631Mazda North American Operations
Component
STRUCTURE; SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
Problem
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2010 Mazda Mazda6 vehicles sold, or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. The front cross member may corrode after exposure to road salt.
Risk
Corrosion may weaken the mounting point for the passenger side lower control arm, unexpectedly changing the steering alignment and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the cross member and either install a side member and drain hose and apply wax to protect from rust, or install a drain hose and an improved front cross member, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2818I.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Affected vehicles

Mazda MAZDA620092010