Mazda 6 Alarm Keeps Going Off – What's Wrong with My Mazda?

Security systems in modern vehicles are extremely important to help you prevent car theft and other nasty things that may happen to your vehicle. You may say: Hey, we live in a much safer world than our parents used to live in, why do we need those alarms? But actually, we do need these security systems to avoid many issues.

Electrical gremlins highlights

• Level of urgency:medium
• DIY inspection:impossible
• DIY repair:impossible
• Can you drive?yes
• Price for repairs:$0 - $300
• Symptoms:glitch, unusual behavior, temporary problem
• Ways to solve:check the battery voltage, check wiring and connections, take it to a professional mechanic

Why can Mazda 6 alarm go off continuously?

Well, we should look at this problem from two sides: firstly, it can malfunction, and secondly, the problem may occur with some serviceable parts that are used in the wrong way. We'll cover both options and will advise what you should do in each situation.

Of course, you should also consider the year and the generation of your Mazda 6 and the type of security system. So, let's find out, step by step, what happened and what you can do.

1) OEM alarm failure

A lot of Mazda 6 cars, especially newer ones, come with an OEM alarm system. This system is pretty reliable and it rarely fails. But reports of the drivers say that sometimes the security system glitches. It may happen for several reasons and, in most cases, it will not be repaired that easily.

The OEM security system is integrated with many other onboard systems and communicates with them all the time. So, it's not exactly about the security module (although this is also possible).

Here are some of the most possible reasons:

• the battery is weak or dead - when your alarm doesn't get the needed voltage, it may go off continuously or sporadically;
• the ECU is glitching - all OEM onboard systems are linked with the ECU that gets the information from all sensors and units, so the ECU may be the reason for glitches;
• one of the door sensors is broken - the security system reads information from many door sensors and any bad readings may lead to the alarm going off;
• the wiring problems - this is the universal problem when it comes to any electronics in your vehicle, checking it up is quite difficult.

Also, one of the security system sensors may send the wrong signals. For example, the interior sensor may wrongly message that someone is in the interior. The immobilizer may keep signaling that the car moves while it is actually parked in the parking lot.

So, you may see that numerous problems can cause the OEM security system in your Mazda 6 to go off. But pay attention to the wiring first. Mazda 6 is not among the cars that are praised for wonderful wiring. Electrical problems happen now and then with them and you should consider this.

2) Aftermarket alarm failure

If you have the aftermarket alarm installed in your Mazda 6, you should understand that it may malfunction not just because of the low battery or wrong electrical system. It may just be faulty and go off because it wasn't installed properly or is just of poor quality.

We've seen hundreds of cars with poor aftermarket alarm and their owners were just crazy about all those glitches and problems. One of the things you should do is google the common problems that usually happen with the brand and model of the alarm system you have in your Mazda 6.

Usually, it's all about the following problems:

• issues with the control module of the aftermarket alarm;
• problems with the wiring which is usually poorly made when installing the system;
• cheap and failing sensors in doors, hood, and in other parts of the vehicle;
• the conflict between OEM alarm and aftermarket security systems after poor installation;
• water damage to one of the components of the security system;
• overheated sensor or control module of the aftermarket alarm system.

As we can judge from our experience, in most cases, problems with the aftermarket security system occur just because of poor installation. People tend to forget to isolate contacts or to hide wiring and day after day connections deteriorate leading to problems.

But the bad quality of aftermarket security systems is also important. Nearly all cheap and mid-budget systems are quite badly made and don't work for many years without problems. So, you should consider this, too.

3) Side problems that cause the alarm to go off

We can also think of some other problems that aren't connected to the system itself. And these problems should be checked first because they are usually easier to fix than repairing the alarm system:

Battery issues. Low battery, dead battery, low voltage, intermittent energy supply, and other problems can lead to problems with any security system. Changing the battery or at least charging it should resolve the problem.

The car damaged in the accident. After the vehicle is repaired after an accident, it may not function properly. One of the most important things is that doors or hood may not be in the precise place where they should be in the Mazda 6. The sensors can't get and send proper signals.

Short circuit in the vehicle's electrical system. It may be a problem with any module or unit, the short circuit will affect all systems in your Mazda 6, especially the security system.

Integration of additional modules in the security system. People often buy additional GPS trackers, immobilizers, remote-control systems, remote-start modules, etc. This kind of equipment communicates with the alarm system in your vehicle. And when it fails, the alarm may easily go off.

How to turn off the alarm in your Mazda 6?

At first, try turning it off like you always do - with the key fob. If it doesn't work, check the key fob battery. By the way, this may also be the problem that causes your alarm system to go off at times.

If the key fob batteries are OK, but the system still goes off, you may also try the following:

• open the hood and locate the 12-volt battery that supplies your vehicle with electricity;
• disconnect the battery terminals and make sure that wires don't touch the terminals;
• the alarm will stop going off, but no electrical systems will work in your Mazda 6;
• if you need to leave the vehicle, don't forget to manually close all doors to avoid problems.

In such a condition, your Mazda 6 will not be able to start and drive. But it can be towed to a repair shop or at least left on the street without the alarm going off. Never leave your car with the alarm going off because it may result in your Mazda being towed away by police.

Also, make sure the doors are properly closed if you are going to leave the car on the street with no proper security.

How to prevent alarm issues in your Mazda?

Preventing the alarm issues is not that easy because you never see these connections or units deteriorating and you can't guess when they malfunction. We can say for sure that aftermarket alarm systems are not going to last as long as your Mazda 6, so be ready for some problems.

OEM security systems are a little more durable because they are installed and tested in the plant when the vehicle is assembled. But even they won't last 20 years.

We can't give you any good advice for keeping the alarm system in a good condition because there is basically no way you can service the wiring and avoid it failing.

But here are some things you can do:

• Keep an eye on your battery - once it fails, just buy a new one.
• Avoid water damage - never ride in big puddles.
• Pay attention to any errors and minor problems because they will grow into big issues.
• Avoid installing cheap aftermarket security systems.
• Never have these systems installed in some cheap garages that don't care about quality.

How much is it to repair your alarm system in the Mazda 6?

Repairing the system may cost quite a lot if the problem is in one of its units or in the wiring. It's not that easy to diagnose the vehicle, locate the problem and resolve it. So, sometimes labor costs may go up to $1000. Also, you will have to pay for parts if some of them have to be replaced.

Mazda 6 is known for its electrical issues, so be careful with the alarm malfunctions and always have the vehicle diagnosed if something is wrong with any important system.