Mazda bulletin SA-044-23
What it saysSome customers have reported experiencing a one-time popping or clunking sound while driving their vehicle. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Mazda filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jul 28, 2023, received Aug 5, 2023, about the suspension. It names 6 model years (2020–2023). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationSome customers have reported experiencing a one-time popping or clunking sound while driving their vehicle. The noise is most noticeable when duplicating the driving conditions of going up or down an incline while simultaneously making a turn. NOTE: For Mazda6 vehicles, the noise may only be heard once per day. To reproduce the concern, allow the vehicle to sit overnight and then drive it. The noise has been traced to the front stabilizer (sway bar) bushings and the recommended action is the following repair information (if the noise can be duplicated). NOTE: The repair itself is not complex, but accurately replicating the concern may require additional time. To minimize inconvenience to the customer, ensure that they are provided with a loaner vehicle while the diagnosis and repair take place.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SA-044-23 | Service bulletin | Jul 28, 2023 | 10240492 | PDF, 138 KB |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 6 model years this bulletin names have filed 410 complaints with NHTSA since 2015.
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the suspension
Source: same model, same component group3 other manufacturer communications filed against these Mazda models under the same component group (suspension), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA-051-25 | Service bulletin | Nov 8, 2025 | Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) Diagnostic Guidelines Diagnostic Guidelines When diagnosing NVH concerns, it is essential to first cla… |
| SA-013-24 | Service bulletin | Feb 16, 2024 | Some vehicles may exhibit a steering shimmy or body vibration during the PDI test drive or during the first few miles of driving after the v… |
| 02-003-23 | Service bulletin | Oct 17, 2023 | Some customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. In most cases the oil that is present is normal, and a result… |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Mazda, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Mazda SA-044-23 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the SA-044-23 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way. Every Mazda warranty extension on file lists the ones Mazda has filed.
Which vehicles does SA-044-23 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 6 model years: 2023 Mazda CX-5, 2022 Mazda CX-5, 2021 Mazda CX-5, 2020 Mazda CX-5, 2021 Mazda Mazda6, 2020 Mazda Mazda6. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.