Car Parts Guide
ALTERNATOR Mazda 6 · PARTS GUIDE

Mazda 6 Alternator: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

On the Mazda 6, a "Charging System Malfunction" message is often genuinely a software glitch, not a true hardware failure.

Illustration of an alternator Illustration for editorial purposes
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OEM Part Number: PE01-18-300 (genuine alternator — confirm via VIN) — aftermarket alternators Bosch 1 986 A00 631 / Hella 8EL 011 713-811

Accuracy note: Covers the Mazda 6 (GJ 2012-) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. Alternators are sold by output (amps), pulley type and plug, and the same model usually has two or three units depending on engine, start-stop and the electrical load of the trim — a 120 A unit on a car built for 150 A will undercharge, and a rigid pulley on a car designed for a freewheel clutch pulley will shred belts. The references below are UK aftermarket catalogue listings for this generation, labelled by brand; many are remanufactured exchange units that carry a core charge until the old alternator is returned. Genuine numbers are shown only where a listing quotes one. Check the amp rating, pulley and plug stamped on the old unit, or confirm via VIN, before ordering.
Alternators (aftermarket)Hella 8EL 011 713-811 (150 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 51 mm, new); Bosch 1 986 A00 631 (100 A, rigid multi-rib pulley, 6 ribs, 51 mm, new, plug 139, excludes vacuum pump); AS-PL A5145 (150 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 51 mm, new, plug PL_3310); AS-PL A5337 (100 A, 6 ribs, 51 mm, new, plug PL_3310); Walker WAL00674 (150 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 51 mm, remanufactured, plug 0314, IG-C-K connector, core charge £50.24); Ridex 4G1370 (150 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 51 mm, new, excludes vacuum pump); BV PSH 145.563.150.130 (150 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 51 mm, new).
Outputs & variantsConfirm the amperage and pulley type against the old unit
Genuine (OE) numbers quotedA2TX3081 (AS-PL A5145); A5TL0491 (AS-PL A5337); A5TJA091 (AS-PL A5616S).
Fitment notesBoth outputs share the same pulley size, so the plug and the A2TX or A5TL Mitsubishi number on the old unit decide the fit; most 150 A remanufactured units (Walker, Stardax, HC-Cargo) carry a core charge, and several BV PSH units are remanufactured despite being listed as new.

A Genuinely Important Warning Worth Knowing Before Replacing the Alternator — Mazda 6 Alternator

If you're seeing a "Charging System Malfunction" or "Low Battery Risk" warning message, particularly on a relatively new car, this is genuinely worth knowing: this specific warning has been widely reported as often being a software sensitivity issue related to the Body Control Module, rather than a genuine hardware failure. It's worth asking a dealer directly whether a relevant software fix exists before assuming the alternator needs replacing.

A genuinely real, cautionary case worth knowing about before trusting a single quick test: one documented case saw an alternator diagnosed as faulty via a generic auto parts store test and replaced, only for the exact same symptoms to persist afterward.

It's also worth knowing that alternator fitment is genuinely more complex than it might first appear — the correct part depends on engine size, the specific transmission fitted, and whether the engine has cylinder deactivation.

Mazda 6 Alternator: Often Blamed on the Battery Instead

Early on, a weak Mazda 6 battery and a dying alternator look almost identical — dim lights, sluggish starts, a car that won't hold its charge — which is exactly why so many people fit a new battery and end up back at the garage weeks later, the actual fault still unaddressed.

Mazda 6 Alternator: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: Mazda Alternator Replacement 2015 Mazda 6 - How to Remove and Install Alternator (2013-2020 Mazda 6)

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GJ 2.5 Skyactiv, explicitly 2013-2020.

Mazda 6 Alternator reference plate
Before you buy: alternator output rating varies by engine size and trim, particularly on cars with more onboard electronics. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

Mazda 6 Alternator: What It Does

On the Mazda 6, while the engine runs, the alternator generates the electricity that charges the battery and powers the car's electrical systems directly. With a healthy alternator, the battery's real job becomes starting the engine and covering brief demand spikes, rather than running the electronics on its own.

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Mazda 6 Alternator: Warning Signs, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Alternator Guide for symptoms to watch for (plus a genuinely useful two-minute test to confirm it's not the battery instead), confirming the right amperage and fitment against your VIN, and which brands are worth trusting.

More Mazda Alternator

The same part, covered across other Mazda models.