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2006 Mazda MAZDA3

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2006 Mazda MAZDA3 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 108.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

124 reports with mileage · 42 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Steering. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

21 crash reports3 fire reports12 injury reports

What owners actually said

166 reports
66,000 miles · Dec 17, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

2006 MAZDA 2I. PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE MOUNT BRACKET FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10296283

71,000 miles · Nov 5, 2009
Structure

I AM FILLING THIS FORM OUT IN RESPONSE TO NEGLIGENCE AND FALSE ADVERTISING ON THE PART OF CLAY COOLEY OF DALLAS TEXAS. WHEN ME AND MY FIANCE WENT TO TRADE IN OUR CAR THE FORD DEALER (FIVE STAR FORD) RAN A AUTO CHECK AND FOUND THAT IT HAS FRAME DAMAGE AND WOULD NOT TAKE IT FOR LESS THAN 2000$ BUT WE OWED 14000$ SO WE COULD NEVER…

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I AM FILLING THIS FORM OUT IN RESPONSE TO NEGLIGENCE AND FALSE ADVERTISING ON THE PART OF CLAY COOLEY OF DALLAS TEXAS. WHEN ME AND MY FIANCE WENT TO TRADE IN OUR CAR THE FORD DEALER (FIVE STAR FORD) RAN A AUTO CHECK AND FOUND THAT IT HAS FRAME DAMAGE AND WOULD NOT TAKE IT FOR LESS THAN 2000$ BUT WE OWED 14000$ SO WE COULD NEVER GET A LOAN ON ANOTHER CAR WITH THAT CARS REPORT. WHEN WE TALKED TO CLAY COOLEY WE TALKED TO ALEX SERANGA HE SAID WE COULD BRING THE CAR IN AND INSINUATED THAT THEY WOULD TAKE THE LOAN IF WE GOT ANOTHER CAR, BUT OF COURSE WHEN WE GOT THERE THEY WANTED TO US TO TRADE IN THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER CAR. ALSO THEY WOULD NOT TELL US WHAT THE AUCTION PAPER WORK SAID FOR THE CAR THEY TRIED TO SELL US AND REFUSED TO SHOW IT TO US. WHEN WE SHOWED THEM THE AUTO CHECK REPORT THAT SAYS THE FRAME WAS DAMAGED ON OUR CAR AND THEY BOUGHT AND SOLD IT KNOWINGLY FROM AUCTION WITH UNIBODY DAMAGE THEY SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF AUTO CHECK. BUT AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THE AUTO CHECK WEBSITE I HAVE FOUND THAT THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES PROMOTED BY THE NADA SO THERE CAN BE LITTLE WAY THEY NEVER HEARD OF THEM. PLEASE HELP ME I AND MY FAMILY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW. THE CAR IS A 2006 MAZDA 3 *TR

NHTSA ODI #10291046

46,900 miles · Jul 13, 2009
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

I AM GLAD TO BE ALIVE AND TELLING THIS HORRIFIC STORY. I WAS TRAVELING ALONE IN MY 2006 MAZDA3 ON I-95 TO LUMBERTON ON JUNE 27, 2009 TO MEET MY SISTER AND PICK UP MY MOM WHO HAD BEEN STAYING WITH HER WHILE I WAS OUT OF TOWN FOR THE WEEK. I HAD MY CRUISE CONTROL ON ABOUT 63 MPH AND HAD BEEN TRAVELING BEHIND A TRACTOR TRAILER TR…

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I AM GLAD TO BE ALIVE AND TELLING THIS HORRIFIC STORY. I WAS TRAVELING ALONE IN MY 2006 MAZDA3 ON I-95 TO LUMBERTON ON JUNE 27, 2009 TO MEET MY SISTER AND PICK UP MY MOM WHO HAD BEEN STAYING WITH HER WHILE I WAS OUT OF TOWN FOR THE WEEK. I HAD MY CRUISE CONTROL ON ABOUT 63 MPH AND HAD BEEN TRAVELING BEHIND A TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK FOR APPROX. TWO MILES BEFORE I REACHED MY EXIT. I PULLED OVER INTO THE EXIT LANE AND HIT MY BRAKES AND NOTHING HAPPENED! I HIT THEM AGAIN AND NOTHING. I HIT MY ON/OFF CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH AND THE DECELERATION SWITCHES AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I PUT BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE AND HIT MY HORN AND ENTERED A FIVE LANE INTERSECTION AT THE END OF AN UPHILL EXIT RAMP ON A RED LIGHT DOING IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH!!! I KNEW I WAS GOING TO DIE OR BE PHYSICALLY INJURED AND DIDN'T KNOW WHO I WOULD TAKE WITH ME AS I HAD NO WAY TO SLOW OR STOP THE CAR. LOOKING BACK, I KNOW I HAD NO MORE THAN 10 OR 12 SECONDS TO REACT BEFORE I WAS AT THE TOP OF THE EXIT RAMP GOING THAT FAST. I TURNED TO THE RIGHT AS I ENTERED THE INTERSECTION TO AVOID CARS THAT WERE ENTERING AND I THINK MY CAR SPUN AROUND AND I WAS HIT BY A PICKUP TRUCK IN THE INNER LANE WHO PROBABLY HAD NO IDEA WHERE I CAME FROM. I THEN WENT HEAD-ON INTO ANOTHER CAR TRAVELING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. MY CAR WAS TOTALED, THE ONE I HIT HEAD-ON WAS TOTALED BUT THE PICKUP TRUCK WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AWAY FROM THE ACCIDENT. ALL OF US WERE ABLE TO WALK AWAY - ME VERY SHAKILY. I HAD SEATBELT BRUISES AND AIR BAG BURNS AND ALL OF MY MUSCLES WERE SORE, BUT I AM GETTING BETTER EACH DAY. I STILL HAVE PAIN AND TIGHTNESS IN MY CHEST AREA, BUT FROM WHAT I AM LEARNING ABOUT THIS TYPE OF INJURY IT MAY STAY WITH ME FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. NOTHING BROKEN AND NOTHING SO FAR THAT I CAN'T LIVE WITH. NEEDLESS TO SAY MY NERVES ARE SHATTERED. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. THIS DOES NOT NEED TO HAPPEN TO OTHERS!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10276511

Mileage unknown · Apr 14, 2009
Tires

BOUGHT MY 2006 MAZDA3 NEW. I AM GETTING READY TO REPLACE MY TIRES FOR THE FOURTH TIME! I WOULD EXPECT TO HAVE AT LEAST 120,000 MILES ON MY CAR AT THIS POINT BUT ONLY HAVE 90,000. I AM A CONSERVATIVE DRIVER IN A MILD CLIMATE. I ROTATE, BALANCE AND ALIGN REGULARLY BUT EACH SET HAS EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEM...REAR TIRE WEAR ON…

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BOUGHT MY 2006 MAZDA3 NEW. I AM GETTING READY TO REPLACE MY TIRES FOR THE FOURTH TIME! I WOULD EXPECT TO HAVE AT LEAST 120,000 MILES ON MY CAR AT THIS POINT BUT ONLY HAVE 90,000. I AM A CONSERVATIVE DRIVER IN A MILD CLIMATE. I ROTATE, BALANCE AND ALIGN REGULARLY BUT EACH SET HAS EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEM...REAR TIRE WEAR ON THE INSIDE. ADDITIONALLY, SINCE OWNING THIS CAR I HAVE HAD MY REAR BRAKES REPLACED TWICE...FRONT BRAKES STILL ORIGINAL. THE BALANCE OF PRESSURE BETWEEN FRONT AND REAR BRAKES OF WAY OFF. THE REAR BRAKES TAKE MOST OF THE PRESSURE. HAVE REPORTED THESE PROBLEMS TO THE MAZDA DEALER AND SIMPLE TOLD THE VEHICLE HAS NO PROBLEMS. THESE ISSUES HAVE BECOME A HUGE EXPENSE AND WOULD AT THE VERY LEAST LIKE TO HEAR MAZDA ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND OFFER A SOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10265243

Mileage unknown · Mar 27, 2009
Air Bags

2006 MAZDA 3 HATCHBACK HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HIS 80LB WIFE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG INACTIVATION LIGHT ILLUMINATED SOMETIMES. THE CONSUMER STATED ACCORDING TO THE OWNERS MANUAL, THE PASSENGER MUST KEEP BOTH LEGS EXTENDED AND SIT UP STRAIGHT IN ORDER TO KEEP THE PASSEN…

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2006 MAZDA 3 HATCHBACK HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HIS 80LB WIFE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG INACTIVATION LIGHT ILLUMINATED SOMETIMES. THE CONSUMER STATED ACCORDING TO THE OWNERS MANUAL, THE PASSENGER MUST KEEP BOTH LEGS EXTENDED AND SIT UP STRAIGHT IN ORDER TO KEEP THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND PRETENSIONER FROM BEING INACTIVATE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10263470

Mileage unknown · Feb 7, 2009
Suspension

THE "FACTORY SPEC" NEGATIVE CAMBER SETTINGS ON THE MAZDA 3 CAUSED MY TIRES TO PREMATURELY WEAR ON THE INSIDE OF THE TREAD EVEN WITH REGULAR TIRE ROTATIONS. BY THE TIME I HAD 30,000 MILES ON THE FACTORY TOYO TIRES THE INSIDE TREAD WAS COMPLETELY BALD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10257823

37,210 miles · Jan 29, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

UPPER PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE SHOCK MOUNT ON MAZDA 3 AT 37K MILES. SHOCK MOUNT TORE LEAKING OIL AND CAUSING VIBRATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10256831

56,000 miles · Jan 14, 2009
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

2006 MAZDA 3 WAS LEAVING A DRIVEWAY AND GOT STUCK IN THE SNOW. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO GET UNSTUCK AND PROCEEDED DOWN THE STREET. THE CAR STOPPED IN BACK OF ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS STOPPED, AND BRIEFLY GOT STUCK AGAIN. THE CAR STARTED GOING AGAIN, AND SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED THERE WER…

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2006 MAZDA 3 WAS LEAVING A DRIVEWAY AND GOT STUCK IN THE SNOW. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO GET UNSTUCK AND PROCEEDED DOWN THE STREET. THE CAR STOPPED IN BACK OF ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS STOPPED, AND BRIEFLY GOT STUCK AGAIN. THE CAR STARTED GOING AGAIN, AND SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED THERE WERE FLAMES, AND THE ENTIRE ENGINE DEPARTMENT ENDED UP GOING UP IN FLAMES. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. THE CAR ENDED UP (LATER IN JANUARY 2009) AT THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALER, AND ALL THEY CAN SAY IS THEY DON'T KNOW WHY THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAR IS ALL STOCK. I'M CONCERNED THAT THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE, AS IT IS A 2006 MODEL. THIS DOESN'T MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE TO ME. ALSO, I AM MOST CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY BE A SAFETY PROBLEM, AND I BELIEVE MAZDA SHOULD LOOK INTO THE INCIDENT A LITTLE MORE. OVERHEATING, POSSIBLY, BUT NOT AN OUT AND OUT FIRE THAT BURNED AND MELTED ALMOST THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS IS BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF WHAT HAPPENED AND WHERE WE ARE AT NOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10255046

40,000 miles · Jan 8, 2009
StructureSuspension

2006 MAZDA 3 ALIGNMENT ISSUE RUINING NEW TIRES. NOW MAZDA CLAIMS I NEED A $900 FRONT ALIGNMENT REPAIR, BUT CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY????? I'VE GONE THROUGH 2 SETS OF TIRES IN 50,000 MILES??? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10254331

5,000 miles · Jan 5, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA 3. AT 5,000 MILES, THE ENGINE FAILED BECAUSE THE FACTORY FAILED TO PLACE OIL IN THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT NEED AN OIL CHANGE UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 5,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER REPLACED THE ENGINE UNDER THE WARRANTY. HOWEVER, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA 3. AT 5,000 MILES, THE ENGINE FAILED BECAUSE THE FACTORY FAILED TO PLACE OIL IN THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT NEED AN OIL CHANGE UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 5,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER REPLACED THE ENGINE UNDER THE WARRANTY. HOWEVER, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE ENGINE FAILED AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT REPLACE THE ENGINE AGAIN UNDER WARRANTY; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE $7,500 REPAIR COST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 43,600 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.

NHTSA ODI #10253801

Official recalls

1

21V494000 · Air Bags:frontal

Jul 1, 2021

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004-2007 Mazda3 vehicles. During air bag deployment, the plastic emblem on the steering wheel air bag module cover may shatter, and project plastic fragments into the vehicle.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Plastic fragments can hit occupants during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the air bag module cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed between August 28, 2021 and October 28, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4921G.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.