Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
160–25K
1225–50K
550–75K
175–100K
0100–150K
0150K+
34 reports with mileage · 49 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.
Electrical System. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Back Over Prevention. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
83 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2022
Service BrakesCrash
CAR WAS PARKED IN A CARPORT ON FLAT GROUND. CAME OUTSIDE CAR WAS GONE .. ROLLED OUT OF THE CARPORT DOWN A 500 FT DRIVEWAY, TURNED INTO THE DRIVEWAY ACROSS THE HIGHWAY INTO A VEHICLE PARKED THERE.. ELECTRONIC BRAKING WAS APPLIED AND STILL ENGAGED.. PARKED THE CAR BACK INTO THE CARPORT AND TRIED PUSHING IT OUT OF THE CARPORT AN…
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CAR WAS PARKED IN A CARPORT ON FLAT GROUND. CAME OUTSIDE CAR WAS GONE .. ROLLED OUT OF THE CARPORT DOWN A 500 FT DRIVEWAY, TURNED INTO THE DRIVEWAY ACROSS THE HIGHWAY INTO A VEHICLE PARKED THERE.. ELECTRONIC BRAKING WAS APPLIED AND STILL ENGAGED.. PARKED THE CAR BACK INTO THE CARPORT AND TRIED PUSHING IT OUT OF THE CARPORT AND WOULDNT BUDGE... MY VEHICLE ROLLED ACROSS A BUSY HIGHWAY AND IF THE LADY DIDNT HAVE A VEHICLE PARKED THERE IT WOULD HAVE WENT INTO THE SIDE OF HER HOUSE...
NHTSA ODI #11446133
40,000 miles · Sep 8, 2021
Electrical System
The contact owns a 2017 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while depressing the brake pedal, the instrument panel display was intermittently inoperable. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the instrument panel to be replaced. The…
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The contact owns a 2017 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while depressing the brake pedal, the instrument panel display was intermittently inoperable. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the instrument panel to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.
NHTSA ODI #11432107
Mileage unknown · Jun 21, 2021
Seats
Power seat sliding mechanism on drivers side when actuating the forward and reverse lever is extremely noisy. The noise started at around 45000 miles when the car was 3 years old. I was able to make the repair myself after finding a tsb on nhtsa.gov. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10143977-9999.pdf. Required part # c…
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Power seat sliding mechanism on drivers side when actuating the forward and reverse lever is extremely noisy. The noise started at around 45000 miles when the car was 3 years old. I was able to make the repair myself after finding a tsb on nhtsa.gov. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2018/MC-10143977-9999.pdf. Required part # can found in this tsb. The original part is defective. Dealer will make the repair for $800 plus. You can do it yourself for $25. The actual repair is extremely simple. Also there is no reason to remove the seat bolts as done in the tsb.
NHTSA ODI #11421735
Mileage unknown · Jun 21, 2021
Service Brakes
52000 miles and warped brake rotors. Car stops fine. No danger just shimmy in steering wheel when stopping. This has happened way too soon. If it’s about Zoom Zoom Zoom then Mazda should be using a better quality rotor. I will be attempting to do the brake repair myself.
NHTSA ODI #11421734
70,000 miles · Mar 7, 2021
Electrical SystemSteering
HORN FAILED INTERMITTENTLY STARTING AFTER ODOMETER HIT 36000 MILES AND WHEN BROUGHT IN FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE IT PASSED ALL CHECKS; MAY 2020 WHILE DRIVING WHEN STEERING WHEEL HORN WAS PRESSED THE HORN SORT OF 'WHINED' IN AUGUST, WHILE DRIVING WHEN HORN WAS PRESSED IT WOULD WHINE AND DONE IT SMELLED LIKE SOMETHING BURNING; NOW…
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HORN FAILED INTERMITTENTLY STARTING AFTER ODOMETER HIT 36000 MILES AND WHEN BROUGHT IN FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE IT PASSED ALL CHECKS; MAY 2020 WHILE DRIVING WHEN STEERING WHEEL HORN WAS PRESSED THE HORN SORT OF 'WHINED' IN AUGUST, WHILE DRIVING WHEN HORN WAS PRESSED IT WOULD WHINE AND DONE IT SMELLED LIKE SOMETHING BURNING; NOW, IF YOU PRESS HORN IT DOESN'T WORK BUT IT SMELLS LIKE LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING LIKE A CIGARETTE SMOLDERING( THERE IS CLEARLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH EUTH THE STEERING OR ELECTRICAL RELAY SOMETIMES . MAZDA WON'T ASSIST WITH THIS ISSUE SAYING NOTHING IS WRONG - THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE CAUSE WITHOUT A HORN A CAR WILL NOT PASS A SAFETY INSPECTION.
NHTSA ODI #11399635
Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2020
Structure
THE PAINT CHIPS VERY EASILY. THE HOOD IS VERY PITTED. TITANIUM FLASH PEARL. THIS PAINT COLOR WAS AN EXTRA COST TOO. SINCE INITIAL OWNERSHIP, IT HAS JUST BECOME SO BAD OVER THE OWNERSHIP PERIOD, THAT I CAN'T TOUCH IT UP ANY MORE. EXTREMELY RELIABLE CAR OTHERWISE. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW.
NHTSA ODI #11366238
35,000 miles · Oct 13, 2020
Suspension
CONTROL ARMS HAVE STARTED LEAKING WHERE THE FRONT BALL JOINTS ARE AND THE WARRANTY DEPARTMENT IS DECLINING TO COVER ANY OF THE COSTS. THEY HAVE BEEN LEAKING SINCE MARCH 2020, RIGHT BEFORE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED TO NOT HAVE FOUND ANYTHING WRONG BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. MY PERSONAL MECHANIC FOUND THEY WERE L…
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CONTROL ARMS HAVE STARTED LEAKING WHERE THE FRONT BALL JOINTS ARE AND THE WARRANTY DEPARTMENT IS DECLINING TO COVER ANY OF THE COSTS. THEY HAVE BEEN LEAKING SINCE MARCH 2020, RIGHT BEFORE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED TO NOT HAVE FOUND ANYTHING WRONG BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. MY PERSONAL MECHANIC FOUND THEY WERE LEAKING THE WEEK BEFORE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED AND SUGGESTED I GO TO THE DEALER. THE CAR MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS AND DIPS. MY CAR IS ONLY AT 42K MILES.
NHTSA ODI #11364219
30,000 miles · Sep 24, 2020
Unknown Or Other
THE BACK-UP CAMERA DOES NOT OPERATE CONSISTENTLY. SOMETIMES IT WILL CONNECT JUST FINE. OTHER TIMES, IT WILL NOT CONNECT AT ALL, SOMETIMES IT WILL CONNECT BUT BE STREAKY AND JUMPY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE BEHIND THE CAR. THIS HAS BEEN ON-GOING FOR SOME TIME.
NHTSA ODI #11360866
Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 2020
Visibility/wiper
I AM CURRENTLY STATIONED OVERSEAS AND CONTACTED MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THE ISSUE. I NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY AND IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A YEAR SINCE I WAS FIRST NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL.
NHTSA ODI #11344263
67,000 miles · Apr 12, 2020
Suspension
DURING INITIAL MOVEMENT OF VEHICLE AFTER STARTING, SUSPENSION MAKES SQUEAKING NOISE, SPECIALLY WHEN WHEELS ARE TURNED COMPLETELY LEFT OR RIGHT. AND YOU CAN HEAR THE RUBBING SQUEAKY NOISE MORE WHEN GOING ON BUMP WITH WHEELS TURN. NOISE GOES AWAY AFTER DRIVING AND WARMED UP. MORE THAN LIKELY UPPER SUSPENSION STRUT BEARING GOING B…
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DURING INITIAL MOVEMENT OF VEHICLE AFTER STARTING, SUSPENSION MAKES SQUEAKING NOISE, SPECIALLY WHEN WHEELS ARE TURNED COMPLETELY LEFT OR RIGHT. AND YOU CAN HEAR THE RUBBING SQUEAKY NOISE MORE WHEN GOING ON BUMP WITH WHEELS TURN. NOISE GOES AWAY AFTER DRIVING AND WARMED UP. MORE THAN LIKELY UPPER SUSPENSION STRUT BEARING GOING BAD PREMATURELY. THIS CAUSES WHEEL ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Mazda3 and 2016-2021 CX-3 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display properly by showing a flickering or distorted image.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display properly can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera, as necessary. In addition, dealers will install a wiring harness fastening seal. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 13, 2023. Final owner letters for affected models and model years in the states of CT, MA, MD, NJ, NY, PA and VA were mailed August 14, 2024. The remaining owner notification letters will be mailed at a future date, anticipated on or before May 1, 2025. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 6023G.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Mazda3 vehicles. A defective windshield wiper relay may cause the windshield wipers to become inoperative, reducing the driver's visibility.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Reduced visibility while driving can increase the risk of crash.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front body control module with a new module which uses an improved wiper relay design, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3219D.
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.
2017 Mazda MAZDA3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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