Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
40–25K
1325–50K
450–75K
775–100K
2100–150K
0150K+
30 reports with mileage · 3 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.
Power Train. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
33 reports
99,500 miles · Apr 13, 2018
Power Train
I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY ROAD DOING 35-40MPH IN 4TH GEAR. I LET OFF THE GAS WHILE IN 4TH AND COASTED TO ABOUT 20MPH THEN SHIFTED TO N AND STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I TRIED TO SHIFT TO 1ST AN THE SHIFTER WENT HALF WAY IN BETWEEN R AND 1ST, SO I SHIFTED BACK TO N AND TRIED 1ST AGAIN. THEN THE WHOLE SHIFTER…
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I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY ROAD DOING 35-40MPH IN 4TH GEAR. I LET OFF THE GAS WHILE IN 4TH AND COASTED TO ABOUT 20MPH THEN SHIFTED TO N AND STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I TRIED TO SHIFT TO 1ST AN THE SHIFTER WENT HALF WAY IN BETWEEN R AND 1ST, SO I SHIFTED BACK TO N AND TRIED 1ST AGAIN. THEN THE WHOLE SHIFTER BROKE OFF AND WAS JUST LAYING THERE. NOW MY CAR IS STUCK IN 3RD GEAR.
NHTSA ODI #11084999
86,234 miles · Dec 21, 2017
Unknown Or Other
I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY IN MOTION WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY SHIFTER BROKE OFF AND I WASN'T ABLE TO MOVE. I HAD TO CALL I TOW
NHTSA ODI #11055920
Mileage unknown · Apr 27, 2017
Unknown Or Other
I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE MY MAZDASPEED 3 SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR TO SECOND GEAR. I SHIFTED INTO THIRD WHERE MY SHIFT BROKE AND REMAINED IN MY HAND. MY CAR STALLED OUT IN 3RD BECAUSE I COULD NOT SHIFT OUT. I TOOK OFF THE PLASTICS COVERING THE SHIFTER AND PULLED THE PLATE BACK INTO NEAUTRAL SO I COULD PUSH MY CAR TO THE LOCAL GAS STAT…
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I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE MY MAZDASPEED 3 SHIFTING FROM 1ST GEAR TO SECOND GEAR. I SHIFTED INTO THIRD WHERE MY SHIFT BROKE AND REMAINED IN MY HAND. MY CAR STALLED OUT IN 3RD BECAUSE I COULD NOT SHIFT OUT. I TOOK OFF THE PLASTICS COVERING THE SHIFTER AND PULLED THE PLATE BACK INTO NEAUTRAL SO I COULD PUSH MY CAR TO THE LOCAL GAS STATION. MY SHIFTER ROD SNAPPED AND THE SPRING CAME OUT.
NHTSA ODI #10981173
43,000 miles · Jun 14, 2016
Power Train
MANUAL SHIFT LEVER CAME DETACHED WHILE DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. CAR STUCK IN 4TH GEAR. I WAS UP SHIFTING WHEN IT HAPPENED.
NHTSA ODI #10874127
86,000 miles · Jul 25, 2015
Power Train
WHILE SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR AT LOW SPEED, THE SHIFTER FOR MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION BROKE OFF IN MY HAND. AFTER COASTING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND REMOVING THE CONSOLE, I DISCOVERED IT SNAPPED IN HALF AT THE LOCATION OF THE RETENTION PIN.
NHTSA ODI #10743456
84,332 miles · Oct 26, 2014
Power Train
AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN I PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. AFTER MAKING THE TURN AND GOING TO PUT THE CAR BACK IN GEAR THE SHIFTER BREAKS AT THE POINT WHERE THE PIN GOES IN ABOVE THE BALL. I DO NOT TRACK MY CAR NOR SHIFT HARD EVER. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10650101
82,000 miles · Oct 5, 2014
Power Train
THE SHIFT LEVER COMPLETE BROKE OFF AND NO LONGER HAD ANY AFFECT ON ENGAGING ANY OF THE GEARS. I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND IT BROKE WHEN I TRIED TO ENGAGE 1ST GEAR OUT OF NEUTRAL. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO FEEL FOR THE SHIFT CABLE MECHANISM THROUGH THE LEATHER SHIFTER BOOT AND ENGAGE 3RD GEAR. LIMPED HOME IN 3RD. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10641487
42,000 miles · Sep 26, 2014
Power Train
I HAVE A 2008 MAZDASPEED 3 WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON 9/9/2014, THE STEEL ROD THAT THE SHIFTER KNOB IS ATTACHED TO SHEARED OFF SUDDENLY WHILE I WAS SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND. THIS LEFT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND I HAD NO POWER SINCE I COULDN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SI…
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I HAVE A 2008 MAZDASPEED 3 WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON 9/9/2014, THE STEEL ROD THAT THE SHIFTER KNOB IS ATTACHED TO SHEARED OFF SUDDENLY WHILE I WAS SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND. THIS LEFT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND I HAD NO POWER SINCE I COULDN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE I WAS TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. LUCKILY, I AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT AND COASTED TO A STOP. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED HOME. THE STEEL SHAFT SEPARATED COMPLETELY IN TWO WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE BREAK OCCURRED RIGHT WHERE THE SHAFT HAS A HOLE DRILLED THROUGH IT FOR THE METAL PIN THAT LOCKS IT INTO THE LOWER PART OF THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY. I HAVE SAVED THE BROKEN PART AND I ALSO TOOK PHOTOS OF IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS PART, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SERIOUS DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS OF SIMILAR SHIFTER FAILURES FOR THIS YEAR/MODEL CAR ON INTERNET FORUMS. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO A MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE VIA MAZDA'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE HOTLINE ON 9/9. I EMAILED THEM A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM AND SENT PHOTOS OF THE PART. I ALSO SHOWED THE PART TO MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP, LEE JOHNSON MAZDA IN KIRKLAND, WA AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE PART SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED IN THIS FASHION. I HAVE MADE REPEATED FOLLOW UP CALLS TO THE MAZDA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE HOTLINE AND ON 9/26 THEY HAVE INFORMED ME THAT MAZDA WILL NOT INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE AND IS NOT INTERESTED IN EXAMINING THE FAILED PART. THE CASE FILE NUMBER THEY GAVE ME IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
NHTSA ODI #10639364
73,000 miles · Aug 11, 2014
Power Train
WHILE SHIFTING FROM 2ND GEAR TO 3RD GEAR, SHIFTER LEVER SHEARED, AND DETACHED, AT THE RETAINING PIN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10621571
58,900 miles · Apr 5, 2014
Power Train
STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT, I ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT IN TO FIRST GEAR. WHILE SHIFTING, THE TRANSMISSION SELECT LEVER SHEERED AT THE INSERTION POINT TO THE TRANSMISSION AT THE RETENTION PIN. I WAS LEFT WITH A STICK SHIFT THAT WAS COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE CAR AND IMMOBILE. *TR
MAZDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 MAZDA3 AND MAZDASPEED3 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 7, 2008, THROUGH NOVEMBER 28, 2008. THE GROUND TERMINAL OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN INADVERTENTLY BENT DURING ASSEMBLY. IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS THEN OVER TIME THE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF THE MOTOR CIRCUIT MAY INCREASE UP TO A POINT THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION IN ADVERSE WEATHER COULD POTENTIALLY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL GROUND HARNESS ON THE WIPER MOTOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JULY 15, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-222-5500.
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.
2008 Mazda MAZDASPEED3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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