IllustrationTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA MPV. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERYTIME THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED IN 2004 AND THE REPAIR WAS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE HAD REOCCURED. HE WAS UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE EXACT MILEAGE ON HIS VEHICLE.
2003 Mazda Mpv
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Mpv years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Mazda Mpv are substantially higher than the model-year median of 36.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Mpv years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
330–25K
1725–50K
1650–75K
675–100K
14100–150K
2150K+
88 reports with mileage · 25 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 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports2 fire reports15 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
5 reports1 MONTH AGO (4/10/06) I EXPERIENCED THE FIRST OF MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES. WHILE DRIVING AT ONLY 30 MPH MY VEHICLE'S RPM GAUGE WENT UP TO 4.5 ON THE SCALE AND STAYED THAT WAY FOR 15 MINUTES. PRODUCING THE SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER OR METAL. CARS AND TRACTOR TRAILERS WERE APPROACHING ME FASTER THAN I COULD MOVE TO GET OUT OF…
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1 MONTH AGO (4/10/06) I EXPERIENCED THE FIRST OF MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES. WHILE DRIVING AT ONLY 30 MPH MY VEHICLE'S RPM GAUGE WENT UP TO 4.5 ON THE SCALE AND STAYED THAT WAY FOR 15 MINUTES. PRODUCING THE SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER OR METAL. CARS AND TRACTOR TRAILERS WERE APPROACHING ME FASTER THAN I COULD MOVE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. MANY TIMES I CAN SIT IDLE AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKES STICK SO MUCH THAT I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO APPLY THEM IN ORDER TO STOP. THE CAR ABRUPTLY STOPS WHEN I RELEASE PRESSURE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT WAS SUGGESTED BY A CERTIFIED MAZDA TECHNICIAN THAT I MUST HAVE MY CALIPERS REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE LOCKING. AND SO I DID ON 5/8. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ONE WEEK, THE VERY SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. ON 5/16 MY CAR WAS REPAIRED BY THE SAME TECHNICIAN WHO SAID THAT WE MUST REPLACE THE BRAKE LINES BECAUSE THEY COULD HAVE COLLAPSED. AND SO I DID ON 5/22. BEFORE DRIVING OFF, I TEST DROVE THE CAR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN FIXED. LITTLE TO MY SURPRISE TWO SHORT DAYS LATER ON 5/24 AT 11:00 PM ON BLADENSBURG ROAD AND NEW YORK AVENUE IN WASHINGTON, DC MY CARS' SPEED WAS REDUCED TO 15 MPH WITH AN RPM READING OF 5! THIS SCARED ME AS IT WAS LATE AND I WAS IN A NOT SO DESIRABLE NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG WITH MY MOTHER WHO WALKS WITH A CANE AND I AM 3 MONTHS PREGNANT. DRIVERS WERE BLOWING THEIR HORNS AND YELLING OBSCENITIES TO US TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. FINALLY I REACHED AN AREA WHERE THERE WAS A SHOULDER TO PULL OFF ON. I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY FOR EMERGENCY ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE AND IT TOOK 1 1/2 HOURS & $125.00 CASH FOR AN EMERGENCY TOW VEHICLE TO COME PICK US UP. IN SUMMARY, I HAVE RECEIVED NEW BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN SERVICED. I'VE HAD MULTIPLE DAYS OFF OF WORK AND A TREMENDOUS DENT IN MY PURSE. I WAS TOLD MY CAR DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THIS RECALL. I AM IN DESPERATE NEED OF SOME SORT OF ASSISTANCE. IS THERE ANYTHING NHTSA CAN DO??*JB
BAD VIBRATION CAUSED BY THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS BEING OUT OF ROUND. DEALER RESURFACED ROTORS TWO TIMES AND NOW NEEDS RESURFACING A THIRD TIME. THE MPV ONLY HAS 31,000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AT APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10,000 MILES. IT IS A 2003 PURCHASED NEW IN 2004. THE TIRES …
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BAD VIBRATION CAUSED BY THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS BEING OUT OF ROUND. DEALER RESURFACED ROTORS TWO TIMES AND NOW NEEDS RESURFACING A THIRD TIME. THE MPV ONLY HAS 31,000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AT APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10,000 MILES. IT IS A 2003 PURCHASED NEW IN 2004. THE TIRES ARE WEARING IN THE FRONT DUE TO THE ALIGNMENT TO THE POINT OF NEEDING REPLACED. THE ALIGNMENT SHOULD NOT OF GONE BAD IN THIS SHORT OF TIME. *JB
THE REAR BRAKES SQUEAKED VERY LOUDLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THE CONSUMER HAD THE BRAKES INSPECTED BY THE DEALER THREE TIMES BUT THE DEALER HAS NOYT BEEN ABLE TO FIND OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK *NLM
BRAKES REAR- SQUEAK FREQUENTLY WHEN STOPPING. ALREADY SERVICED ONCE, SQUEEKED ON THE WAY HOME. DUE FOR 2ND SERVICE. OCCURS ON MOST EVERY STOP, NEAR THE END OF THE STOP.
Official recalls
404V282000 · Equipment:other:labels
Jun 10, 2004
THE TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE INDICATED ON THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL IS NOT CORRECT. THE LABELS SHOW THE MAXIMUM TIRE PRESSURE AS 240 KPA/32 PSI WHEN IT SHOULD BE SHOWN AS 240 KPA/35 PSI. AS A RESULT OF THIS ERROR, THE LOAD RATIOS FOR THE 205/65R15 94H AND THE 215/60R16 95H TIRES EXCEED THE LEVELS PERMITTED BY FMVSS 120.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE TIRE IS OPERATED IN AN UNDER-INFLATED CONDITION, THE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE VEHICLE MAY BE COMPROMISED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECTED LABEL THAT THEY CAN APPLY TO THEIR VEHICLE, OR THEY CAN HAVE A DEALER INSTALL THE LABEL, IF DESIRED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500, OPTION #4.
04V109000 · Equipment:other:labels
Mar 9, 2004
CERTAIN MINIVANS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH AIR BAG WARNING LABELS INTENDED FOR THE CANADIAN MARKET. THUS, THE LABELS CONTAIN WARNINGS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND FRENCH. AS A RESULT, THE AREA OF THE ENGLISH WARNING IS ONLY 16 SQUARE CENTIMETERS, AS OPPOSED TO THE 30 SQUARE CENTIMETERS REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AIR BAG CAUTION LABELS AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS WHICH WERE MAILED ON JULY 22, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
03V206000 · Exterior Lighting:fog Lights
Jun 5, 2003
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE SOCKET HOLDER IN THE FOG LIGHTS IS INSTALLED IN THE LAMP CASING USING PRESSURE. DURING OPERATION OF THE FOG LIGHT, THE HEAT FROM THE BULB CAN EXPAND THE SOCKET HOLDER. THE EXPANSION CAN FORCE THE SOCKET HOLDER REARWARD. AFTER REPEATEDLY BEING SUBJECT TO THIS EXPANSION, IF THE FOG LIGHT IS ALSO SUBJECTED TO VIBRATION DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE SOCKET HOLDER WITH THE BULB HOLDER AND THE WIRING HARNESS MAY SEPARATE FROM THE FOG LIGHT CASING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE BULB SOCKET AND THE HARNESS CAN DROP INSIDE THE BUMPER AND POSSIBLY BUT RARELY, THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE BULB CAN CAUSE THE BUMPER TO BURN.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING TO PREVENT THE SOCKET HOLDER FROM SEPARATING FROM THE LAMP CASE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JULY 14, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
03V053000 · Exterior Lighting:fog Lights
Feb 13, 2003
ON CERTAIN MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH FRONT FOG LIGHTS,THE FOG LIGHT BULB SOCKET MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IMPROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO BE USED WITH THIS CONDITION, THE BULB SOCKET AND THE WIRING HARNESS MAY SEPARATE FROM THE FOG LIGHT HOUSING IF EXPOSED TO SHOCK AND/OR VIBRATION AND DROP INSIDE THE BUMPER. SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE OPERATION OF THE FOG LIGHT MAY THEN CAUSE THE BUMPER TO BURN.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE INSTALLATION CONDITION OF THE FOG LIGHT BULB ASSEMBLY, AND REPAIR IT WHEN NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 31, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.