Mazda Mazda3 Complaints (2024)

12 consumer complaints on file.

#11755539August 7, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was denied work on a network issue recall 3 separate times at the dealership I bought the car. The first time I was told it was because of a smell. If I clean the car, they will fix it. I noticed after they were in the car my backup camera didn’t work which I also thought might be a recall but found out it wasnt. I went ahead and cleaned it twice. I came back they alleged it smelled like cat litter and urine. I asked to speak to someone else because there was nothing in my car and I know it didn’t. There were also no stains, mold, anything like that. It smelled of cleaning products. But I took it home and scrubbed extensively even though I was confused by the comment. When I went there it was smelling like lemon. Zero stains, mold, nothing in the car but maybe a little sand and baking soda. The person went as far as to say wow the car is improved said but thry still sorta smell it and there’s stuff on the window (there wasn’t). At that point I knew I was being picked on because either they didn’t know how to fix it or didn’t want to work with me. It felt discriminatory and differential to others. I now have a super clean car but a network issue and no backup camera because of this. They claim now they fixed everything but a non-safety issue but I also still have two errors that say “telematics” and “networking issue have vehicle inspected.” I believe I have rights under NC lemon law as this is within 24 months of purchase with only 4600 miles
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751469July 20, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving on the highway (50mph), the sunroof had shattered unexpectedly. The sunroof itself was not open, but the visor was open so the glass fell into the car, onto the driver, the passenger and into the backseats. The glass shattering sounded like a gunshot which startled us while on the highway, and the broken glass cut the driver.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718990February 19, 2026
POWER TRAIN, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
left-most lane of a three-lane highway, I pressed the accelerator to maintain the flow of traffic. The vehicle suddenly began revving between 4,000–5,000 RPM without increasing speed. When I attempted to accelerate again, the RPM remained around 3,000, and I immediately received multiple warning messages on the dashboard, including: “Skyactiv Partially Disabled” warning Engine Malfunction warning ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) warning light Simultaneously, the vehicle rapidly decelerated from 65 MPH to approximately 55 MPH, creating an extremely hazardous situation and nearly resulting in a collision. I had to carefully maneuver across lanes to reach the shoulder. After shutting the vehicle off and restarting it, the warning lights temporarily cleared; however, the vehicle appeared to be operating in limp mode. I had the car towed home via AAA. After this near-fatal incident, I scanned the vehicle using an OBD2 reader and retrieved diagnostic trouble codes P0780 and P0761, indicating Shift Malfunction and Shift Solenoid 3 Performance issues. To address the issue proactively, I had my mechanic perform two full transmission fluid and filter exchanges on Monday, February 16, 2026, and again on February 18, 2026. Both services included a pan drop, replacement of the transmission filter, use of Mazda OEM transmission fluid (0000A7115QT and FZ01-21-500), and a complete transmission relearn procedure after each service. Despite these efforts, the same codes (P0761 and P0780) reappeared when scanned with a professional-grade diagnostic tool. The battery has been tested and confirmed fully charged. Additionally, my mechanic identified oil leaking from the timing chain cover.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11676800July 28, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Car gives me emergency brake warnings about imminent collision maybe once or twice a week with nothing in front of me what so ever and once even straight up just brought me to a complete halt in the middle of the road with absolutely nothing in the road. The dealership basically told me it was a known issue and that “some models are more sensitive than others” and that they will be doing nothing about it. Different models of Mazda 3s from the same year are currently being investigated for the same recalls. This definitely needs to be addressed before I get into an accident.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11672644July 11, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY, AIR BAGS, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
On July 1, 2025, I was involved in a severe rear-end collision while driving my 2024 Mazda3 manual hatchback. The impact was forceful enough to shatter the rear windshield, leave a deep dent in the tailgate, and bend the trailer hitch mount under the vehicle by several inches. Despite this, none of the airbags deployed, and there were no airbag warning lights before or after the crash. After the incident, I checked my vehicle’s VIN on NHTSA’s recall lookup tool and discovered that Recall 7525E had been issued on June 6, 2025, for a critical airbag sensing system defect (SAS module), which can disable airbag deployment after battery depletion or improper power conditions. According to Mazda and NHTSA documents, this defect can completely disable airbag function, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. As of July 11, 2025, I have not received any recall notice from Mazda by mail, email, phone, or dealer contact—despite being the registered owner. Mazda’s documentation shows that: Dealers were notified as early as June 3, 2025 Owner letters are not scheduled until July 28, 2025 This means that I was driving a defective vehicle without knowledge of a serious safety issue at the time of the crash. I believe that: Mazda failed in its legal obligation to notify me in a timely and adequate manner. The non-deployment of airbags in my crash is consistent with the failure described in Recall 7525E. Other affected Mazda owners may remain unaware and at significant risk. I respectfully request that NHTSA: Investigate whether Recall 7525E was the cause of airbag failure in this incident. Determine whether Mazda’s recall notification practices met regulatory requirements. Ensure immediate outreach to affected owners to prevent further injury or risk. I am also seeking legal counsel due to the serious safety implications and potential liability arising from this defect. I will be retaining all documentation, vehicle records, photos, and post-
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11631734December 20, 2024
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
FRONT AND REAR WINDSHIELDS GET EXCESSIVE CONDENSATION ON THE INSIDE OF WINDOWS OBSTRUCTIING VISIBILITY. CAR TAKEN TO DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE SAME SITUATION. THIS PUTS OTHERS AT RISK BECAUSE THE DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK WELL WHEN THERE IS HEAVY CONDENSATION ON THE INSIDE OF THE WINDOWS. THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE PURCHASE IN 2024.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11626309November 20, 2024
TIRES
215/45R18 89V I bought a new 2024 Mazda 3 sedan Sport for my senior college son on [XXX] in Rockville, Maryland. In the evening of [XXX], during our attending my son's graduation in Nashville, Tennessee, on the highway to hotel, the front right tire was suddenly blowed out (air leaking quickly and completely). There was nothing on the highway, no object and no pothole. The cars in the front of us were just fine. My son only drove several thousand miles. We were very scared and our safety was threatened. My insurance Geico helped us to replace it with spare tire. We went to a local tire store at Nashville to replace the tire with BRI TURANZA EL440, and the new tire cost us $352.01. Our local Mazda dealer at Rockville Maryland asked us to contact Toyo for tire warranty, but nothing happened. We have kept the receipt. By the way, I googled new Mazda3 tire problems, and I found multiple complains on line. Examples [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11625210November 14, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
See attached document for complaint.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11615673September 20, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My Mazda3, odometer reading about 3000 miles, would not start. I have been driving normally daily, do not leave lights on or any other equipment connected when the car is off. I have not had any warning lights displayed other than startup. Monday I drove to my local CT. golf course, 20 miles from home, arrived at 9am. 5 hours later I after golf, I can’t open trunk. Fortunately I left the car unlocked. The car would not start. Road Service tried to jump battery unsuccessfully. Dragged the car onto truck-bed and transports to dealer. Service tech contacts me next day … charged battery, checked electric system and found no malfunctions. This is a scary situation when one never knows when this will happen again. Is there a solution??
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11614900September 16, 2024
STRUCTURE:BODY
Moon roof exploded when not struck with anything
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11583322April 16, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Interior Rattles from passenger side and also infotainment screen is rattling. Should not be happening on a 2024 with only a couple thousand miles on it. Scratches on the interior from basically nothing, everything on this car is very easy to scratch. There was no accident just wanted to file a complaint.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11569891February 5, 2024
LANE DEPARTURE: LANE KEEP: STEERING ASSIST, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER
The contact leased a 2024 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while driving at 55–60 mph, the windshield wipers continued to stay in the on position and failed to turn off. The parking brake engaged without application and turned on and off. All the electrical systems malfunctioned and failed to turn off. The lane assist engaged and forced the vehicle to crash into the side wall. All the instrument cluster warning lights were illuminated. There were no reported injuries. There was no police report filed. There was no air bag deployment or fire. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where the mechanic reset the codes. The mechanic informed the contact that the malfunction may continue while traveling over a bump. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted regarding the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 1,900.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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