Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2008 record →
TAIL-LIGHTS OVERHEAT CAUSING THE TAILLIGHTS TO GO OUT AND MELTING SOCKETS AND RED LENSES. REPLACED SOCKET ASSEMBLIES (OEM) AND BULBS (OEM), THEN HAD TO REPLACE LENS ASSEMBLIES BECAUSE WHITE LIGHT COMES OUT INSTEAD OF RED. ABOUT 3-YEAR LATER THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING (TAILLIGHT OUT INTERMITTENTLY, SOCKET MELTED, AND SENSE STARTING TO MELT.)
MY LEFT REAR TAIL RED TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT. I TRIED TO CHANGE IT BUT IT HAS MELTED TO THE WIRES AND THE LIGHT HOUSING. I AM UNABLE TO CHANGE IT. I AM AFRAID THIS MELTING IS A DANGEROUS ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER MAZDA OWNERS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. OTHERS EVEN HAVE BOTH SIDES MELTING THE REAR LIGHTS. I CANNOT EVEN CHANGE THE BULB NOW. THIS CAN BE A DANGER BECAUSE I CANNOT USE MY LEFT TAIL LIGHT OR LEFT REAR SIGNAL. THIS COULD CAUSE SOMEONE TO CRASH INTO ME NOT KNOWING I AM SLOWING DOWN FOR A LEFT TURN.
ON MY MAZDA3 I HAVE NOTICED THAT DRIVING AT NIGHT HAS BECOME MORE DIFFICULT DUE THE HEAD LIGHTS WERE NOT SHINING BRIGHT ENOUGH. I NOTICED NOW DURING THE DAY TIME THAT THE HEAD LIGHT CLEAR COVERS ARE CORRODED. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE IS CONDENSATION INSIDE THE HEAD LIGHT COVER HOUSING AND IT HAS CORRODED THE LIGHT COVERS. IT REDUCES VISIBILITY THAT CAN CAUSE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS AT NIGHT. I;M AFRAID I COULD HIT SOMETHING OR SOMEONE NOT BEING ABLE TO FULLY SEE THEM.
A COLLISION ACCIDENT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED OUT OF CONTROL AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE VALVE STEM FAILED AND CAUSED THE TIRE TO BECOME DEFLATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED, BUT THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
THE CAR WILL NOT GO ABOVE THIRD GEAR AND SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHILE ON HIGHWAY AND SECONDARY ROADS.
CAR ACCIDENT GOING AROUND 60MPH ON A HIGHWAY, HIT GUARDRAIL HEAD ON DUE TO BLACK ICE AND RAIN, SPINNING TWICE HITTING GUARDRAILS AGAIN FRONT AND BACK MULTIPLE TIMES, NOT A SINGLE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THANK GOODNESS FOR THE SEATBELT AS I'M SURE DEATH WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IF THAT FAILED TOO. GOING THROUGH THE INSURANCE PROCESS NOW AND WILL HAVE MORE PICTURES AND POLICE REPORT IN HAND SHORTLY. I THOUGHT MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE IN A SAFE CAR... I GUESS NOT.
CAR WAS VIBRATING A LOT WHEN IN GEAR AND HOLDING BRAKES REPLACED MOTOR MOUNTS AND THROTTLE BODY TO FIX ISSUE. ALSO WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND SPEEDING BACK UP THE TRANSMISSION GRINDS WHEN DOWN SHIFTING. FEELS LIKE IT IS SLIPPING AND IS NOT SAFE IF YOU ARE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN THE CITY AND WANT TO SWITCH LANES AND SPEED UP I'M AFRAID ONE DAY I'M GOING TO SWITCH LANES HIT THE GAS AND THE TRANSMISSION WILL FAIL. THE CARMAX I GOT THE CAR FROM INSISTS IT IS JUST A TRANSMISSION "SHUTTER" AND IT HAPPENS WITH CERTAIN CARS. I WILL BE GETTING A SECOND OPINION FROM AN ASE CERTIFIED TRANSMISSION SHOP. DEALERSHIP MADE ME THINK IT WAS BRAKE PADS AT FIRST I PAID $300 TO HAVE PERFECTLY GOOD PADS REPLACED WITH NEW ONES TO HAVE THE PROBLEM NOT FIXED. I AM EXTREMELY IRRITATED WITH DEALERSHIP TRYING TO GET AROUND FIXING THE CAR. OTHER THAN THOSE 2 PROBLEMS THE CAR IS GREAT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SPUTTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS SEIZED INTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STEERING HAD EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT, WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,352.
AIR BAG LIGHT INSIDE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WON'T COME OFF.
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON THE HIGHWAY AS I WAS CURVING TO THE RIGHT. CAUSED MY CAR TO VEER OFF THE ROAD AND RAN ALONG A RAIL UNTIL THE I BRAKED THE CAR. I COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. LAST YEAR I HAD THE MAZDA SERVICED WHICH THEY HAD FIXED THE RECALL SUPPOSEDLY. BUT THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAPPENED. I MAY NOT BE LUCKY THE NEXT TIME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE UPPER CROSS MEMBER WAS FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VEER TO THE RIGHT CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A FENCE AND THE MILE MARKER. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
IN THE SUMMER OF 2014, I WAS TRAVELING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY GOING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH. MY TIRE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AND, WITHIN JUST A FEW MILES, MY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GUIDE MY CAR TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT HAVING AN ACCIDENT. UPON EXITING MY CAR AND LOOKING AT MY TIRE, I NOTICED THE AREA AROUND MY VALVE STEM WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. HOW I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT IS AN ABSOLUTE MIRACLE. ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2015, MY TIRE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON. KNOWING I WOULD BE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 150 ON THAT SATURDAY, I CHECKED MY TIRE PRESSURE TO SEE MY FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE WAS DOWN APPROXIMATELY 5 PSI FROM THE RECOMMENDED 32 PSI. I PUT AIR IN MY TIRE FRIDAY NIGHT AND WENT AWAY ON SATURDAY. ON MY MORE THAN 1 HOUR DRIVE, MY TIRE SENSOR CAME BACK ON. I STOPPED AT A GAS STATION TO FIND MY TIRE PSI WAS IN THE TEENS. I FELT ALL AROUND MY TIRE BUT FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I FILLED MY TIRE BACK UP TO 32 PSI AND CONTINUED ON MY WAY. SHORTLY AFTER, MY TIRE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON YET AGAIN. WHEN I STOPPED AT THE NEXT GAS STATION TO PUT MORE AIR IN IT, I NOTICED THE AREA AROUND MY VALVE STEM WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. IT WAS SO CORRODED I COULD MOVE THE VALVE STEM AND ALLOW LARGE AMOUNTS OF AIR TO COME OUT. I ULTIMATELY WAS ABLE TO PUT ON MY SPARE TIRE BUT AM NOW LOOKING AT A MORE THAN $200 VALVE STEM/SENSOR REPLACEMENT PER A PHONE QUOTE FROM MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP. AS I SPOKE TO DIFFERENT MECHANICS, THEY ALL SEEM TO BE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM SO IT'S A BIT FR
ON ABOUT JULY 16, 2015 THE POWER STEERING FAILED MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULTY TO STEER VEHICLE. I CALLED MAZDA DEALER TO EXPLAIN FAILURE AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD REPAIR UNDER RECALL. THEY SAID MAZDA WOULD ONLY HONOR RECALL REPAIR ONCE. I DO NOT BELIEVE MAZDA REPAIRED THE ISSUE. I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO PROVIDE A FIX THAT PREVENTS THIS FAILURE FROM REOCCURRING. NOTE: ON 1/27/2011 I HAD TAKEN VEHICLE IN AFTER RECEIVING RECALL NOTICE REGARDING POWER STEERING. VEHICLE POWER STEERING WAS REPAIRED BY BYERS MAZDA IN COLUMBUS OHIO AND ROAD TESTED TO CONFIRM REPAIRS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V374000 (STEERING). THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND FLUID LINES FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. UPDATED 09/09/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. THE MANUFACTURER PAID FOR THE PARTS AND THE CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPAIR. UPDATED 12/10/15*JS
THE STEERING HAS LOCKED UP ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS RENDERING THE CAR TOTALLY DISABLED AND UNABLE TO BE CONTROLLED. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS CHANGED SOME MONTHS AGO BUT THE STEERING LOCK UP HAPPENED AGAIN IN MAY OF 2014 AFTER THAT FIX. WE WERE TOLD THE POWER STEERING FIX SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT.
I WAS DRIVING WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT NOTICE I LOST ALL CONTROL OVER THE ENGINE. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR DOWN DID NOT CHANGE THE ENGINE SPEED. THE ENGINE WOULD ONLY IDLE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT A BAD CONNECTION OCCURRED BETWEEN THE WIRING AND THE ?PCM? MODULE. IF THIS HAD OCCURRED WHILE PASSING OR WHILE EXECUTING A LEFT TURN, A SERIOUS OR EVEN FATAL ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. MA 10/22/2015
TPMS VALVE STEM BROKE WHILE WE WERE SERVICING A VEHICLE. ..UPDATED 10/02/15*BF UPDATED 12/28/2015*JS
WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE VALVE STEM COVER THE VALVE STEM CRACKED AND CAME APART. I HAD TO HAVE THE COMPLETE TPMS VALVE REPLACED. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE OTHER VALVE STEMS LOOKED IN THE SAME CONDITION. THE MAZDA DEALER SAID THAT THIS WAS JUST AGING AND THAT THE REST WERE O.K. I AM NOT SURE IF THEY ARE. I SAID THAT THE STEMS SHOULD NOT CRACK JUST BY REMOVING THE COVER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ATV AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE STILL ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE JERKED WHILE DRIVING AND ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HOUSING ROD WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.
EVER SINCE I BROUGHT THIS CAR IM HAVING ISSUES WITH MY HEADLAMPS. I HAD REPLACED HEADLIGHT BULBS ATLEAST 15 TIMES. LAMPS WILL LAST ROUGHLY 3 TO 6 MONTHS AND THEN BURNOUT. I COMPLAINED MANY TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE NO ANSWER TO THE ROOT CAUSE OTHER THAN SIMPLY CHANGING THE BULBS. I SUSPECT THERE MIGHT BE AN ISSUE IN WIRING. MANY 2008 MAZDA 3 OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING SIMILAR ISSUES ON-LINE AND WEBSITES.
ON 04/01/2015 WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY AT ABOUT 25 MPH THE TRANSMISSION WENT FROM 4 TO 1, AND THE CAR JERKED REALLY HARD. AT LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER PULLING OVER AND TURNING THE CAR OFF AND WAITING A COUPLE OF MINUTES, AT LIGHT WENT AWAY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. THE SAME HAPPENED IN TWO DAYS, THEN IN 5 DAYS WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY WITH SPEED 65 MPH - THE CAR JERKED AND BUCKED AT FULL SPEED, AT LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, TRANSMISSION WENT FROM 5 TO 1 TO 3, TACHOMETER WENT FROM 2500 RPM TO OVER 4000 RPM - THANKFULLY I DID NOT HIT ANYONE AND I WASN'T HIT BY OTHER CARS WHEN THAT HAPPENED (I WAS VERY SCARED!). I GOT THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND AFTER TWO DAYS OF DIAGNOSTICS THE ANSWER - TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM) IS BAD. I DID RESEARCH ONLINE - VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH CARS OF THIS MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. DEALER CAN NOT FIX IT BECAUSE TCM IS ON NATIONWIDE BACK ORDER! I HAVE NO CAR FOR A WEEK NOW AND IT COULD BE A MONTH WHEN THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. THIS KIND OF PROBLEM WORTH OF A RECALL DUE TO THE SAFETY CONCERNS AND THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT - OVER $1000 INCLUDING DIAGNOSTICS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO TURN THE VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
THE RIGHT FONT ENGINE MOUNT HAS BROKE. THIS WAS A RECALL ON THE 2006 MODEL MAZDA 3 BUT IT APPEARS THAT MAZDA HAS CONTINUED TO USE THE RECALLED PAT O LATE MODELS OF VARIOUS MODELS. *TR
WHEN I BRAKE, THE ROTOR SEPARATED INTO TWO PIECES EFFECTIVELY REMOVING MY FRONT BRAKES. UPON INSPECTION OF THE ROTOR, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY PREFERENTIALLY RUSTED AT THE INTERFACE BETWEEN THE ROTOR BODY AND WHERE THE BRAKE PADS GRAB. IT SEEMED STRANGE, LIKE A DEFECT AND NO ONE I TALKED TO HAD EVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. MAY HAVE JUST BEEN A FREAK THING BUT FIGURED I WOULD REPORT IT BECAUSE THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE IF I WAS ON A HIGHWAY. *TR
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, DIAGNOSTIC SHOWED THAT THE AIR BAG IS FAULTED. *TR
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON 12/13/14, CAR WOULDN'T START 12/14/14, HAD TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP 12/15/14 AND WAS TOLD ENGINE WAS FLOODED BECAUSE THE CAR COULDN'T METER AIR CORRECTLY AND OVER FUELED THE CAR. SPARK PLUGS, AIR FILTER AND THROTTLE BODY WERE ALL GUMMED UP AND DIRTY DUE TO THIS. REPAIR SHOP CHECKED THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN RELATING TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A A KNOWN ISSUE. THEY HAD TO MODIFY A BRACKET AND SPLICE IN NEW WIRE WHERE IT WAS RUBBED THROUGH BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT. IF THIS IS TRULY A COMMON DEFECT MAZDA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON IT AND REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD TO HAVE IT FIXED. *TR
THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS I HAVE HAD THE TPMS SENSORS BREAK OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING THE TIRE TO RUN FLAT INSTANTLY POSING A SAFETY THREAT. EACH TIME I TAKE THE TIRE TO THE SHOP AND NOBODY CAN FIND ANYTHING IN THE TIRE AND THE CONCLUSION IS THAT THE TPMS WAS BRITTLE AND BROKE OFF. I AM NOW UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING MY MAZDA 3 BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN MY TIRE IS GOING TO BLOW -- NOT TO MENTION I'VE HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE PERFECTLY GOOD TIRES EVERY TIME ONE OF THE TPMS GO BAD. *JS
ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VALVE STEMS THAT CONTAINED THE TPMS (TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM) SENSORS BECAME CORRODED AND FELL APART. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WENT TO FILL TIRES WITH AIR BECAUSE THEY APPEARED TO HAVE LOW AIR PRESSURE. EACH TIME, AS SOON AS I APPLIED SLIGHT PRESSURE FROM THE AIR HOSE TO THE VALVE STEM, THE VALVE STEM DISINTEGRATED AND WAS PUSHED INSIDE THE TIRE. IT TOOK VERY LITTLE PRESSURE TO PUSH THE STEM INSIDE THE TIRE. THE TIRE THEN IMMEDIATELY DEFLATED BECAUSE AIR ESCAPED THROUGH THE OPEN HOLE. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS STATIONARY (BECAUSE I WAS FILLING THE TIRE WITH AIR). BUT, JUDGING FROM THE FACT THAT ONLY A SLIGHT AMOUNT OF PRESSURE WAS NEEDED TO PUSH THE VALVE STEM INTO THE TIRE, I BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED VERY EASILY WHILE IN MOTION AT ANY SPEED. I FEEL THAT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT I WAS NOT WARNED ABOUT AT ANY POINT AND, AFTER TELLING THE COMPANY ABOUT IT, I FEEL THAT MY CONCERNS WERE NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY. *JS
THE TIRE VALVE STEM CRACKED WHILE CHECKING AIR PRESSURE ON ONE OF THE TIRES. AFTER THAT THE OTHER STEMS LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE READY TO FAIL. HAD THEM ALL REPLACED. *TR
2008 MAZDA 3 WAS STRUCK WHILE PARKED. MONTHS LATER AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND REPEATEDLY WENT TO THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE ISSUE. LAST ENCOUNTER WITH DEALERSHIP(OCT 2014), THEY CHECKED THE AIR BAG AND CONCLUDED IT WAS NOT A RECALL ISSUE, AND STATED THE PROBLEM STEMS FROM AUTO ACCIDENT. COMPLAINED TO MY INSURANCE CO AND RE-OPENED CLAIM. THE INSURANCE COMPANY(NOV 2014) CONCLUDED FROM WHERE THE CAR WAS IMPACTED ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE, THE AIR BAG IS NOT THEIR ISSUE AND DID NOT STEM FROM CAUSE OF IMPACT. AIR BAG MODULE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND ADDRESSED WITH MAZDA CO. WITH ALL THESE DEVELOPMENTS WITH FAULTY AIR BAGS MADE BY TAKATA(COMPANY WHOM MAKE AIRBAGS), SOMETHING IS TOTALLY WRONG. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. *TR
THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I STOPPED TO FILL MY TIRES, THE FORCE OF THE AIR HOSE BLEW THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR INTO MY TIRE. I HAD TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE OTHER 3 SENSORS WERE CLOSE TO WEARING THROUGH AS WELL. *TR
VIBRATION AT 55-63 MPH. TIRES WEARING ON INSIDE IN DIAGONAL PATTERN ON FRONT. WORN COMPLETELY TO THE CORE. THIRD SET OF TIRES. *TR
FEBRUARY 2014 1ST VALVE STEM AND SENSOR BROKE. THIS WEEK 2ND AND 3RD VALVE STEM AND SENSORS BROKE. $90-100 EACH TO FIX. RUINED ONE TIRE AND CAUSED SUDDEN FLAT WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN ACCIDENT. *TR
TAIL/BRAKE LIGHT LENSES MELTED. ORIGINAL PARTS,REPLACED THE WHOLE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND BULBS IN JUNE 2014 AND I NOTICED IN AUGUST 2014 THE TAIL LIGHT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WAS OUT. THE LENSES MELTED AGAIN, THE BULBS WERE 7443 .RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS PROBLEM ON NUMEROUS POSTS MAINLY WITH THE MAZDA 3 HATCHBACK WHICH IS WHAT I HAVE. CALLED THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM. SOUNDS LIKE A FIRE HAZARD. HAVE YOU HAD ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS? *TR
TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR MODULES HAVE BEEN FAILING REPEATEDLY. NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES, BUT THESE THINGS ARE MADE OF CERAMIC (APPARENTLY), GET FULL OF SALT AND/OR OTHER ROAD DETRITUS, AND THEN FALL APART, CAUSING A FLAT TIRE PLUS ADDITIONAL EXPENSE TO REPLACE THE FANCY THINGS. INSTEAD OF REPORTING A PROBLEM, WHICH IS SUPPOSEDLY WHAT THEY ARE FOR, THEY ARE THE PROBLEM. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THREE SO FAR; I'VE TAKEN TO BUYING THEM ONLINE IN MULTIPLES; GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT A DEALERSHIP WOULD CHARGE ME FOR ONE PLUS THE INSTALLATION. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE RUINATION OF MY VERY NICE TIRES, AS I NEVER KNOW WHEN ONE IS GOING TO FAIL AGAIN, BUT IT'S A LEAD PIPE CERTAINTY THAT THIS IS GOING TO CONTINUE. I'M CONSIDERING SIMPLY REPLACING THEM AS THEY FAIL WITH ORDINARY VALVE STEMS, AND COVERING THE DASHBOARD LIGHT WITH A BIT OF ELECTRICIANS' TAPE. NOT QUITE THE INTENDED OUTCOME, I'M THINKING..... *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH WHEN MY TIRE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY MY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE GOING COMPLETELY FLAT. LUCKILY THERE WAS NOBODY TOO CLOSE TO ME, SO THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT WHEN I SWERVED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I CHANGED MY TIRE AND MADE IT TO A SERVICE CENTER WHERE I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS MY TPMS AND VALVE STEM ASSEMBLY THAT HAD CORRODED AND FAILED, CAUSING MY TIRE TO IMMEDIATELY GO FLAT. NOT ONLY DID I HAVE TO PAY TO INSTALL A NEW TIRE ($300) I HAD TO REPLACE THE DESTROYED TPMS SENSOR AND REPLACE ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS ALSO CORRODING. ($100 EA). THE ENTIRE INCIDENT COST ME ABOUT $500 DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW FROM MAZDA THAT I HAVE NO POWER TO AVOID. THE ISSUE IS THAT IT IS ILLEGAL TO REMOVE OR NOT HAVE THE SENSORS RE-INSTALLED, AS THEY ARE A SAFETY FEATURE. THE IRONY IS THAT I HAVE TO PAY $100 EACH TO INSTALL A COMPONENT THAT CAUSES ONE OF MY TIRES TO IMMEDIATELY DEFLATE RANDOMLY IN THE NEXT 3-5 YEARS, DEPENDING ON WHEN IT CORRODES AGAIN. IT IS INFURIATING THAT I HAVE TO INSTALL A "SAFETY FEATURE" THAT WILL RANDOMLY CAUSE ME TO LOSE CONTROL OVER MY CAR IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, I WILL BE FORCED TO DRIVE WITH A COMPONENT THAT, OVER TIME, WILL CORRODE AND FAIL, CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR, THEN RE-INSTALL THE EXACT FAULTY COMPONENT. THE SENSOR / VALVE ASSEMBLY SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN MADE OF A MATERIAL THAT IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION IN THE FIRST PLACE. I WAS LUCKY THIS TIME THAT THIS DIDN'T
MY BOYFRIEND WAS IN A ROLL OVER ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIRBAG SENSORS WERE COMPLETELY RIPPED OFF ALONG WITH THE BUMPER AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK UP UNTIL HE CAME TO A STOP. *TR
TPMS VALVE STEM BROKE WHILE CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE. TOOK VEHICLE TO TIRE DEALER AND FOUND THAT 3 TPMS SENSORS HAD CRACKS IN VALVE STEMS. *TR
MY TAIL LIGHTS HAVE MELTED THE RED PLASTIC COVER SEVERELY IN BOTH LIGHTS. MY FRIEND DRIVING BEHIND ME THOUGHT MY REVERSE LIGHTS WERE ON EVERY TIME I BRAKED. MY LIGHTS WERE THE ORIGINAL BULBS AND NOT AFTERMARKET. I DID NOT NOTICE THE MELTING UNTIL AUGUST 2014. *TR
COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE ON WELL MAINTAINED MAZDA 3I AT 75000 MILES. TRAVELING ON FREEWAY IN SLOWEST LANE OF TRAFFIC, FIRST HEARD A CLICKING NOISE AND ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. CAR SEEMED TO BE LOSING POWER. CALLED AAA ROADSIDE HELP, WHO CHECKED THE CAR AND DETERMINED IT WAS OK AND COULD BE DRIVEN HOME, ABOUT 10 MILES AWAY. PROCEEDED TO DRIVE HOME, 5 MILES INTO TRIP BEGAN LOSING POWER, CLICKING NOISE RETURNED SO I PULLED OVER TO SHOULDER AS CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER, ENGINE OVERHEATED. PROGNOSIS: TIMING CHAIN BROKE, ENGINE OVERHEATED AND THIS CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. FINDING NOW THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE WITH MAZDA ENGINES. THIS COMPANY IS A FRAUD, AND PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE IN DANGER AS THE RESULT. NEVER AGAIN WILL I HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH MAZDA CARS. *TR
TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA3. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY SEIZED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE SPUN AND CRASHED INTO A GUARD RAIL. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM BY AMBULANCE AND WAS TREATED FOR BRUISING, WHIPLASH, ACUTE NECK, BACK, SHOULDER, AND LEG TRAUMAS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V374000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
I WAS INFORMED BY MY FRIEND DRIVING IN BACK OF ME THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS SEEMED TO BE MELTING AWAY, I LOOKED AT THE LIGHT AND REALIZED IT WAS THE LIGHT BULB MELTING THE COVER FOR THE BRAKE. I ASKED MAZDA WHAT WAS THE REASON BUT THEY DIDN'T LOOK INTO IT AND JUST ADVISED ME THE AMOUNT I WOULD NEED TO HAVE THIS FIXED BUT BECAUSE THEY ADVISED ME THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS DAMAGE THAT LOOKS LIKE A MANUFACTURER DAMAGE, I JUST LEFT IT ALONE UNTIL THE LIGHT BULB WENT OUT AND I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO REPLACE IT NOT TO GET HURT FROM IT. AS 1 MONTH PASSED, I REALIZED THAT THE COVER WAS MELTING AWAY AND IT LOOKED JUST LIKE A BACKUP LIGHT AND ALSO REALIZED THAT MY RIGHT SIDE WAS DOING THE SAME. I THOUGHT IT THIS RED COVER WEARS AWAY, THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS FOR THE DRIVERS IN BACK OF ME THAT WOULD ONLY PAY ATTENTION TO THE RED LIGHTS WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE. THIS MAY BE A HAZARD ON THE ROAD AND LEAD TO ACCIDENTS IF DRIVERS WERE NOT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION THAT MY BRAKE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER RED. I THEN STARTED DOING RESEARCH AND NOTICED ON THE MAZDA FORUM THAT MANY OTHERS HAD THE SAME SITUATION AS ME, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN LOOK INTO IT. *JS
IN THE PAST MONTH THE RADIO, LIGHTS, THE CLUSTER, ALL SHUT DOWN AND RESTART AS DRIVING. LAST NIGHT AS DRIVING ON TELEGRAPH RD, 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING, I COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR, AND ANOTHER VEHICLE BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT ME, AS I WAS SWITCHING IN NEUTRAL, AND BACK IN DRIVE. ALL OF THE SUDDEN REGAIN CONTROL AND WAS ABLE TO TURN RIGHT INTO A PARKING LOT. I REMEMBER HAVING THIS ISSUE BACK IN JAN. OF 2011, AND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR IT, THAT I HAVE HAD FIXED. THE PATTERN IS THAT I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2008, 3 YEARS LATER - IN 2011 THE RECALL TOOK CARE OF THE DEFECTIVE PART, AND NOW, 3 YEARS AFTER THE REPLACEMENT THE SAME ISSUE ARISE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, CAN CAUSE ACCIDENTS, AS IS HAPPENS AS DRIVING UNEXPECTEDLY. *TR
ABOUT A YEAR AGO I BOUGHT 4 NEW TIRES FOR MY MAZDA 3. SIX MONTHS LATER I WENT IN FOR MY ROUTINE ALIGNMENT AND TIRE ROTATION. THEY SAID MY TWO REAR TIRES WERE WORN DOWN TO SHOWING THE WIRING AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A BLOW OUT. THEY REFUSED TO PUT THE TIRES BACK ON FOR SAFETY CONCERNS. I HAD TO PURCHASE TWO USED TIRES THAT HAD ABOUT THE SAME MILEAGE MY OTHER TIRES HAD ON THEM. AGAIN 5-6 MONTHS LATER I GO INTO LES SCHWAB FOR MY TIRE ROTATION AND ALIGNMENT AND AGAIN THEY TELL ME MY TWO REAR TIRES ARE SHOWING EXCESSIVE WEAR. WHEN COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING TO GET TIRES SO SOON THEY STATED THAT MAZDA DESIGNED THE CAR THIS WAY TO HAVE A TOE IN ALIGNMENT. BASICALLY THIS WILL BE A RECURRING ISSUE UNLESS I PUT A $500 CAMBER KIT ON THE BACK. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THAT THEY SAID IT MAY CHANGE THE WAY THE CAR HANDLES AND HAVE LOUDER ROAD NOISE. NONE OF THIS WAS MENTIONED BY MAZDA WHEN I PURCHASED THAT CAR BACK IN 2008. NOT ONLY IS THIS ISSUE CAUSING ME TO SPEND MONEY EVERY 5-6 MONTHS BUT IF I WERE TO GO TO LONG WITHOUT CHECKING MY TIRES I COULD HAVE A BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING, POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, INJURY OR DEATH. I SEE THIS AS BEING A VERY BIG ISSUE WITH THE MAZDA AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MAZDA HAVE TO RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR
THE RED PLASTIC ON MY TAIL LIGHT HAS MELTED. I ASSUME THAT THIS COULD HAVE AT SOME POINT CREATED A FIRE OR SOME OTHER SAFETY HAZARD. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VERY PROBLEM IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL CAR AND THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY MAZDA EVEN IF THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND MOVE TO ACTION AGAINST MAZDA FOR THIS FLAW IN THEIR MANUFACTURING. WE ARE NOW HAVING TO REPLACE THIS PART AND IT WILL COST ABOUT $600.00. *TR
TPMS LIGHT ALERTED LOW TIRE PRESSURE CONDITION. FOUND TIRE WITH LOW PRESSURE. DURING INSPECTION OF TIRE, A SMALL AIR LEAK WAS DISCOVERED AT THE VALVE STEM MID SECTION OF THREADS DUE TO CORROSION. THE TPMS SENSOR ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT WAS NECESSARY TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. APPROXIMATELY EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTERWARDS, THE SAME EXACT FAILURE RE-OCCURRED IN ANOTHER TPMS SENSOR. THE ALUMINUM ALLOY VALVE STEMS ON THESE SENSORS ARE HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO CORROSION DAMAGE AND NEED TO BE RE-CALLED. THIS FAILURE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE SENSORS, ESPECIALLY WHERE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THESE ARE DRIVEN WHERE ROAD "SALTING" IS ROUTINE. THE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS LOW TIRE PRESSURE CONDITION CAUSED BY THESE FAULTY STEMS MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN DEATH. *TR
THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM SEEMS TO BE OVERSENSITIVE THE WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN WHEN THE TIRES ARE PROPERLY INFLATED. *TR
I PARKED MY CAR ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS WHERE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ENGAGE IN PARK. IT REQUIRED MULTIPLE TRIES TO GET THE PARK INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASH TO REFLECT THAT THE CAR WAS SAFELY ENGAGED IN PARK. BEFORE I REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THE TRANSMISSION. ON AT LEAST 3 OCCASIONS I WAS UNABLE TO START MY CAR AT ALL WHEN I RETURNED FROM A BRIEF STOP. THE PROBLEM WITH FAILING TO START HAPPENED WHEN THE CAR WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE AND I HAD ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE. AFTER JIGGLING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEVER REPEATEDLY, MOVING THE STEERING WHEEL AND APPLYING THE BRAKE VIGOROUSLY, I WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO START. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER IT WAS ROCKING OF THE VEHICLE FROM FRUSTRATION OR JIGGLING THE GEAR SELECTOR THAT FINALLY WORKED. THE CAR HAS A NEW BATTERY AND HAS HAD ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PERFORMED BY MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALER. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, OTHER ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT FUNCTIONS BUT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSE FROM THE IGNITION SYSTEM. *TR
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
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