Page 3 of 3 · complaints 101–115 of 115

2009 Mazda Mazda3 complaints

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 2009 record →

Electrical System
Filed Mar 5, 20109,000 milesCA

PURCHASED VEHICLE ON 7/09. ON 1/6/10, VEHICLE FAILED TO START, AT FIRST CRANKING WITH NO ENGINE START THEN COMPLETE DISCHARGE OF SYSTEMS (NO CRANKING, NO BATTERY POWER WHATSOEVER). BROUGHT INTO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD "MAIN RELAY" WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS THE REASON BATTERY WAS NOT HOLDING ITS CHARGE. RELAY WAS REPLACED. SAME EVENTS AGAIN OCCURRED ON 3/3/10. CAR REMAINS IN DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR. CAR REMAINS INOPERABLE WHEN THESE EVENTS OCCUR. *TR

Seats1 injured
Filed Mar 4, 201039,000 milesCA

TL*THE CONTACT RENTED A 2009 MAZDA3. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, HE EXPERIENCED NUMBNESS IN HIS LEFT ARM UP TO HIS FINGERS BECAUSE HE LEFT HIS ELBOW ON THE ARM REST. A DOCTOR TOLD HIM THAT HE MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED A BLOOD CLOT. HE FELT THAT THE ARM REST MAY HAVE BEEN TOO HARD. HE EMAILED THE MANUFACTURER AND IS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 39,000.

Steering
Filed Mar 2, 201015,000 milesTN

POWER STEERING GOES OUT ON 2009 MAZDA M3. HAD TWO OCCURRENCES, AND TOOK TO DEALERSHIP. AUTO WAS CHECKED VIA COMPUTER AND I WAS BASICALLY ACCUSED OF BEING DISHONEST. 1 MONTH LATER, WHILE ON AN EXIT RAMP THE POWER STEERING AGAIN WENT OUT (CAR GOING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH), TOOK A PICTURE OF DASHBOARD TO ELIMINATE BEING DISMISSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. HAVE ANOTHER APPT WITH SERVICE DEPARTMENT. *TR

Visibility
Filed Feb 24, 2010200 milesIL

DEFECTIVE VIBRATING DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR AT ANY TIME AT HIGHWAY SPEED. TRAFFIC ON DRIVER'S SIDE APPEARS BLURRY AND DISTORTED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. PROBLEM PERSISTS EVEN AFTER NEW MIRROR INSTALLED UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Feb 14, 201018,000 milesMD

SEVERE STEERING SHAKE WHEN BRAKING AT HIGH SPEEDS. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT IT IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 14 MOS. OLD WITH 18,000 MILES. *TR

Tires
Filed Dec 9, 200910,000 milesIL

GOODYEAR TIRE EAGLE RS TIRE IN LIGHT SNOW / WET WEATHER CONDITIONS, NEW 2009 MAZDA 3 HATCHBACK. TIRES ARE TOTALLY INADEQUATE IN LIGHT SNOW CONDITIONS. I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN AT 20MPH. CAR ABS WAS ACTIVATED BUT I STILL SKIDDED ALMOST HITTING ANOTHER CAR AS IT WAS ABOUT TO PULL OUT IN FRONT OF ME. I AM FORCED TO HAVE TO REPLACE THESE TIRES. *TR

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Oct 19, 200929,700 milesPA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH A TRACTOR TRAILER DRIVING 45 MPH CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE WERE NOTIFIED. THE DRIVER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION FACILITY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 29,700.

Air Bags › Side/WindowCrash1 injured
Filed Oct 12, 200929,000 milesPA

MY SON WAS HIT BY A TRACTOR TRAILER ON THE DRIVERS SIDE (T-BONED) AND NO SIDE AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED. *TR

Tires
Filed Jul 17, 2009IN

SAME ISSUE AS OTHER STATED. THESE TIRES PROVIDE LITTLE TO NO TRACTION ON ICE OR SNOW. I HAVE OWNED EIGHT MAZDAS AND NEVER HAD ON ISSUE LIKE THIS WITH ANY, I HAVE HAD VEHICLES OF VARIOUS SIZES. THESE TIRES ARE A SAFETY ISSUE. I NEARLY HAD AN ACCIDENT THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNERSHIP WITH INABILITY TO SLOW AND STOP, AND TAKE OFF TRACTION IS NO BETTER. *TR

Steering
Filed Jul 1, 200922,240 milesTX

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHILE WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK, THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING BEGAN TO PERFORM CORRECTLY WITHOUT ANY FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE COMPANY THAT MANUFACTURED THE PART WAS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW WHEN THE VEHICLE WILL BE READY. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,240 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,270.

Parking BrakeCrash
Filed Jun 11, 20091,200 milesCA

CAR IS A 2009 MAZDA SPEED3, ONE MONTH OLD. I SET THE BRAKE OF THE CAR AND IT ONLY WENT UP 2 CLICKS. THE CAR ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY WITH NOBODY IN THE CAR AND HIT A TREE. EMERGENCY BRAKE HARD TO PULL UP TO SET PROPERLY. I DID A TEST ON A STEEP SLOPE, AND THE EBRAKE DID NOT HOLD. A HARD YANK WITH TWO HANDS MADE THE BRAKE HOLD, AND NOW THE BRAKE WILL GO UP 5 CLICKS WITH EASE AND HOLDS. *TR

Tires
Filed Apr 30, 200912,000 milesMA

THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES ON MY 2009 MAZDA3 5-DOOR: GOODYEAR EAGLE RS-A 205/50 R17 ARE SHOWING PREMATURE WEAR AT 12,000 MILES. THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT GOODYEAR WARRANTIES THE TIRES. THE GOODYEAR PAMPHLET PROVIDED ONLY WARRANTIES "WORKMANSHIP" WEAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER "ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLATIONS". THIS IS THE SECOND SET OF GOODYEARS THAT HAVE COME AS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND SHOWED PREMATURE WEAR. I FEEL THAT GOODYEAR DOES THIS INTENTIONALLY TO INFLATE THEIR AFTERMARKET SALES. WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP TO SWAP TIRES WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. ALL VEHICLES ON THE LOT HAD THE SAME TERRIBLE GOODYEAR EAGLE RS-A. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Feb 17, 20091,000 milesCA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESTIATES TO ACCELERATE APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 QUARTER TO 1 1/4 BEFORE THE VEHICLE MOVED. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE AUGUST OF 2008. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE AUTO SHOP TWICE FOR THE ISSUE AND EACH TIME THE CONTACT IS ADVISED THAT IT IS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE AND NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CONTACT DISAGREES BECAUSE THOSE SECONDS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IF A CRASH WERE TO OCCUR. FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1000. 4/01/09 *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE WHEN HE STEPPED ON THE GAS. UPDATED 04/09/09.*JB

Tires
Filed Feb 14, 20096,000 milesMI

WE PURCHASED A 2009 MAZDA 3 AND HAVE FOUND THE CAR/TIRE COMBINATION TO BE UNSAFE FOR WINTER DRIVING ON SHOW AND ICE. THE CAR HAS GOODYEAR EAGLE RS-A TIRES WHICH ARE "ALL SEASON" RATED TIRES. THERE NEEDS TO BE STRICTER REQUIREMENTS FOR CARS SOLD IN NOTHERN STATES AND FOR TIRES THAT USE THE "ALL SEASON" DESIGNATION. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND NARROWLY AVOIDED A COLLISION WHILE DRIVE AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH BECAUSE THE CARS IN FRONT OF HER WERE ABLE TO STOP MUCH MORE QUICKLY. THIS CAR/TIRE COMBINATION PROVIDED EXTREMELY LOW TRACTION ON PACKED SHOW AND ICE. THE DEALERSHIP AND MAZDA HAVE BEEN UNWILLING TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE TIRES SO THE CAR IS NO LONGER BEING DRIVEN WHEN THERE IS SNOW OR ICE ON THE ROADS. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System
Filed Jan 31, 20095,178 milesSC

TURBO SEALS LEAKING OIL CAUSING VEHICLE TO SMOKE AT IDLE. COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES AND ON MAZDASPEED6 AND ON THE CX7. *TR

Reading these

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.

Full record for the 2009 Mazda Mazda3 → · Every Mazda3 year → · How the figures are calculated →