2005 Mazda MAZDA3
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 103 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 14th highest complaint count among 22 MAZDA3 model years with reports.
Of the 2005 reports, 16 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 11 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, frontalJul 1, 2021
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004-2007 Mazda3 vehicles. During air bag deployment, the plastic emblem on the steering wheel air bag module cover may shatter, and project plastic fragments into the vehicle.
Plastic fragments can hit occupants during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the air bag module cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed between August 28, 2021 and October 28, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4921G.
Campaign 21V494000 on NHTSA.gov
EquipmentApr 2, 2009
THULE, INC. IS RECALLING 2,323 OWNER-INSTALLED ROOF-MOUNTED FIT KITS, MODELS 3068 AND 3069, MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2008 AND FEBRUARY 28, 2009 THAT ARE USED WITH THULE PODIUM FOOT PACKS, MODELS 460 AND 460R. THESE FIT KITS WERE SOLD AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE BOLT(S) USED TO SECURE THE FOOT TO THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED TO A HARDNESS THAT MAY CAUSE THE BOLT(S) TO BE BRITTLE AND POTENTIALLY BREAK UNDER STRESS.
THIS MAY RESULT IN THE BOLT(S) SNAPPING OFF DURING USE OR WITHOUT A LOAD. THE UNSECURED RACK AND LOAD CAN THEN COME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING CREATING A POTENTIAL ROAD HAZARD, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
THULE WILL MAIL A RETRO FIT KIT ALONG WITH REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS TO OWNERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE APRIL 13, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THULE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-238-2388.
Campaign 09E011000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontal, sensor/control module-inactiveNov 22, 2004
ON TWO PASSENGER VEHICLES, A CRACK IN THE SOLDER CONNECTION ATTACHING THE ACCELERATION SENSOR IN THE SAS UNIT MADE CONTACT WITH THE BASE PLATE, DAMAGING THE SOLDER CONNECTION.
THE AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH AND IT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES.
DEALERS REPAIRED THESE VEHICLES. THE TWO VEHICLE OWNERS WERE CONTACTED BY TELEPHONE ON NOVEMBER 22, 2004, AND THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED.
Campaign 04V559000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: steering
15 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Mar 20, 2017
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY RATE OF SPEED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND SOMETIMES SHUTS THE CAR DOWN. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MILES PER HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ,MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER AND HAVE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE..ANOTHER INSTANCE , I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING A TURN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, THIS TIME THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN FORCING ME TO QUICKLY TRY TO RESTART THE ENGINE.
Steering, Oct 26, 2016
SUDDENLY LOSS OF STEERING POWER WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY
Steering, Aug 24, 2015
DRIVING AND STEERING LIGHT COMES ON,THEN HARD TO STEER LEFT OR RIGHT.TURN SWITCH OFF AND RIGHT BACK ON LIGHT GOES OFF AND STEERING RETURNS....VERY DANGEROUS
Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes, Feb 3, 2015
THE VEHICLE WAS COMING AROUND A TURN AT ABOUT 30 MILES PER HOUSE, WHEN THE VEHICLE'S RADIO WENT OFF AND STEERING LOCKED UP INTO MANUAL AND CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE CAR STALLED OUT AND ENGINE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO MOVED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOP. THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND UPON RESTART HAD TO ISSUES. UPON REST OF RETURN TRIP HOME, UPON THE APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE, THE CARS RADIO, THERMOMETER GAUGE AND GENERAL ELECTRONICS WOULD STOP AND RESET WHEN THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED AND GAS PEDAL APPLIED. *TR
Steering, Electrical system, Sep 8, 2014, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 38 MPH AROUND A RAMP, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND REQUIRED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A GUARDRAIL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V374000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,000.
Steering, Jun 10, 2013
WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING WAS LOST SUDDENLY. THE FLUID IS RIGHT AT MAX WHEN COOL, AND HAS NEVER GIVEN PROBLEMS BEFORE. *TR
Steering, Feb 15, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO INSPECTED THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE AND A CLAIM WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.
Steering, Dec 12, 2012, crash
STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE. *TR
Steering, May 15, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA MAZDA3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,450.
Steering, Electrical system, Oct 9, 2011
BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY ON 10/5/11, NOTICED THAT MY STEERING WHEEL FELT HARDER TO TURN INTERMITTENTLY, AT THE SAME TIME, THE RADIO AND DASH BOARD LIGHTS FLICKERED AND ALL THE LIGHTS FLASHED. I STOPPED AND RETURNED INTO THE DRIVEWAY , WHERE THE CAR REPEATED TO FLICKER LIGHTS AND RADIO EVERYTIME I WOULD TURN THE WHEEL. IT DID THIS UNTIL I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON , WITH NO PROBLEMS THROUGH OUT THE DAY. ON 10/8/11, I WAS TURNING INTO A GAS STATION AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED , I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF TURNING SO I FINISHED MY TURN AND ATTEMPTED TO PARK ALL WHILE NOTICING MY VEHICLE TURNING OFF AND POWER STEERING LIGHT ON. CAR WAS COMPLETELY OFF BY THE TIME I COULD GET IT TO A SECURE LOCATION . THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN ON AT AL , THE BATTERY SEEMED COMPLETELY DEAD , WHERE I NEEDED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO TURN IT BACK ON . NO PROBLEM THROUGH THE REST OF THE DAY SINCE THAT HAPPENED. *TR
Steering, Feb 14, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA, MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO RECALL 10V374000 (STEERING: ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE USED A DIFFERENT POWER STEERING PUMP THAN THE MODELS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND WAS NOT DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Steering, Oct 19, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA 3. WHILE THE CONTACT CHANGED LANES AT 35 MPH THE POWER STEERING LOCKED TWICE. SHE WAS ABLE TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN THE LANE. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE THE FAILURE OCCURRED AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT INDICATOR SHUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE POWER STEERING RECALL; THEREFORE, SHE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 53,192.
Steering, Jul 5, 2010
POWER STEERING FAILURE MAZDA 3 4DR 2005 WITH 75,000 MILES PERIODIC POWER STEERING FAILURE OVER A 2 MONTH PERIOD BUT BY TURNING CAR ON AND OF IT WOULD RE-SET AND WORK. MAZDA REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP FOR $1500. APPROX A MONTH LATER FAILED AGAIN WHEN I WAS 3 HOURS FROM HOME, WOULD NOT RE SET UPON A RESTART SO DROVE IT HOME W/O POWER ASSIST (NOT EASY ON A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE). DEALER APPLIED 2008 POWER STEERING FIX (REPLACE FLUID AND LINES AT NO CHARGE) AND HAS NOT RE-FAILED YET. OBVIOUSLY NOT EASY TO DRIVE W/O POWER ASSIST, AT HIGHWAY SPEED IT IS POSSIBLE IF CAREFUL BUT AROUND TOWN WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. I AM REPORTING BASED ON RECENT INQUIRY INTO LATER MODEL MAZDA'S FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM. *TR
Steering, Jun 10, 2008, crash
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA 3. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE VEHICLE AT 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT STRUCK THE PASSENGER SIDE CORNER OF THE VEHICLE ON A GUARD RAIL. A WEEK BEFORE THE FAILURE, HE NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 27,500.
Steering, Jan 19, 2006
TICKING / CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN / DASHBOARDS AREA. NOT NECESSARILY WHEN ON ROUGH ROAD, BUT THAT SEEMS TO MAGNIFY IT. SERVICE DEPARTMENT AWARE OF, AND HEARD NOISE BUT COULD NOT PINPOINT PROBLEM. HEAD OF SERVICE DEPARTMENT REFERRED ME TO MAZDA NORTH AMERICA FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE. NOT CORRECTED AS OF 1/06. *JB