2008 Mazda MAZDA3
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 303 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 22 MAZDA3 model years with reports.
Of the 2008 reports, 29 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 20 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Visibility, windshield wiper/washer, motorJun 15, 2011
MAZDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 MAZDA3 AND MAZDASPEED3 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 7, 2008, THROUGH NOVEMBER 28, 2008. THE GROUND TERMINAL OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN INADVERTENTLY BENT DURING ASSEMBLY. IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS THEN OVER TIME THE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF THE MOTOR CIRCUIT MAY INCREASE UP TO A POINT THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK.
THE LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION IN ADVERSE WEATHER COULD POTENTIALLY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL GROUND HARNESS ON THE WIPER MOTOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JULY 15, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-222-5500.
Campaign 11V329000 on NHTSA.gov
Steering, electric power assist systemAug 12, 2010
MAZDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 MAZDA3 AND MAZDA5 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 2, 2007 THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2008. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE.
POWER STEERING ASSIST IS SUDDENLY LOST REDUCING THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE AS TYPICALLY EXPECTED, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
MAZDA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND LINES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-222-5500.
Campaign 10V374000 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
Representative owner complaints: wheels
33 reports, newest first. Show all
Suspension, Vehicle speed control, Wheels, Oct 9, 2012
SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED MY VEHICLE I HAVE TO GET THE ALIGNMENT DONE AS OFTEN AS I GET THE OIL CHANGE DONE. WHEN YOU ARE GOING OVER 45 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES LIKE YOU ARE DRIVING A 4 X 4. THERE IS ALSO A HORRIBLE ROARING ONCE YOU GET TO 45 MPH. THE ROARING AND SHAKING GOES AWAY RIGHT AFTER I HAVE MY CAR ALIGNED, BUT, AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS IT STARTS COMING BACK. I HAVE CHANGED THE TYPE OF TIRES THAT I PUT ON MY CAR THINKING IT MAY HELP, BUT, IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANY DIFFERENT WITH THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF TIRES I HAVE PUT ON MY CAR. *TR
Steering, Tires, Wheels, Aug 30, 2012
AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES AN HOUR THE IN-TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM'S RIM ATTACHING NUT CORRODED OFF OF THE VALVE STEM ON THE TIRE. TIRE PRESSURE DROPPED IMMEDIATELY AND HAD TO STOP AND PULL OFF THE ROAD. THE VALVE STEM FELL INTO THE TIRE ONCE PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED. ALL 4 TIRES ALL CORRODED EVENLY AND NEED TO HAVE THE STEMS AND NUTS REPLACED. I'VE OPTED FOR A RUBBER VALVE STEM WHILST SUBMITTING COMPLAINTS. I STILL HAVE NOT HAD THE 3 OTHER TIRES FIXED. REPLACEMENT NON-ALUMINUM TPMS ARE 35-50 A PIECE + INSTALLATION. 1. CHEAP NUTS THAT CRACK AND FALL OFF TIRE STEMS. 2. ALUMINUM STEMS THAT CORRODE COMPLETELY REMOVING THE THREADS. 3. HIGH SPEED CRASH HAZARD. *TR
Wheels, Jun 7, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 40 MPH WHEN THE TIRE SENSOR ILLUMINATED AND THE REAR DRIVER'S TIRE WENT FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRE VALVE STEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE SENSOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,750 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,795.
Wheels, May 18, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MAZDA3 GRAND TOURING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS FLAT. THE DRIVER THEN REPLACED THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,109.
Tires, Wheels, Mar 23, 2012
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHEN ALL THE SUDDEN THE PRESSURE SENSOR LIGHT WENT OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT ALL. I HAD ASSUMED THAT IS WAS JUST SOME KIND OF ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE FOR A BIT UNTIL I NOTICED THE TELL-TALE SIGNS OF A FLAT TIRE. THE WAS ODD SINCE I HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED NEW TIRES WITH LESS THAN 1000 MILES ON THEN AND THE WAS NO DEBRIS IN THE ROADWAY THAT WOULD ACCOUNT FOR THE RAPID DEFLATION. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE TIRE VALVE AND WAS GONE AND THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE INTERIOR SIDEWALL. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE TIRE PLACE HE PULLED THE TIRE OFF TO TRY TO FIND THE SENSOR TO NO AVAIL. HE SAID IN HIS 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. ON CLOSER INSPECTION WE NOTICED A CRACK IN ANOTHER ONE OF THE VALVE STEMS. THE DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND NOT DUE TO COMPONENT MANUFACTURING, BUT IT SEEMS ODD THAT IT WOULD HAPPEN TO MULTIPLE VALVES LIKES THAT. AS AN ADDENDUM, THE ONLY OTHER TIME I HAVE TO CALL ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE WAS WHEN I RANDOM GOT A FLAT TIRE AND WHEN I TRIED TO REFILL THE TIRE THE VALVE PUSHED IN. I TOOK IT TOO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY PROMPTLY REPLACED THE VALVE AND SENSOR WITHOUT CHARGE. I AM GLAD I HAD NEW TIRES WITH RUN FLAT TECHNOLOGY. IT THIS HAD HAPPENED WITH THE OLD TIRES I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MUCH WORSE THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN. *TR
Tires, Wheels, Nov 16, 2011
TIRE SENSOR CAME ON DURING DRIVE INTO WORK. MADE TO CALL DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT BY LUNCH TIME THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY FLAT AND THE STEM OF THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR HAD COMPLETELY SNAPPED OFF. WHEN I GOT THE CAR TO A DEALER THEY STATE 3 OF THE 4 MONITORS HAD CORRODED TO THE POINT THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED. THIS ADDED NEARLY $400 DOLLARS TO GETTING THE TIRES ON THE CAR REPLACED. HOW IS IT A TIRE SENSOR CAN'T LAST AS LONG AS THE TIRES ON A BRAND NEW CAR? IF A TIRE SENSOR IS ADDED TO A CAR TO MAKE IT SAFER AND MORE EFFICIENT MAYBE IT SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 3 YEARS AND NOT CAUSE THE CAR TO BECOME UNSAFE. *TR
Tires, Wheels, Nov 14, 2011
FACTORY TIRES (GOODYEAR RSA) WORE OUT IN <15K, EXCESSIVE INSIDE WEAR. REPLACED WITH BRIDGESTONE POTENZA GRID G019 205/50/R17. STARTED SHOWING INSIDE WEAR AROUND 45K, AND EXTREMELY LOUD ROAD NOISE AT 50K. ALL NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED AS PER WARRANTY REQUIREMENTS. ALIGNMENT IS FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS. CAR HAS NEVER TOUCHED A TRACK AND IS USED AS A COMMUTER VEHICLE. ONLINE REPORTS HAVE BLAMED THE CAMBER WHICH IS NOT ADJUSTABLE ON THE MAZDA 3. SO THIS ISSUE WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. SERIOUS DEFECT AND DANGEROUS. *TR
Tires, Wheels, Apr 27, 2010
2008 MAZDA 3 5 DOOR HATCHBACK. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM DEALER. THE NUT THAT HOLDS THE VALVE STEM TO THE TIRE BECAME CORRODED AND CRACKED AND FELL OFF. THIS RESULTED IN A RAPID DEFLATION OF THE TIRE WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AFTER INSPECTING THE OTHER 3 TIRES, I NOTICED THAT 2 OF THE REMAINING 3 NUTS WERE ALSO SEVERELY CORRODED AND CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THIS OCCURRED AFTER I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 20 MONTHS. WHEN TAKEN TO THE MAZDA DEALER, THEY REPLACED THE VALVE STEM WHERE THE NUT HAD FALLEN OFF, BUT NOT THE OTHER 2 STEMS THAT WERE CORRODED AND CRACKED. *TR