2010 Mazda MAZDA3
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Structure is the leading concern among 686 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 22 MAZDA3 model years with reports.
Of the 2010 reports, 18 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 13 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
SeatsFeb 9, 2017
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2011 Mazda2 and 2010-2011 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles equipped with a manual seat lifter. In the affected vehicles, the seat height adjustment lifter links may break or detach from the seat frame and the seat angle may incline causing the driver to not be able to maintain an appropriate driving position.
If the driver cannot maintain an appropriate driving position, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat lifter links and install a reinforcement bracket to the lifter links, or replace the entire seat adjuster unit, free of charge. The recall began April 7, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0917B.
Campaign 17V082000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, hatchback/liftgateSep 6, 2016
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015. On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.
If the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury.
Mazda dealers will replace the both lift gate supports, free of charge, however parts are not currently available. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9916H.
Campaign 16V644000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical systemApr 16, 2009
MAZDA IS RECALLING 25,400 MY 2010 MAZDA3 VEHICLES. A CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE ENGINE HARNESS AND THE HOUSING OF STARTER MOTOR MAY BE INSUFFICIENT. DUE TO THIS, THE COVERING OF THE HARNESS MAY BE DAMAGED THROUGH VIBRATION DURING OPERATION POSSIBLY CAUSING A SHORT-CIRCUIT BETWEEN CERTAIN HARNESS WIRES AND THE STARTER HOUSING. A SHORT-CIRCUIT CAN RESULT IN ENGINE CONTROL MALFUNCTION AND/OR POOR SHIFT QUALITY.
THE MAIN FUSE MAY BLOW OUT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL AND INABILITY OF RESTART, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL HAVE THE ENGINE HARNESS INSPECT AND ADD A PROTECTOR CLIP ON THE AFFECTED SECTION OF THE HARNESS. IF NECESSARY, THE HARNESS WILL BE REPAIRED. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON MAY 6, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
Campaign 09V126000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
133 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, May 15, 2018
PUSH BUTTON START MALFUNCTION, CAUSING INSTRUMENT PANEL TO LIGHT UP AND BEHAVE ERRATICALLY. CAR OBVIOUSLY NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AT THAT POINT. SHIFTING INTO REVERSE LOUDER THAN NORMAL AND VERY NOTICEABLE JERK. SAME RESULT WHEN SHIFTING BACK TO DRIVE. DID NOT ATTEMPT ANY MOVEMENT. SHUT OFF ENGINE. WAITED SEVERAL SECONDS, ATTEMPTED RESTART, BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS LIT UP WITH A RED KEY INDICATOR LIGHT. TOWED TO DEALER. COULD NOT DIAGNOSE FAILURE. RESET SYSTEM, RAN FULL DIAGNOSTIC, NO FAILURE CODES REPORTED. DROVE FINE FOR 2 DAYS, ON 3RD DAY, PROBLEM REPEATED ITSELF, CAR IS NOW BACK AT THE DEALER WAITING ON REPAIR/DIAGNOSIS. CAR WAS PARKED IN HOME GARAGE SOUTHERN AZ ON BOTH OCCASIONS.
Other or unspecified, Feb 7, 2018
EXPLODING SUNROOF. THE GLASS IN MY SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. A LOUD BANG, FOLLOWED BY GLASS SHOWERING OCCUPANTS, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. UPON REVIEW, THE GLASS APPEARED TO BLOWN UP AND OUTWARD FROM THE VEHICLE.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Dec 13, 2017
ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASION THAT WERE SEVERAL MONTHS APART FROM ONE ANOTHER, MY VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF WHILE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING. ON BOTH OCCASIONS I DID NOT TOUCH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION IN ANY WAY. THERE WERE NO BUMPS OR DRASTIC CHANGES IN THE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE STEERING ON THE VEHICLE LOCKED UP AND I HAD TO HURRY TO GET IT START AGAIN. BOTH INCIDENTS I WAS ACTIVELY DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. I WAS ON A 45 MPH ROAD THE FIRST TIME AND A 35 MPH ROAD THE SECOND TIME. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CAUSED THE ISSUE BUT IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT ALL. THE LAST TIME THAT IT OCCURRED, I WAS JUST COMPLETING A TURN.
Other or unspecified, Oct 2, 2017
THE CLUTCH FAILED PREMATURELY AT ~45K MILES. WHEN I WAS DRIVING, I NOTICED THE CAR WAS SLOW TO ACCELERATE AFTER SHIFTING. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID THE CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY EARLY FOR IT TO HAVE FAILED.
Suspension, Other or unspecified, Sep 16, 2017
LOUD NOISE IN BACK SUSPENSION. NOISE OCCURS RUNNING HIGHWAY BUT GETS LOUDER ON A CITY STREET UNKNOWN CAUSE. WHEN TURNING VEHICLE STARTED CLICKS BUT NEED TO KEEP TRYING TO TURN ON. PROBABLY COMPUTER PROBLEM
Seats, Other or unspecified, Aug 3, 2017
I TOOK MY 2010 MAZDA3 IN FOR RECALL OF SEAT LINK ADJUSTERS AND TO SERVICE MY MELTING DASHBOARD THAT CAUSES AN UNSAFE GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING IN SUNNY CONDITIONS. THE DEALERSHIP VERIFIED THE RECALL AND SERVICE IN MAY 2017 AND WAS INFORMED THAT PARTS WILL NEED TO BE ORDERED. WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD RECEIVE A CALL BACK IN A WEEK OR TWO. AFTER SEVERAL REPEATED ATTEMPTS AT CALLING AND EMAILING THE DEALERSHIP, I CANNOT REACH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO CHECK ON THE STATUS OF ORDERED PARTS. THE TIME FRAME FOR THE REPAIR FROM THE UNSAFE CONDITIONS OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT THAT MOVES WHILE I SHIFT, AND THE HORRENDOUS GLARE FROM THE MELTING DASHBOARD, IS TO SLOW FOR RESOLUTION. IT HAS BEEN 3 MONTHS SINCE HAVING MY CAR INSPECTED AT ROSENTHAL MAZDA/GAITHERSBURG MAZDA AT 625 NORTH FREDERICK AVENUE IN GAITHERSBURG, MD 20879. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE OF COMMUNICATIONS INFORMING ME OF THE STATUS OF GETTING MY CAR REPAIRED OR MY RIGHTS AS A CONSUMER.
Other or unspecified, Jul 13, 2017
THE DASH BOARD IS MELTING.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Jun 21, 2017
MY DASH HAS GLARE FROM DASH MELT
Other or unspecified, Apr 4, 2017
I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE AT 11:30 AM, APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, 59F ON 3/29/17. I HEARD A LOUD NOISE (LIKE A GUNSHOT), AND SAW THAT MY SUNROOF HAD SHATTERED, AND GLASS WAS ON THE INTERIOR OF MY CAR, AS THE VISOR WAS OPEN (SUNROOF WAS CLOSED). I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND ASSESS THE DAMAGE, NOTING NO PHYSICAL HARM TO MYSELF, AND ONLY MINOR DAMAGE (PAINT CHIPS) TO MY CAR. I WAS NOT DRIVING UNDER AN UNDERPASS, AND WHILE THERE WAS OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE, IT WAS ORDINARY TRAFFIC, AND THERE WAS NO CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA.
Other or unspecified, Mar 14, 2017
MY DASHBOARD IS MELTING. IT PRODUCES A TERRIBLE GLARE WHEN THE SUN IS OUT AND MAKES IT HARD TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD.
Other or unspecified, Feb 12, 2017
THE DASHBOARD HAS STICKY AREA THAT CANNOT BE CLEANED. GLARE FROM THE SUN OR LIGHTS MAKES IT VERY HARD TO SEE. IT'S LIKE LIGHT SHINNING OFF OF GLASS.
Steering, Power train, Other or unspecified, Jan 30, 2017
STEERING WHEEL, AT ANY SPEED, MOVES SLIGHTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE CAUSING IT TO BE CROOKED. ALIGNMENTS AND BALANCING HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. THE WHEEL IS LOOSE IN STEERING AND INCREASINGLY SCARY SINCE IT IS SLIGHTLY CROOKED AND CAN BE VERY HARD TO KEEP THE CAR FROM OVER STEERING EVEN WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A PERFECTLY PAVED ROAD. I'M AFRAID THE STEERING PUMP IS CORRODING. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AS NEWER MODELS AND MAZDA IN JAPAN HAD A MAJOR RECALL FOR THIS VERY ISSUE. PLEASE DO A US RECALL AS IT'S DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND VERY UNPREDICTABLE ESPECIALLY ON CURVY OR BUMPY ROADS. *TR
Other or unspecified, Nov 20, 2016
TIRE DEFLATED IN SECONDS WHILE DRIVING. REPLACING A CORRODED VALVE STEM AND TPMS. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL AFTER READING HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME ISSUE ON CARS THAT ARE ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE!!
Other or unspecified, Sep 29, 2016
TAKATA RECALL ---STICKY DASHBOARD WHICH IS MELTING AND WHEN DRIVING THE REFLECTION FROM THE GLARE OF THE STICKY DASHBOARD ON THE WINDSHIELD MAKES IT HARD TO SEE WHEN DRIVING, A LOT OF TIMES I CANT SEE DEPENDING ON HOW THE SUN IS SHINING I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN OR HIT MY BRAKES..VERY SCARY... JUST WANT THIS DOCUMENTED IN CASE AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS
Other or unspecified, Sep 8, 2016
DASHBOARD MELTING. THE DASHBOARD HAS MELTED. IT CAUSES A SEVERE GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AT TIME. HAVE HAD TO COVER UP WHEN THIS OCCURS.
Seats, Other or unspecified, Sep 7, 2016
MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BRACKET HAS BROKEN CAUSING THE SEAT TO ROCK SLIGHTLY. ALSO, THE DASHBOARD APPEARS TO BE MELTING WITH A SHINY STICKY SPOT.
Other or unspecified, Aug 1, 2016
DASHBOARD SEPARATING DIRECTLY OVER THE MILEAGE/STEREO/GPS INSTRUMENT PANEL IS SEPARATING/COMING UNGLUED FROM THE TOP OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE AREA SEPARATED/UNGLUED IS APPROX. 5-6" LONG. IT IS PUFFY IN THE CENTER DIRECTLY ABOVE.
Other or unspecified, Jul 13, 2016
TRANSMISSION INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING, WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO NOT SHIFT BEYOND 3 GEAR. AFTER DIAGNOSIS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A NEW SOLENOID WAS NEEDED. AFTER THAT, IT WAS THEN DETERMINED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WAS NEEDED. THE FIRST ONE FROM THE MANUFACTURER WAS DEFECTIVE AND A SECOND WAS NEEDED.
Other or unspecified, May 23, 2016
DASHBOARD MELTS IN HOT SUN CAUSING GLARE WHILE DRIVING AND LEAVES STICKY BLACK RESIDUE WHEN TOUCHED. OVER HALF OF MY DASH IS MELTED.
Other or unspecified, May 17, 2016
MY DASH IS MELTING. TOUCH IT AND IMPRINTS ARE MADE. IT BE LIKE THIS FOR 3 YEARS BUT GETTING WORSE
Seat belts, Structure, Other or unspecified, May 6, 2016
THE DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME BREAKS RESULTING IN THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE TO ROCK BACKWARDS WITH THE SEAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN FORWARD MOTION. THE CAR BECOMES UNCONTROLLABLE WHEN THE SEAT ROCKS BACK CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HOLD THEMSELVES UPRIGHT TRYING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE SEAT EXHIBITS CHARACTERISTICS THAT CAN ONLY BE CALLED UNSAFE. THIS DEFECT WILL ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH INJURY OR DEATH. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THIS WAS FIRST NOTICED. THE DEFECT WITH THE SEAT FRAME ALSO RENDERS THE SEAT BELT USELESS AND IS SAFETY HAZARD COMPOUNDED BY THE SEAT FRAME BREAKING LOOSE. THIS DEFECT APPEARS TO HAPPEN ONLY ON THE 2010 MAZDA 3 MODEL AND THERE ARE MANY ADDITIONAL COMPLAINTS, BOTH HERE AND IN PUBLIC FORUMS. MAZDA NEEDS TO RECALL FOR REPLACEMENT OF A SEAT FRAME THAT IS BUILT SO AS NOT TO BREAK IN NORMAL USE. WHY THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED IS NEGLIGENT. MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALER GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $980.00 TO REPAIR THE SEAT FRAME. THE MANAGER WAS NOT WILLING TO NEGOTIATE THE COST OF THE REPAIR NOR WILLING TO DISCUSS FURTHER.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 22, 2016
DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW HAS FALLEN OFF TRACK AND DOES NOT CLOSE AS IT SHOULD. FURTHER, WHEN YOU REMOVE YOUR FINGER FROM THE AUTOMATIC "UP" BUTTON, THE WINDOW WILL AUTOMATICALLY ROLL DOWN AFTER RELEASING THE BUTTON (AS IF IT HAS A LIFE OF IT'S OWN). THIS IS A WINDOW MOTOR OR ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THIS CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR WHEN IT IS STATIONARY ... CITY OR HIGHWAY.
Other or unspecified, Feb 22, 2016
THE DASH BOARD IS MELTING FROM HEAT.
Other or unspecified, Feb 11, 2016
I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE EALRY 2010. AROUND 2013 MY DASHBOARD STARTED TO SHINE A BIT IN A SMALL SECTION BY THE DRIVER SIDE. I TOUCHED IT AND THE MATERIAL OF THE DASHBOARD WAS STICKY. NOW, 2016, THE WHOLE DASHBOARD IS STICKY AND SHINEY DUE TO WHAT I FOUND OUT WAS A MELTING DASHBOARD. THIS IS CAUSING A HORRIBLE REFLECTION ON MY WINDOW WHEN DRIVING, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SUN HITS. EVEN AT NIGHT I HAVE TROUBLE SEEING PROPERLY. MY VISIBILITY DRIVING IS BEING AFFECTED AND IT IS NOT SAFE. ON TOP OF THAT, EVERYTHING STICKS TO MY DASHBOARD AND ENDS UP WITH BLACK GUNK ON IT. THE PICTURES I'VE ATTACHED DO NOT DO IT JUSTICE, IT'S WORSE THAN WHAT IT LOOKS IN THE PICTURES.
Other or unspecified, Feb 10, 2016
THE INSIDE PANEL OF THE DRIVER, WITH HEAT GETS STICKY AND PREVENT THE DISPLAY BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN