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
686 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Dec 2, 2015
THE DASHBOARD HAS STARTED TO MELT. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A VERY SHINY STICKY MESS. THE SHEEN CAUSES SEVERE VISION PROBLEMS WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN ALMOST BLINDED AND UNABLE TO SEE THE TRAFFIC AT TIMES.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Nov 30, 2015
THE DASHBOARD IS MELTING CAUSING A GLARE IN THE WINDSHIELD. BLOCKING MY VIEW WHILE DRIVING.
Wheels, Nov 30, 2015
FOUR NEW TIRES INSTALLED LAST SUMMER. SINCE THEN TWO HAVE FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT MY DAUGHTER HIT SOMETHING WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT TOTALLY FAILED (REPLACED NEW TIRE UNDER 5000 MILES). SHE SAID IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING SLOW THRU NEIGHBORHOOD. THEN THE LEFT FRONT FAILED A FEW MONTHS LATER AND SHE HAD IT REPLACED. SHE WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM IS THE TPMS, AND THAT THE RIGHT REAR WILL PROBABLY FAIL TOO.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 23, 2015
MELTING DASHBOARD AND WINDSHIELD GLARE
Seats, Nov 22, 2015
SEAT WELDS BROKE WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER SEAT IS NOW NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE CAR.
Other or unspecified, Nov 16, 2015
I AM HAVING ISSUES WITH MY DASHBOARD MELTING AND BEING EXTREMELY STICKY. THE GLARE FROM THE STICKY DASHBOARD MAKES IT VERY HARD TO SEE THE ROAD. WHEN DRIVING, I HAVE TO TRY AND LOOK OVER OR UNDER THE GLARE. THIS IS NOT SAFE!
Structure, Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Nov 14, 2015
THE DASHBOARD OF THE VEHICLE, PARTICULARLY THE AREA ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL, APPEARS TO HAVE MELTED. THE SURFACE OF THE DASHBOARD IS STICKY AND SHINY LIKE IT IS COVERED IN TAR. IT CANNOT BE WIPED, AND THE SHINY SURFACE PRODUCES A SEVERE GLARE RIGHT IN THE LINE OF SIGHT FOR THE DRIVER. NO CLEANERS OR CHEMICALS HAVE BEEN USED ON THE DASH, ONLY A DRY CLOTH.
Other or unspecified, Nov 9, 2015
DASHBOARD IS STICKY/MELTED AND CASTING A REFLECTION ON WINDSHIELD MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN THE SUN.
Other or unspecified, Nov 7, 2015
MY 2010 MAZDA3 DASHBOARD IS MELTING/DISSOLVING INTO A STICKY GOO. THE MELTING AREA IS CURRENTLY ABOUT 8" SQUARE AND APPEARS TO BE SPREADING. IT IS LOCATED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND CREATES A GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD WHEN THE SUN SHINES UPON IT. THE GLARE IS A DISTRACTION AND, AT TIMES, MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THINGS. I NOTICED THE GLARE AND THE MELTING DASHBOARD ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO.
Other or unspecified, Oct 28, 2015
MY 2010 MAZDA3'S DASH HAS MELTED! IT STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND IS CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE IF I CAN'T GET THIS FIXED SOON. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT A CAR MANUFACTURER CAN'T FIX THIS PROBLEM OR EVEN MAKE A CAR THAT DOESN'T MELT IN THE SUN. I WAS GOING TO GET ANOTHER MAZDA BUT NOW THAT THIS HAPPENED I DOUBT IT! THERE IS A HORRIBLE GLARE AND I CAN'T SEE WHEN THE SUN IS OUT! PLUS THERE IS LINT AND BUGS STUCK ALL IN IT LIKE A GLUE TRAP! AM I IN THE TWIGHTLIGHT ZONE? AND READING ALL OF THE MAZDA EXPERIENCES WITH OTHERS I AM DISCOURAGED.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Oct 27, 2015
MY DASHBOARD IS ALSO MELTING LIKE OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT. IT STARTED ABOUT 36 MONTHS IN AND ONLY GETS WORSE. IT'S NOW A STICKY MESS THAT REFLECTS ON TO THE WINDSHIELD WHICH CAUSES GLARE WHEN LOOKING OUT THE WINDSHIELD. IT SEEMS TO BE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON SUNNY DAYS IN FLORIDA. IT'S DISTRACTING AND IS UNSAFE FOR THE DRIVER AS WELL FOR ANYTHING THAT IS IN THE AREA OF THE GLARE OUTSIDE THE CAR. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. WHEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF MY SERVICE GARAGE THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT HE HAD SEEN IT ON ABOUT 1 OF EVERY 5 CARS SERVICED. WHEN I INQUIRED WHAT IT WOULD COST TO GET IT REPAIRED/REPLACED THE GUY SAID IT WOULD BE CLOSE TO $2000. THAT'S CRAZY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING ISSUE.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 26, 2015
FOR SEVERAL MONTHS THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2010 MAZDA 3I HAS BEEN MELTING. IT IS NOW A STICKY SHINY MESS ON TOP AND THE REFLECTION OF IT IN THE WINDSHIELD AT CERTAIN SUN ANGLES MAKES IT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I ALMOST RAN OVER A PEDESTRIAN TODAY BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE HIM THROUGH THE REFLECTION WHICH IS THE REASON I FINALLY DECIDED TO REPORT THIS CONDITION TO NHTSA. I WAS CROSSING AN INTERSECTION AFTER MAKING A STOP FOR A STOP-SIGN AND STARTED STRAIGHT FORWARD TO CROSS THE INTERSECTION. I BARELY WAS ABLE TO STOP SHORT OF HITTING A GUY CROSSING THE STREET.
Structure, Oct 23, 2015
WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD MY DASHBOARD STARTED TO MELT COMPLETELY. IT LEAVES A GLARE ACROSS MY WHOLE WINDSHIELD OBSTRUCTING MY VIEW.
Other or unspecified, Oct 22, 2015
THE DASHBOARD STARTED BECOMING STICKY IN EARLY 2015 AND BECAME WORSE AS THE WEATHER BECAME HOTTER. THE AFFECTED AREA IS NOW AROUND 36 INCHES BY 8 INCHES WITH THE WORST PART BEING AROUND 20 INCHES BY 4 INCHES. THE AFFECTED AREA IS STICKY AND VERY SHINY. THIS SHINE REFLECTS ONTO THE WIND SHIELD, MAKING IT VERY HARD TO SEE ON SUNNY DAYS.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Oct 21, 2015
MY DASHBOARD HAS STARTED MELTING. IT CAUSES A HUGE GLARE ACROSS THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I DID PUT MY CAR IN SERVICE AT THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN CLEAR LAKE, TEXAS AND IT SAT THERE FOR OVER A MONTH. THEY DID GIVE ME A LOANER CAR BUT THEY CALLED ME TO DROP OFF THE LOANER AND PICK UP MY CAR, I EXPRESSED HOW TERRIFIED I AM TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE AND ASKED IF I COULD STAY IN THE LOANER UNTIL THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED, AND THEY SAID, "IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM" AND GAVE ME THE MAZDA CORPORATE NUMBER "BECAUSE IT WAS MAZDA'S PROBLEM NOT THE DEALERSHIP". I CALLED MAZDA AND THEY TOLD ME TO RETURN THE LOANER AND TO PUT A TOWEL OVER THE MELTED DASHBOARD(WHICH I HAVE TRIED BUT CAUSE A REFLECTION). I AM FURIOUS THAT MY SAFETY IS NOT A PRIORITY TO THESE PEOPLE. I NEED HELP GETTING THIS ISSUE RESOLVED.
Vehicle speed control, Oct 19, 2015
GAS PEDALS IS STICKY WHEN FLOORING IT. IT WILL STAY AT THE MAXIMUM ACCELERATION POSITION FOREVER OR THE GAS PEDALS IS STICK WITH THE FLOOR FOREVER. THE ONLY WAY TO GET OUT OF IT IS TO MANUALLY PULL IT BACK. THE STICKY GAS PEDALS WILL LEAD TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENTS. I BELIEVED THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH YEAR 2010 MAZDA3 5 DOOR.
Other or unspecified, Oct 18, 2015
THE DASH HAS BEEN MELTING FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS. IN THE SUMMER IT GETS SQUISHY AND HAS STARTED TO FALL APART. USING SUN SHIELD IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY STICK TO THE DASH AND THE DASH MELTS TO THE COVER.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Oct 18, 2015
FRONT DASH HAS MELTED CAUSING A DANGEROUS GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD. CONCERNED ABOUT TOXICITY INSIDE CAR DUE TO MELTING.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 16, 2015
AS WITH MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS ON HERE REGARDING THE 2010 MAZDA3, MY DASHBOARD IS MELTING CAUSING IT TO BE HIGHLY REFLECTIVE AND EMIT A NOXIOUS ODOR. THIS PROBLEM REDUCES VISIBILITY AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY DEFECT. FURTHER, THE NOXIOUS ODOR COULD BE HARMFUL AND COULD VERY WELL BE A SAFETY ISSUE OUTSIDE OF THE VISIBILITY ISSUE. MAZDA NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND ISSUE A RECALL LIKE TOYOTA HAS ALREADY DONE FOR THE SAME ISSUE. AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT APPEARS THAT TOYOTA STANDS BY THEIR PRODUCT AND MAZDA DOES NOT.
Seats, Oct 14, 2015
THE WELD ON THE BOTTOM OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT, WHICH ATTACHES THE SEAT TO THE SLIDING RAILS, HAS BROKEN. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS ACCELERATING AS THE TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED GREEN. THE SEAT IS NOW VERY LOOSE AND IS ROCKING BACK AND FORTH. I HAVE TO HOLD ON THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE ACCELERATING OR BRAKING TO KEEP FROM TIPPING OVER. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2010 MAZDA3. YET MAZDA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I WENT TO THE MAZDA DEALER AND WAS QUOTED $582 DOLLARS JUST FOR THE PARTS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT, WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE LABOR COST. I ALSO WENT TO THE MAZDA WEBSITE AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THREE WEEKS HAVE PASSED AND NO ONE FROM MAZDA HAS CONTACTED ME. ALL I RECEIVED WAS AN AUTOMATED EMAIL SAYING "DUE TO THE UNUSUALLY LARGE NUMBER OF EMAILS RECEIVED OUR RESPONSE TIME MAY BE DELAYED". I DON'T THINK MAZDA WILL EVER RESPOND.
Electrical system, Engine, Oct 14, 2015
VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE RUNNING ON HIGHWAY,INMOVILIZING ALL SYSTEMS. TAKEN TO SHOP SCANNED FOR TROUBLE ,CODE U0100 WAS DETECTED.RECALL FOR WIRING WAS CHECKED WIRING IS OK. REPLACED BURN OUT PARTS TAKEN TO TEST SAME PROBLEM ARISE.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Oct 9, 2015
DASHBOARD MELTED COMPLETELY, I AM NOT ABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE FROM THE HOURS OF 10AM - 4:30PM BECAUSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE ROAD, THE WINDSHIELD LOOKS COMPLETELY WHITE FROM THE GLARE IN THE DASHBOARD, CONTACTED DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN AND MAZDA DOESN'T DO ANYTHING!!!!! IMPOSSIBLE TO OPERATE VEHICLE AT REGULAR HOURS!!
Other or unspecified, Oct 8, 2015
DASHBOARD AND VISOR'S MELTED OFF.
Other or unspecified, Oct 4, 2015
MELTING DASHBOARD AND WINDSHIELD GLARE
Other or unspecified, Sep 28, 2015
WHEN I BOUGHT MY MAZDA 3,, IT SEEMED LIKE A GREAT BUY MONTHS LATER THE DASH STARTED MELTING AWAY, I HAVE CALLED MAZDA AND THEY HAVE NEVER RETURNED MY CALLS OR FIXED THE PROBLEM. THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS AS ITS MELTING AND IS WELL OVER 100 DEGREES IN THE CAR, IF ONE OF MY NEPHEWS OR DAUGHTER WAS TO TOUCH IT, THEY COULD VERY WELL BE BURNED SERIOUSLY AS IT IS VERY STICKY AND GOOPY.