2020 Mazda MAZDA3
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Forward collision avoidance is the leading concern among 32 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 18th highest complaint count among 22 MAZDA3 model years with reports.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, disc, caliperJun 12, 2020
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2020 CX-30 and Mazda3 vehicles. The front brake caliper mounting bolts may not have been tightened properly during assembly, possibly allowing the calipers to loosen.
Loose brake calipers can reduce braking performance or interfere with wheel rotation, affecting vehicle handling. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake caliper bolts, tightening them as necessary. If bolts are missing, the affected brake caliper will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 24, 2020. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4420F.
Campaign 20V346000 on NHTSA.gov
Forward collision avoidance, automatic emergency brakingDec 19, 2019
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Mazda3 vehicles. The Smart Brake System (SBS) can falsely detect an obstacle while driving, activating the automatic emergency braking system and suddenly stopping the vehicle.
Stopping the vehicle unexpectedly increases the risk of a crash.
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will update the SBS software. In addition, vehicles with certain production dates will receive an instrument cluster software update or replacement and a replacement owner's manual. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2020. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4219L.
Campaign 19V907000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: steering
3 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Suspension, Nov 16, 2025
TSB 02-003/24 Car front suspension bolts corroded and making metal on metal sounds during turning and braking
Steering, Lane departure, Jun 12, 2023
Lane departure warning activated and attempted to correct during a gentle curve. The location had shifted lanes due to construction, so clear lines were visible but not the actual lane to follow which is a frequent occurrence in New York City. The system came close to steering me into the adjacent lane occupied by another vehicle forcing me to fight the correction. There was a lane departure warning on the dash and I believe the blind spot indicator was on (i.e. the adjacent vehicle was detected in some capacity). I considered this especially dangerous as in this zone also had very tight lanes so my physical correction could have also caused an accident. There was no malfunction of the physical components. No dealer or service center has reproduced the issue however I have discussed with other drivers of the same line (2020-23 Mazdas) who have had similar experiences leading to a decision to disable these "safety" features. Mazda provides a reasonable description of scenarios where lane departure and assistance will disable itself due to poor conditions or low confidence. I would recommend at a minimum requiring the system to detect and potentially differentiate lane widths, as city driving sometimes has extremely tight lanes (for example, the inner roadway of the Williamsburg Bridge where two adjacent lanes are perhaps 8-9ft with less than 2ft on either side to the wall). In these scenarios, any steering correction at all is more dangerous than if it were off.
Steering, Sep 29, 2020
MY NEW 2020 MAZDA 3 PREMIUM WITH 1,177 MILES SUDDENLY TOOK COMPLETE CONTROL OF STEERING MY CAR. DRIVING 65-70 MPH ON A 3 LANE STRAIGHT HIGHWAY ON A CLEAR DAY, WITH LIGHT TRAFFIC, I MOVED ONE LANE TO MY LEFT, AND THE CAR TOOK OVER THE STEERING, PULLING MY CAR OUT OF THE LEFT LANE NEARLY MISSING THE CENTER CEMENT DIVIDER, THEN DARTING BACK ACROSS MY LANE AND HALFWAY INTO THE LANE TO MY RIGHT,THEN DASHING BACK TO THE CEMENT MEDIAN. I AM UNAWARE OF HOW MANY TIMES THE BACK AND FORTH OCCURRED, I TRIED TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN TO NO AVAIL. THE CAR WAS MOVING FAST, AND THE PATTERN THE CAR MOVED IN WAS VERY PRECISE, AS IF THE CAR KNEW NOT TO HIT THE MEDIAN AND GO FURTHER INTO THE LANE TO MY RIGHT. FINALLY THE CAR STOPPED STEERING ITSELF, AND I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR WAS NOT DAMAGED. I HIT MY HEAD TWICE ON THE DRIVES SIDE DOOR. I DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.