2006 Mazda MAZDA3 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
166 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
71,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 124 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 27 of 166 complaints (16.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 34 | 20.5% |
| Braking behavior | 25 | 15.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 21 | 12.7% |
| Engine operation | 13 | 7.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 5.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 27 |
| Air Bags | 25 |
| Engine | 17 |
| Electrical System | 16 |
| Power Train | 15 |
| Tires | 13 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 12 |
| Suspension | 10 |
Steering: 27; Air Bags: 25; Engine: 17; Electrical System: 16; Power Train: 15; Tires: 13; Engine And Engine Cooling: 12; Suspension: 10
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 23 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 20 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 22 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 22 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 26 |
| 150,000 and above | 11 |
Under 25,000: 23; 25,000 to 49,999: 20; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 22; 100,000 to 149,999: 26; 150,000 and above: 11
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (26). 42 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 14 |
| 2007 | 12 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 10 |
| 2010 | 18 |
| 2011 | 10 |
| 2012 | 14 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 18 |
| 2015 | 14 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2006: 14; 2007: 12; 2008: 10; 2009: 10; 2010: 18; 2011: 10; 2012: 14; 2013: 10; 2014: 18; 2015: 14; 2016: 10; 2017: 7; 2018: 4; 2019: 5; 2020: 2; 2021: 4; 2023: 3; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 34 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 21 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10152284 · 2006-03-09 (March 9, 2006)
2006 MAZDA 3, 5DOOR AUTOMATIC PURCHASED NEW IN OCTOBER, 2005. CAR PULLS LEFT. ITS BEEN TO 2 DEALERS 7 DIFFERENT TIMES. THEY CANT FIX IT. I'VE GOT AN ATTORNEY NOW AND GOING THROUGH LEMON LAW PROCEDURES. WE DID GIVE MAZDA SEVERAL EXTRA CHANCES TO FIX IT AND HAVE THEIR ZONE MANAGER AND HIS TECH REP AND A MAZDA ENGINEER THAT DROVE DOWN FROM MICHIGAN, A CHANCE TO TEST DRIVE THE CAR. ON THE LAST VISIT THEY CONFIRMED 2 OTHER NEW MAZDA 3'S DROVE LIKE MINE DID, I.E. THEY PULLED LEFT. ON PREVIOUS VISITS I WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM WITH 3 OTHER NEW MAZDA…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10152284 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10165198 · 2006-08-10 (August 10, 2006)
WHILE DRIVING IN "MANUAL" MODE ON MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, AND SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, EXPERIENCED SUBSTANTIAL VIBRATION IN MY STEERING WHEEL AND VIBRATION COULD ALSO BE FELT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CAR, AS IF THE ENTIRE CAR WERE "WOBBLING". DROVE STRAIGHT HOME; HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT HAS BEEN (AS OF TODAY) FOR ELEVEN (11) DAYS. SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADVISED ME THAT THEY ARE CALLING IT "INTERNAL AXLE FAILURE" ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. THEY ARE WAITING FOR PARTS, WHICH THEY SAY WILL TAKE ANOTHER FEW WEEKS TO C…
Owner-reported narrative. 301 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165198 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10167303 · 2006-09-04 (September 4, 2006)
MY 2004 MAZDA 3 IS EXPERIENCING GREATLY ACCELERATED REAR BRAKE PAD AND ROTOR WEAR, BOTH REQUIRING REPLACEMENT BY 32K MILES. THIS IS AT LEAST 3X FASTER WEAR THAN NORMAL. FRONT BRAKES SHOW LITTLE WEAR AND LOOK TO LAST UP TO 100K MILES. DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS NORMAL, INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS SAY NOT. MANY '04 AND '05 MAZDA 3 OWNERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM. COULD THIS PROBLEM BE THE RESULT OF IMPROPER FRONT/REAR BRAKE BIAS OR DEFECTIVE PARTS/MATERIALS? COULD THIS SITUATION LEAD TO IMPROPER/UNSAFE BRAKING PERFORMANCE UNDER CERTAIN COND…
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10167303 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10167798 · 2006-09-11 (September 11, 2006)
THE DAY AFTER PURCHASE OF MY 2006 MAZDA3 I WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, THE REAR BRAKES WERE GRINDING. THEY WERE GRINDING SO LOUD I COULD HEAR THEM OVER THE RADIO ON LEVEL 2 IN VOLUME. I SHOULD NOT HEAR THEM AT ALL!! I HAD UNDER 30 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE GENTLEMAN I SPOKE WITH TOLD ME THIS IS VERY COMMON , THAT ALL DO IT. I AM SORRY , I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE HAPPENING, I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE THAT HAS DONE THAT UNLESS THE BRAKE PADS, AND ROTORS DIDN'T NEED REPLACED. NOW, 2 MONTHS LATER, THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10167798 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10166886 · 2006-08-16 (August 16, 2006)
2006 MAZDA 3 GOES INTO REVERSE WHEN SHIFTED INTO FOURTH GEAR. *KB THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THERE IS NO MECHANICAL ISOLATION BETWEEN THE 4TH GEAR AND REVERSE. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10166886 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10160949 · 2006-06-28 (June 28, 2006)
IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT IN THE FIRST MORNING THE CAR WOULD HESITATE TO START. CONTACTED MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALER IN RENO AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THE PROBLEM HAD TO DO WITH NEVADA GAS. ON JUNE 17TH, WHILE VISITING LAS VEGAS, THE CARS ENGINE STALLED WHILE IN GEAR ON THE FREEWAY, IT TOOK TWO ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE CAR. I RETURNED TO RENO, AND CONTACTED AN ATTORNEY AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE THREE MAJOR COMPONETS, THAT WERE ALL LINKED TO THE FUEL SYSTEM OF THE CAR. I CONTACTED THE MAZDA DEALER…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160949 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10169093 · 2006-09-15 (September 15, 2006)
2006 MAZDA 3I TOURING STALLED WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. *TS THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING. THE POWER STEERING MADE STRANGE NOISES WHEN THE CONSUMER MADE A U-TURN OR PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10169093 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10203693 · 2007-09-22 (September 22, 2007)
2006 MAZDA 3 DRIVER SIDE HEADLAMP SHORT-CIRCUITED RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL FIRE IMMEDIATELY AFTER MINOR COLLISION. FIRE QUICKLY STARTED TO SPREAD DAMAGING RADIATOR SUPPORT AND FUSE BOX. PARTS REPLACED IN BODY SHOP. BODY SHOP SAID THESE CARS TEND TO CATCH FIRE WHEN COLLIDING IN THAT SPECIFIC AREA. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10203693 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10308093 · 2010-02-09 (February 9, 2010)
CAR WAS DRIVING AS NORMAL. NOTHING WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY. WENT TO GO START UP THE CAR ONE MORNING TO GO TO WORK, AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START. IT WAS NOT LIKE A DEAD BATTERY. I TURNED THE KEY, NOTHING HAPPENED. NO STARTER MOTOR GOING, NO CLICKING NOISE...JUST GOT NOTHING. AFTER GETTING TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DIAGNOSE ANYTHING BECAUSE THE COMPUTER THEY ATTACH TO MY CAR WAS GETTING NO READINGS - THERE WAS THE PROBLEM. MY ECU HAD COMPLETELY FAILED. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ECU. THANKFULLY I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY SO THAT SAV…
Owner-reported narrative. 83,568 miles reported. Look up ODI 10308093 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11034435 · 2017-10-18 (October 18, 2017)
I STARTED NOTICING A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE CAR WHENEVER I TURNED ON AC. I THOUGHT IT COULD BE BECAUSE OF SOME LEAK BUT THERE WAS NO LEAK ANYWHERE OUTSIDE THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN USING THE CAR FOR THE COMMUTE JUST WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. WHEN THE SMELL CONTINUED TO EXIST I TOOK IT TO EARNHARDT MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN SCOTTSDALE AZ WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT IT COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. BUT TO MAKE SURE I WENT TO FIRESTONE AS WELL WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAS A LEAK AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT…
Owner-reported narrative. 88,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 11034435 at NHTSA ↗