2012 Mazda MAZDA3 problems and owner complaints

THE CAR SOMETIMES SURGES DURING DOWNSHIFTING. I WILL BE DRIVING IN MODERATE TRAFFIC IN THIRD GEAR. THE TRAFFIC SLOWS, AND I LET IN THE CLUTCH AND APPLY THE BRAKE. WHEN THE TRAFFIC STARTS TO PICK UP AGAIN, I AM GOING TOO SLOW FOR THIRD, SO I SHIFT INTO SECOND AND LET THE CLUTCH OUT. MY RIGHT FOOT IS JUST RESTING LIGHTLY ON THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IDLING FAST, BUT AS SOON AS THE CLUTCH IS ENGAGED, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY ROARS AND THE CAR LEAPS FORWARD, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NOT PRESSED THE GAS AT ALL. I LET IN THE CLUTCH AGAIN TO AV…

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10469613 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE WILL RANDOMLY AND SPORADICALLY SPEED UP AND THE RPMS INCREASE UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN THE CLUTCH IS RELEASED AFTER DOWNSHIFTING FROM 3RD TO 2ND OR 4TH TO 3RD. MOSTLY FROM 3RD TO 2ND. THE VEHICLE REALLY PULLS FORWARD AND DOES NOT SLOW DOWN WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING. INSTINCT IS TO JUMP THE BRAKE, WHICH SLOWS THE CAR, DECREASES THE RPMS AND APPEARS TO STOP THE INCIDENT. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY CONCERN, ESPECIALLY WITH SNOWY, ICY ROADS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE THIS AS IT IS SPORADIC. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS T…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10477984 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE CAR DECELERATES (BRAKING OR DOWN-SHIFTING) THE HEADLIGHTS FLASH. WHEN I TAKE THE CAR BACK TO MAZDA SERVICE, THEY TELL ME THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT IS EFFECTING MANY OF THE NEW SKYACTIV ENGINES. THEY SAY THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT THAT IS MAKING THE LIGHTS FLASH. THEY STATE THAT MAZDA ENGINEERS HAVE NOT GIVEN THEM A FIX FOR IT YET, SO THEY CAN'T FIX IT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A REAL SAFTEY HAZARD. PEOPLE ON THE HIGHWAY THINK I AM FLASHING MY LIGHTS AT THEM. I BOUGHT A SECOND CAR (SAME MODEL AND YEAR)…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10486034 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHROME PANELING ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DASHBOARD WAS CAUSING MOMENTARILY BLINDNESS WHEN THE SUN OR LIGHT REFLECTED OFF THE CHROME. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10470647 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO START THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE POWER STEERING, TRACTION CONTROL, AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED. MOMENTS LATER, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE LOCATED. THE FAILURES RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS AWAITING ADDITIO…

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10495047 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 45 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED; THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS THEN CAME BACK ON. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS CAME BACK ON THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE WHOLE ISSUE GAVE THE APPEARANCE OF PART OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LOSING POWER AND THE POWER THEN BEING RESTORED. DURING THE INCIDENT THE ENGINE DID NOT APPEAR TO LOSE POWER, NOR DID THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGE. *JS

Owner-reported narrative. 13,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10538337 at NHTSA ↗

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…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10456191 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY IN TRAFFIC WHEN I NOTICED A LARGE WHITE SPIDER ABOUT THE SIZE OF MY THUMB COME OUT OF THE DASHBOARD (WHERE THE MPG DISPLAY IS LOCATED). THE FOLLOWING MORNING, I NOTICED ANOTHER SPIDER ON MY DASHBOARD NEAR THE VENT AT THE VERY FRONT. BOTH SPIDERS LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE THE WHITE SAC SPIDERS DESCRIBED IN THE MAZDA 6 RECALL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TODAY TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT BECAUSE I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THESE SPIDERS ARE KNOWN TO CAUSE IN THE FUEL TANK. MAZDA REFUSED TO LOOK AT MY CAR STATING THAT MY MODEL WASN'T …

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10618385 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC SKYACTIV 2012 5DR HATCHBACK. I WAS PULLING OUT ON A BACK ROAD THAT WAS 60MPH AND AS SOON AS I PRESSED THE GAS TO SPEED UP WITH TRAFFIC IT WAS AS IF THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR SLOWLY ACCELERATED AS I HAD THE GAS PRESSED TO THE FLOOR. IT VERY SLOWLY SPED UP TO 60MPH AND WOULD NOT GO ANY FASTER. I TRIED PRESSING THE TRACTION CONTROL BUTTON TO TURN IT OFF AND NOTHING HAPPENED. MY WIFE AND I GOT LUNCH AND AFTERWARDS IT WORKED FINE. LAST TIME I WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME THERE WA…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10506048 at NHTSA ↗

MAZDA 3 SKYACTIVE 2012, 45,000 MI. DRIVING DOWN ON A DRY STREET, SUNNY DAY, GOING AT APPROX 35MPH WHEN SUDDENLY ENGINE STARTED REVVING HIGH BUT CAR WASN'T ACCELERATING. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS AS CAR WAS STALLING IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE AT, TCS/DSC, AND ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. PULLED OVER SAFELY ASAP TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. TURNED OFF ENGINE, WAITED 2 MINUTES, RE-STARTED ENGINE AND LIGHTS WERE OFF, AND DROVE HOME SLOWLY. FOLLOWING MORNING, ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON BUT CAR SEEMS TO BE DRIVING NORMALLY. WILL TAKE TO DEALERSHIP ASAP. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10633592 at NHTSA ↗