2013 Mazda MAZDA3 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
117 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
40,660 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 80 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 34 of 117 complaints (29.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 45 | 38.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 16 | 13.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 11 | 9.4% |
| Steering behavior | 10 | 8.5% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 3.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 1.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 34 |
| Electrical System | 32 |
| Power Train | 18 |
| Service Brakes | 15 |
| Engine | 11 |
| Unknown Or Other | 10 |
| Seats | 9 |
| Steering | 9 |
Exterior Lighting: 34; Electrical System: 32; Power Train: 18; Service Brakes: 15; Engine: 11; Unknown Or Other: 10; Seats: 9; Steering: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 17 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 29 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 17 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 10 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 17; 25,000 to 49,999: 29; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 2
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (29). 37 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 |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2016 | 19 |
| 2017 | 27 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 11 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2013: 5; 2014: 9; 2015: 10; 2016: 19; 2017: 27; 2018: 11; 2019: 11; 2020: 6; 2021: 8; 2022: 3; 2023: 6; 2024: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 45 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 16 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 11 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 10577885 · 2014-04-07 (April 7, 2014)
DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AT 15 MPH, THE CAR IN FRONT OF MYSELF HAD SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED AT A LIGHT. WHEN I SEEN SHE WAS STOPPING, I PRESSED DOWN MY BRAKES SO I WOULD STOP BUT THE BRAKE PEDDLE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. MY CAR DIDN'T STOP. FROM THIS I HAD REAR-ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE BRAKES WERE TESTED AGAIN AND RESULTED IN THE PEDDLE STILL BEING PUSHED DOWN TO THE FLOOR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 26,081 miles reported. Look up ODI 10577885 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10667536 · 2014-12-21 (December 21, 2014)
WHEN I STARTED DRIVING AND PUT ON MY HEADLIGHTS. EVERYTIME I PUT ON THE BRAKES THE HEADLIGHTS DIM AS THE BRAKE LIGHT IS PUSHED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10667536 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10510148 · 2013-04-30 (April 30, 2013)
I DROVE THE CAR ON FRIDAY, 4/26/13, FOR ABOUT 120 MILES. ON 4/29/13, I FOUND THE BATTERY DIED. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME FOR THIS BRAND NEW CAR ABOUT A MONTH. IT'S NOT A RELIABLE PRODUCT. THE SERVICE LADY IN MAITA MAZDA SACRAMENTO TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD DRIVE THE CAR EVERYDAY TO KEEP THE BATTERY WORKING. WHY DIDN'T THEY TOLD ME BEFORE I BROUGHT IT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 390 miles reported. Look up ODI 10510148 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10630324 · 2014-09-03 (September 3, 2014)
DRIVING 60MPH ON MAJOR FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR, LIGHT RAIN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. A FEW MINUTES LATER, EVERY WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST THE POWER STEERING. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED THE CAR OF, WAITED 10 MINUTES AND STARTED THE CAR. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON AND ALL OTHER WARNING LIGHTS WERE OFF. STARTED DRIVING AND 10 MINUTES LATER ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN AND LOST POWER STEERING AGAIN. LEFT VEHICLE IN GARAGE OVER NIGHT WITH HOOD UP THINKING IT WAS DUE TO RAIN/MOISTURE/COMPUTER…
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10630324 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10552879 · 2013-11-19 (November 19, 2013)
MY CAR SUDDENLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF IT. I COASTED TO A STOP, STOPPED THE CAR, WAITED A BIT, THEN RESTARTED. IT WENT ABOUT HALF A MILE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE DEALER SAID IT'S A FAULTY TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY (AND I WAS TOLD IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE, BUT DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING HERE OR ON MAZDA'S WEBSITE). I WAS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE JUST GOTTEN OFF THE FREEWAY BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10552879 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10553870 · 2013-11-26 (November 26, 2013)
ON FRIDAY 11/22/13 4PM I WENT TO GET MY OIL CHANGED AND CAR SERVICED. IT WAS THE END OF THE DAY & THE TECHNICIANS LEAVE AT 5PM. AFTER I RECEIVED MY CAR AT 5:10PM, I DECIDED TO TAKE SIDE STREETS TO GO PICK UP MY BROTHER, INSTEAD OF TAKING THE FREEWAY. THE CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND EVENTUALLY STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. THE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS) TURNED ON. I GOT TO THE SIDE & CALLED THE MAZDA TUTTLE-CLICK IN IRVINE, CA SERVICE CENTER. HE TOLD ME SINCE THE ENGINE LIGHT WASN'T BLINKING THAT IT WASN'T A…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10553870 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10606745 · 2014-06-29 (June 29, 2014)
WHILE PRACTICING PARALLEL PARKING ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR BECAME HOT, POWER STEERING MIL WAS ON AND NO ASSIST TO STEER. AFTER LETTING IT COOL FOR 30 MIN DID MOTOR WORK AGAIN. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10606745 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11043568 · 2017-11-05 (November 5, 2017)
WHEN DRIVING THE AFFECTED VEHICLES IN HEAVY RAIN OR IN DEEP PUDDLES, THE ALTERNATOR BELT MAY SLIP, CAUSING THE POWER CONTROL MODULE (PCM) TO INCORRECTLY ASSUME FAILURE OF THE CHARGING SYSTEM. ONCE THE PCM ASSUMES THAT THE CHARGING SYSTEM HAS FAILED, THE VEHICLE WILL STOP CHARGING AND COULD RESULT IN POOR ACCELERATION, LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST AND WINDSHIELD WIPER OPERATION, AND A POSSIBLE ENGINE STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH."
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11043568 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10966450 · 2017-03-17 (March 17, 2017)
THE POWER STEERING ON MY CAR JUST STOPPED WORKING AND THEN THE NEXT DAY IT WAS FINE. NOW, IT DOESN'T WORK AGAIN AND I CAN'T DRIVE IT. I WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY AND WANTED TO BACK OUT TO GO TO WORK AND THE WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN. I NEED MY CAR FOR WORK!! I SEE OTHERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE - WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL? I ALSO HAD AN ISSUE THAT THE GAS TANK GOT A WHOLE IN IT AND AGAIN - NOT UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I SEE OTHERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT ISSUE AS WELL. MY CAR HAS ABOUT 32,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT IT IN 2014, BUT IT WAS A BRAND NEW…
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10966450 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11526376 · 2023-06-10 (June 10, 2023)
After filing up the gas tank, there is a strong smell of fuel coming from the car. It remains strong until the tank is run down to about 3/4. Gas can be seen dripping down the tank under the car. Gas drips are clearly visible on the ground. This has been an ongoing problem for approximately two years.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11526376 at NHTSA ↗