2008 Mazda MAZDASPEED3: complaints, problems and recalls

WAS DRIVING MY 08 MAZDA SPEED 3 HOME FROM BEING OUT AND WHEN I GOT HOME SMELT SOMETHING BURNING SO I LOOKED AROUND THE INSIDE TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T DROP A CIGARETTE AND WHEN I DIDN'T SEE ANY I GOT OUT AND POPPED OPENED THE HOOD AND WHEN I DID THE MOTOR BURST INTO FLAMES GIVING ME FIRST DEGREE BURNS ACROSS MY FACE AND LEFT ARM. NOTHING HAS BEEN BY MAZDA OR ANYONE TO FIND THE SOURCE OF WHY IT HAPPENED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 13,572 miles reported. Look up ODI 10236639 at NHTSA ↗

A MOTOR MOUNT BROKE ON MY 2008 MAZDASPEED3 CAUSING THE NEED FOR REPLACEMENT ON THE FOLLOWING PARTS: TRANSMISSION TWO MOTOR MOUNTS BYPASS VALVE VEHICLE WIRING HARNESS DRIVERS SIDE AXLE MY DEALERSHIP TOOK PICTURES AND SENT THEM TO MAZDA. MAZDA SAYS THE VEHICLE WAS OVER DRIVEN AND THIS IS WHY THE MOUNT FAILED. THEY WILL NOT WARRANTY THE DAMAGES AND REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN THREE MONTHS OLD. THE DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE THAT WAS ABNORMAL. THERE WAS AN APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED WITH T…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10239375 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA SPEED 3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. HE THEN IMMEDIATELY CRASHED INTO THE ROAD BARRIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WEBBING WOULD NOT ADJUST SECURELY. ALSO, THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WOULD NOT RELEASE WHEN ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A POLICE…

Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10247675 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE MOTOR FAILS CATASTROPHICALLY WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING FIRE. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER MAZDA SPEED3 AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN THE MOTOR FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSED AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. THIS EVENT HAPPENED ONE TIME, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CAR THE APPROACHES ITS TOTAL LOSS VALUE. A MAZDA DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THE MOTOR FAILED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT OIL LEVEL; HOWEVER, AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE OIL HAD FALLEN TO LOW LEVEL. THE DASH LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR LIGHT DID NOT C…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,607 miles reported. Look up ODI 10255392 at NHTSA ↗

THE ISSUE FIRST BEGUN (05/04/09) WHEN THE ENGINE MISSED FIRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HWY, WHICH CAUSE THE CAR TO FEEL AS IF IT WAS GOING TO STALL. AFTER THAT INCIDENT, A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS APPARENT. THERE WAS ALSO VIBRATION FROM THAT NOISE THAT CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE PEDALS OF THE CAR. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER, WHICH WAS SIERRA MAZDA OF MONROVIA, CA, AND I EXPLAIN THE WHOLE SITUATION, THEY ONLY LOOKED AT THE CAR FOR ABOUT 15MINS AND THEN SAID IT WAS A CLUTCH RELATED ISSUE THAT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. …

Owner-reported narrative. 27,769 miles reported. Look up ODI 10274790 at NHTSA ↗

MY COMPLAINT IS REGARDING MY 2008 MAZDASPEED3 WHICH HAS SMOKED FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED AT RED LIGHTS. THIS IS CONSISTENT AND MAKES BREATHING DIFFICULT WHILE WAITING AT STOP LIGHTS SINCE THE SMOKE GETS INTO THE CABIN DURING MOST BRIEF STOPS. THE ISSUE IS DOCUMENTED UNDER MAZDA TSB 0100410 JAN 10. THE ISSUE SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE FACTORY WARRANTY; HOWEVER IT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED SINCE THE DEALER CLAIMS THEY ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE IT WAS SMOKING AT THE DEALERSHIP AS I …

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10342749 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVING NORMALLY - MY VEHICLE IS STOCK, NEVER RACED OR ABUSED, AND ONLY DEALER-SERVICED. WITH NO WARNING WHATSOEVER, WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY IN TRAFFIC, THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER BROKE OFF! I WAS UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS AT ALL AFTERWARDS. ONLY THROUGH SKILL AND LUCK WAS I ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER ARE REPLACING THE AFFECTED PARTS. HOWEVER, THEY ARE USING THE EXACT SAME PARTS AS BEFORE (DESIGN, PART #S ARE IDENTICAL). AS OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM, THIS IS A SERIOU…

Owner-reported narrative. 38,428 miles reported. Look up ODI 10386314 at NHTSA ↗

2008 MAZDA 3. CONSUMER STATES PERSISTENT CLUNKING NOISE FROM THE SUSPENSION AND TWO OF ENGINE MOUNTS ARE COMING LOOSE *TGW THE DEALER DETERMINED THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE REAR SHOCKS AND REPLACED THEM. THE NOISE, HOWEVER PERSISTED. THE CONSUMER DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THEY DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONT AXLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE CV BOOT. THE CONSUMER THEN WENT BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE STRUTS MOUNTS, REAR SWAY BAR LINKS, …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10392039 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2011-06-15 (June 15, 2011)

MAZDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 MAZDA3 AND MAZDASPEED3 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 7, 2008, THROUGH NOVEMBER 28, 2008. THE GROUND TERMINAL OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN INADVERTENTLY BENT DURING ASSEMBLY. IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS THEN OVER TIME THE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF THE MOTOR CIRCUIT MAY INCREASE UP TO A POINT THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK.

Consequence: THE LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION IN ADVERSE WEATHER COULD POTENTIALLY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL GROUND HARNESS ON THE WIPER MOTOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JULY 15, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-222-5500.