What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2011 Mazda MAZDA3

Typical pattern

9.9% of complaints about the 2011 Mazda MAZDA3 came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2011 vehicle — around the middle of the 203 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 5.8 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (30 complaints), typically at 5.8 yr or about 70,421 miles.

Complaints
181
Median age at failure
5.8 yr
Median mileage
45,304 n=126
Crash / fire / tow
12.7% of reports
Safety recalls
2

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Air bags
30 reports · 70,421 mi
5.8 yr
26.7%
Seats
20 reports · 74,000 mi
6.6 yr
15%
Other
18 reports · 76,000 mi
8.2 yr
0%
Electrical system
15 reports · 60,000 mi
8.1 yr
26.7%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

17V082000 2017-02-09
Seats

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2011 Mazda2 and 2010-2011 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles equipped with a manual seat lifter. In the affected vehicles, the seat height adjustment lifter links may break or detach from the seat frame and the seat angle may incline causing the driver to not be able to maintain an appropriate driving position.

If the driver cannot maintain an appropriate driving position, there is an increased risk of a crash.

16V644000 2016-09-06
Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015. On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.

If the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury.

In owners’ own words

Air bags 50 mi 8 mo in service
APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD. THERE WAS A PASSENGER SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIANS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT DIAGNOSE A FAILURE. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED BECAUSE THE PASSENGER DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH BODY WEIGHT FOR THE VEHICLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE IN THE SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 50. DS
Air bags 30,000 mi 3.3 yr in service crash / fire / tow
THE MAZDA 3 HIT A LARGE TRUCK BROADSIDE, WHICH CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. THE MAZDA IS LIKELY TOTALED. THOUGH THE MAZDA 3 IS EQUIPPED WITH FRONT, SIDE AND OVERHEAD AIRBAGS, NOT ONE AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN THE ACCIDENT, NOT EVEN THE DRIVER'S-SIDE FRONT AIRBAG. AMAZINGLY, NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *TR
Air bags 71,500 mi 5.1 yr in service
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF AND IT'S ALWAYS ON. THE ICON ON THE DASH IS INDICATING CODE 16. NOBODY IS SEATING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.
Other 30,000 mi 1.6 yr in service
I LEFT THE LIGHTS ON AND THIS DRAINED THE BATTERY. I HAD MY JUMPER CABLES IN THE SPARE-WHEEL COMPARTMENT. THERE WAS NO WAY TO OPEN THE HATCH (FIFTY DOOR) FROM THE INSIDE, OR ANY OTHER WAY. SEEMS LIKE THE ONLY WAY THAT THE BACK DOOR OPENS IS ELECTRONICALLY. THIS IS A FLAW IN TESTING AND DESIGN, THIS NEEDS ADDRESSED FOR SAFETY REASONS, NUMEROUS TO MENTION. SUGGESTION: HAVE A MANUAL LATCH TO OPEN THE BACK DOOR (HATCH) FROM THE INSIDE IN THE EVENT ELECTRICAL POWER IS LOST.

Other MAZDA3 model years

202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004

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