NHTSA vehicle safety data

2012 Mazda MAZDASPEED3 Recalls & Complaints

The 2012 Mazda MAZDASPEED3 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 6 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Mazda dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2012 Mazda MAZDASPEED3. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2012 Mazda MAZDASPEED3 owner complaints

Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Mazda MAZDASPEED3, describing incidents dated October 16, 2012 to January 23, 2017.

Most-cited components

Power Train 3 complaints
Exterior Lighting 1 complaint
Seats 1 complaint
Service Brakes 1 complaint

Of the 6 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10947944 · Filed January 27, 2017
WHILE DRIVING, SPECIFICALLY WHILE SLOWING DOWN ON AN EXIT RAMP FROM THE HIGHWAY, THE SEAT MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND MY SEAT BEGAN TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH FREELY UNDER ACCELERATION AND BRAKING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THE METAL CONNECTOR BETWEEN THE SEAT HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT AND THE…
ODI #10934560 · Filed December 11, 2016
HEADLIGHTS VOLUNTARILY AND UNCONTROLLABLY FLICKERING DURING ROUTINE DRIVING STRAIGHTAWAYS, TURNING, OR ENCOUNTERING BUMPY ROAD. ISSUE ARISES AT VARYING RATES OF SPEED. HAD VEHICLE SINCE 2012 AND NEVER HAD ISSUE. END OF NOV. 2016, TOOK CAR IN FOR 60,000 CHECK-UP. DEALERSHIP INSTALLED NEW BATTERY…
ODI #10735033 · Filed July 19, 2015
END OF 2013, THE VEHICLE BEGAN RANDOMLY POPPING OUT OF 2ND GEAR AND BACK INTO NEUTRAL. DEALER REBUILT TRANS UNDER WARRANTY AND ALL WAS OKAY UNTIL OCTOBER 2014 WHEN THE SAME ISSUE BEGAN AGAIN. DEALER REPLACED TRANS UNDER WARRANTY BUT ADVISED TRANSMISSION WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER VALID. CURRENTLY, JULY…

Read all 6 complaints

Rear Lift Gate may Fall if Lift Gate Stays Corrode

NHTSA #16V644000 · Structure — Body — Hatchback/Liftgate · NHTSA notice

Reported September 6, 2016 · Mazda North American Operations

Potentially affected: 580,455 vehicles

Repair completion: 65.42% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Mazda campaign 9916H · Owners notified March 8, 2017 · Vehicles built November 18, 2008 – June 8, 2013 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

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

Manufacturer remedy

Mazda dealers will replace the both lift gate supports, free of charge, however parts are not currently available. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9916H.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2012 Mazda MAZDASPEED3. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

6 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Mazda MAZDASPEED3.

Seats

ODI #10947944

Incident: January 23, 2017 · Filed: January 27, 2017

WHILE DRIVING, SPECIFICALLY WHILE SLOWING DOWN ON AN EXIT RAMP FROM THE HIGHWAY, THE SEAT MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND MY SEAT BEGAN TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH FREELY UNDER ACCELERATION AND BRAKING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THE METAL CONNECTOR BETWEEN THE SEAT HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT AND THE SEAT RAIL HAD SNAPPED. THE VEHICLE HAS 68,XXX MILES ON IT AND THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE FAILURE FOR THE AMOUNT OF MILES. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO FEEL SAFE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT IF THE SEAT CANNOT STAY SECURELY CONNECTED TO THE CAR THROUGH NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS?

Exterior Lighting

ODI #10934560

Incident: November 26, 2016 · Filed: December 11, 2016

HEADLIGHTS VOLUNTARILY AND UNCONTROLLABLY FLICKERING DURING ROUTINE DRIVING STRAIGHTAWAYS, TURNING, OR ENCOUNTERING BUMPY ROAD. ISSUE ARISES AT VARYING RATES OF SPEED. HAD VEHICLE SINCE 2012 AND NEVER HAD ISSUE. END OF NOV. 2016, TOOK CAR IN FOR 60,000 CHECK-UP. DEALERSHIP INSTALLED NEW BATTERY. ISSUE BEGAN SHORTLY THEREAFTER. DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AND CONCERN. WHILE DRIVING BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE ONE EVENING, MY VEHICLE LIGHTS FLICKERED AND PROMPTED THE DRIVER AHEAD OF ME TO MOVE INTO ANOTHER LANE. IT GAVE THEM THE IMPRESSION THAT I WAS FLASHING LIGHTS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO MOVE. THIS ISSUE CAN RESULT IN POTENTIAL CLAIMS OF "ROAD RAGE" AND LOSS OF LIFE. *TR

Power Train

ODI #10735033

Incident: November 29, 2013 · Filed: July 19, 2015

END OF 2013, THE VEHICLE BEGAN RANDOMLY POPPING OUT OF 2ND GEAR AND BACK INTO NEUTRAL. DEALER REBUILT TRANS UNDER WARRANTY AND ALL WAS OKAY UNTIL OCTOBER 2014 WHEN THE SAME ISSUE BEGAN AGAIN. DEALER REPLACED TRANS UNDER WARRANTY BUT ADVISED TRANSMISSION WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER VALID. CURRENTLY, JULY 2015, THE SAME ISSUE IS HAPPENING AGAIN. VEHICLE WILL BE IN GEAR THEN OUT OF GEAR CAUSING ME TO BE UNABLE TO ACCELERATE, AND CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT RISK.

Service Brakes

ODI #10668393

Crash

Incident: December 26, 2014 · Filed: December 26, 2014

DRIVER ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY BRAKING EVENT. BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO MAINTAIN FORM-BENT UNDER MODERATE PRESSURE, ALLOWING BRAKE PEDAL COVER TO FALL OFF RESULTING IN DRIVER'S FOOT TO LOSE CONTACT WITH BRAKE PEDAL. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF BRAKES AND RESULTED IN A COLLISION. *TR

Power Train

ODI #10514823

Incident: May 24, 2013 · Filed: June 3, 2013

WENT TO SHIFT FROM 3RD TO 4TH, AND THE KNOB FELL INTO TWO PIECES WHILE DRIVING. *TR

Power Train

ODI #10482514

Incident: October 16, 2012 · Filed: October 28, 2012

RECENTLY PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2012 MAZDA SPEED3. 17 MILES OFF THE LOT. IN THE 4 MILE DRIVE TO MY HOUSE 15 MINUTES AFTER SIGNING PAPERWORK, THE CLUTCH BLOWS OUT. HAD IT TOWED BACK AND WAS TOLD WE WERE LUCKY THEY FIXED IT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THIS ITEM IS A "WEAR & TEAR" ITEM BECAUSE GOING 4 MILES IS APPARENTLY TOO LONG. WE WERE TOLD TO "BREAK THE CLUTCH IN" FOR ABOUT 400 MILES. WELL, WE MADE IT TO 125 MILES ON THE ODOMETER AND THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED. EXCEPT THIS TIME, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40MPH ON A BUSY ROAD WHEN THE CLUTCH WENT OUT. LUCKILY MY THREE YOUNG CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE CAR. THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY IN OWNING A VEHICLE FOR A MERE 2.5 DAYS IN OUR HANDS WE HAVE BLOWN TWO CLUTCHES OR THE VEHICLE HAVE ANY WEAR OR TEAR. NOW THEY WANT OUR MONEY TO FIX A CAR I HAVE HAD FOR 2.5 DAYS. THIS IS A LOAD OF CRAP ON MAZDAS PART AND THEY NEED TO FIX THIS NOT ONLY ON MY VEHICLE BUT WHATEVER OTHER ONES ARE OUT THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

Other Mazda MAZDASPEED3 model years

Check your 2012 Mazda MAZDASPEED3 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mazda MAZDASPEED3 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Mazda VIN