Reliability & cost of ownership
Mazda Mazda3 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Mazda Mazda3? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Mazda Mazda3 problems by model year
57 recall entries and 2969 owner complaints on file across 23 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Mazda Mazda3, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- steering393 complaints
- unknown or other364 complaints
- electrical system363 complaints
- structure282 complaints
- air bags258 complaints
- service brakes255 complaints
- power train248 complaints
- engine210 complaints