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Mazda Mazda3 Problems by Year

Which Mazda Mazda3 years have the most owner complaints, what goes wrong, and how many recalls each year has.

Mazda Mazda3, 2019 to 2024 model years
Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0

Owners have filed 1,117 complaints with NHTSA about the Mazda Mazda3 from 2012 to 2024. Across every year, the most reported problem areas are the electrical system, the brakes and stability control and the lights, wipers and visibility. The years with the most complaints are 2012, 2014 and 2015.

Years to avoid

2012

The most complaints compared with other Mazda3 years.

Safer bets

201920202021

Clearly fewer complaints than a typical Mazda3 year. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate.

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Complaints by year

Tap a year to see its most reported problems, its recalls and what to check before you buy. Newer years have had less time on the road, so they always look better here. Red marks the worst years, orange years worse than most, and green the better ones.

201222620131172014138201513020161042017842018110201974202032202154202224202312202412

Every year at a glance

YearVs. other yearsComplaintsRecallsMost reported
2012 Mazda3Among the worst years2261Transmission and drivetrain
2013 Mazda3About average1171Lights, wipers and visibility
2014 Mazda3About average1384Brakes and stability control
2015 Mazda3About average1304Brakes and stability control
2016 Mazda3About average1046Electrical system
2017 Mazda3About average842Electrical system
2018 Mazda3About average1104Electrical system
2019 Mazda3One of the better years746Brakes and stability control
2020 Mazda3One of the better years322Driver assist systems
2021 Mazda3One of the better years541Engine and cooling
2022 Mazda3Too new to judge240Air bags
2023 Mazda3Too new to judge120Electrical system
2024 Mazda3Too new to judge123Electrical system

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Mazda Mazda3 questions

What are the worst Mazda Mazda3 years?

Compared with its other years, the Mazda3 years with the most owner complaints to NHTSA are 2012. The most reported problem area across all years is the electrical system.

What are the best Mazda Mazda3 years?

The Mazda3 years with clearly fewer complaints than a typical year are 2019, 2020 and 2021. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly, since complaints keep coming in as cars age.

What are the most common Mazda Mazda3 problems?

Across 2012 to 2024, owners report problems with the electrical system, the brakes and stability control and the lights, wipers and visibility most often. Each model year has its own pattern, so check the year you are looking at.

How many recalls does the Mazda Mazda3 have?

NHTSA lists 34 recalls across the 2012 to 2024 Mazda3, counted per model year. A recall can cover several years.

Check the exact car

These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.

Decode its VINConfirm the year, trim and engine, and see recalls and safety ratings.Walk around and test drive itA step-by-step checklist you can use on your phone at the car.Read the history reportThe red flags in a Carfax or AutoCheck report, in plain English.

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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.