2010 Mazda MAZDA3
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2010 Mazda MAZDA3 has 920 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 11.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is body/structure problems (18% of all complaints), specifically: (2010 mazda3 5-dr with sunroof) when sunroof is fully opened and driving around 35 miles/hr, complete roof starts to vibrate producing loud noise. i took the car to a car dealer and technician noticed the problem as well. i was told that the car is new design and that mazda engineering received a c. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.
920
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
11.5x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
BODY/STRUCTURE
170 complaints- • (2010 MAZDA3 5-DR WITH SUNROOF) WHEN SUNROOF IS FULLY OPENED AND DRIVING AROUND 35 MILES/HR, COMPLETE ROOF STARTS TO VIBRATE PRODUCING LOUD NOISE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CAR DEALER AND TECHNICIAN NOTICED THE PROBLEM AS WELL. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR IS NEW DESIGN AND THAT MAZDA ENGINEERING RECEIVED A C
- • THE DRIVER SIDE INTERIOR DOOR LATCH CABLE BROKE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THE NEW MAZDA 3. *TR
- • HI, THIS MORNING I WAS DRIVING ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY ENTIRE SUNROOF EXPLODED AND SHATTERED. THERE WAS NOTHING THAT HIT MY CAR, NOR NOTHING THAT HIT MY SUNROOF. I WAS TRAVELING AT 65MPH ON I-25 IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM. NEITHER THE SUNROOF NOR THE CAR HAVE BEEN CHANGED IN ANYWAY FROM T
“(2010 MAZDA3 5-DR WITH SUNROOF) WHEN SUNROOF IS FULLY OPENED AND DRIVING AROUND 35 MILES/HR, COMPLETE ROOF STARTS TO VIBRATE PRODUCING LOUD NOISE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CAR DEALER AND TECHNICIAN NOTICED THE PROBLEM AS WELL. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR IS NEW DESIGN AND THAT MAZDA ENGINEERING RECEIVED A C”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
140 complaints- • MAZDA3 REAR ENDED A MOVING TRUCK. MAZDA3 WAS GOING ABOUT 45 MPH AND TRUCK WAS NOT MOVING. UPON IMPACT, THE MAZDA3 IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT FIRE AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR. FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO EXTINGUISH FIRE. FIRE DAMAGED CAR. CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUGHT FIRE.
- • LIFTED PARKING BRAKE LEVER TO ENGAGE PARKING BRAKE, AND IT CAME UP WAY FURTHER THAN NORMAL WITHOUT OFFERING THE NORMAL RESISTANCE. AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS AT RESETTING THE BRAKE, IT ENGAGED NORMALLY. MALFUNCTION OCCURRED AGAIN TWO DAYS LATER, BUT THIS TIME, I COULD NOT GET IT TO ENGAGE SUCCESSFULLY E
- • A LOW SPEED REAR-END COLLISION RESULTED IN AN IMMEDIATE EXPLOSION OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING A LARGE EXTERNAL FIRE AND SMOKE TO ENTER THE CABIN UPON IMPACT. THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OCCURRED ON THE FRONT-RIGHT; THE FIRE DESTROYED THE ENTIRE FRONT 2/3 OF THE VEHICLE (TOTALING THE VEHICLE).
“MAZDA3 REAR ENDED A MOVING TRUCK. MAZDA3 WAS GOING ABOUT 45 MPH AND TRUCK WAS NOT MOVING. UPON IMPACT, THE MAZDA3 IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT FIRE AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR. FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO EXTINGUISH FIRE. FIRE DAMAGED CAR. CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUGHT FIRE.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
SEATS/RESTRAINTS
113 complaints- • DRIVER SEAT FEELS LOOSE AND ROCKS BACK AND FORTH WHILE I AM DRIVING VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED SEAT WILL NOT HOLD UP IN ACCIDENT. SAT IN SIMILAR CAR AT DEALER WITH SAME PROBLEM. *TR
- • I OWN A 2010 MAZDA3. A FEW WEEKS AGO WHILE DRIVING MY FRONT SEAT MADE A POPPING SOUND AND BEGAN ROCKING BACK AND FORTH CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR MOMENTARILY. I TOOK IT INTO THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP IN ALEXANDRIA VIRGINIA (BROWNS MAZDA ON ROUTE 1) AND ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT IT. THEY DETERMIN
- • THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT SUPPORT BRACKET HAS BROKEN AT THE WELD AND IT RESULTS IN THE FRONT SEAT NOT BEING STABLE. IT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH WITH ACCELERATION AND BRAKING. THE ENTIRE SEAT IS NOT STABLE. *TR
“DRIVER SEAT FEELS LOOSE AND ROCKS BACK AND FORTH WHILE I AM DRIVING VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED SEAT WILL NOT HOLD UP IN ACCIDENT. SAT IN SIMILAR CAR AT DEALER WITH SAME PROBLEM. *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
VISIBILITY
109 complaints- • I WAS ADJUSTING MY REAR VIEW MIRROR ON MY NEW 2010 MAZDA 3 AND IT CAME OFF. WHEN IT CAME OFF IT BROKE OFF A CHUNK OF GLASS FROM THE WINDSHIELD. MAZDA REFUSES TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM! *TR
- • REAR GLASS EXPLOSION ON 2010 MAZDA 3 SEDAN. MORNING 16 DEGREES F. APPROACHED MY CAR IN THE MORNING AND HEARD A CRACKLING NOISE. I THOUGHT THE SOUND WAS ICE. I STARTED THE CAR AND THE REAR DEFOGGER. AS I SAT IN MY DRIVEWAY ...APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS AFTER TURNING ON THE DEFOGGER. THE REAR GLASS EXP
- • TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA3. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHIN A FEW SECONDS AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE STEERING FAILED AND THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH THE PASSENGER DOOR THAT COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED FROM THE INSIDE. THE SUNROOF BUTTON ALSO
“I WAS ADJUSTING MY REAR VIEW MIRROR ON MY NEW 2010 MAZDA 3 AND IT CAME OFF. WHEN IT CAME OFF IT BROKE OFF A CHUNK OF GLASS FROM THE WINDSHIELD. MAZDA REFUSES TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM! *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
WHEELS
54 complaints- • THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FAILURE TO DATE, HOWEVER, ADDING MY VEHICLE TO THE OTHER MAZDA3'S IN THE DATA BASE WHERE THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE IS CREATING UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. AS I HAVE READ IN NO LESS THAN 5 BLOGS, THE MANUFACTURER INTENTIONALLY CAMBERS THE REAR TIRES TO INCREASE THE PERFORMANCE AND HANDLIN
- • THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT CAME OUT ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASING MY NEW MAZDA 3 IN JULY 2010. I FILLED THE TIRE WITH AIR BUT LIGHT WOULD COME BACK ON SEVERAL WEEKS LATER. TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER IN OCTOBER 2010 AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS. TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER IN OCTOBER 2011 AND NOW THE
- • THE VALVE STEM OF MY TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) HAD SIGNIFICANT CORROSION LEADING TO IMMEDIATE AND RAPID DEFLATION OF FRONT LEFT TIRE WHILE REMOVING AIR HOSE WHILE TENDING TO TPMS WARNING LIGHT. THE RAPID DEFLATION WAS DUE TO COMPLETE AND IMMEDIATE SEVERANCE WHERE THE THREADED PORTION OF
“THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FAILURE TO DATE, HOWEVER, ADDING MY VEHICLE TO THE OTHER MAZDA3'S IN THE DATA BASE WHERE THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE IS CREATING UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. AS I HAVE READ IN NO LESS THAN 5 BLOGS, THE MANUFACTURER INTENTIONALLY CAMBERS THE REAR TIRES TO INCREASE THE PERFORMANCE AND HANDLIN”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 920 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐BODY/STRUCTURE: (2010 MAZDA3 5-DR WITH SUNROOF) WHEN SUNROOF IS FULLY OPENED AND DRIVING AROUND 35 MILES/HR, COMPLETE ROOF STARTS TO VIBRATE PRODUCING LOUD NOISE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CAR DEALER AND TECHNICIAN NOTICED THE PROBLEM AS WELL. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR IS NEW DESIGN AND THAT MAZDA ENGINEERING RECEIVED A C
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: MAZDA3 REAR ENDED A MOVING TRUCK. MAZDA3 WAS GOING ABOUT 45 MPH AND TRUCK WAS NOT MOVING. UPON IMPACT, THE MAZDA3 IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT FIRE AT THE FRONT OF THE CAR. FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO EXTINGUISH FIRE. FIRE DAMAGED CAR. CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUGHT FIRE.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐SEATS/RESTRAINTS: DRIVER SEAT FEELS LOOSE AND ROCKS BACK AND FORTH WHILE I AM DRIVING VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED SEAT WILL NOT HOLD UP IN ACCIDENT. SAT IN SIMILAR CAR AT DEALER WITH SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐VISIBILITY: I WAS ADJUSTING MY REAR VIEW MIRROR ON MY NEW 2010 MAZDA 3 AND IT CAME OFF. WHEN IT CAME OFF IT BROKE OFF A CHUNK OF GLASS FROM THE WINDSHIELD. MAZDA REFUSES TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM! *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Mazda MAZDA3 — Year Comparison
How does 2010 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 920
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 4
- Crash reports
- 7
- Injury reports
- 4
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2010 Mazda MAZDA3