2013 Mazda MAZDA3

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2013 Mazda MAZDA3 has 176 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is lighting problems (20% of all complaints), specifically: tl * the contact owns a 2013 mazda 3. the contact stated that the vehicle's headlight assembly was completely melted. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 15,000.. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 5 crash reports 3 injuries

176

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

LIGHTING

36 complaints

20%

• TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS COMPLETELY MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.
• WHEN I STARTED DRIVING AND PUT ON MY HEADLIGHTS. EVERYTIME I PUT ON THE BRAKES THE HEADLIGHTS DIM AS THE BRAKE LIGHT IS PUSHED. *TR
• THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER OR PULSATE WHEN I BRAKE OR DECELERATED MY 2013 MAZDA 3 HATCHBACK WITH THE 2.0 L ENGINE. NIGHT DRIVING IS DANGEROUS. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS COMPLETELY MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

32 complaints

18%

• I DROVE THE CAR ON FRIDAY, 4/26/13, FOR ABOUT 120 MILES. ON 4/29/13, I FOUND THE BATTERY DIED. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME FOR THIS BRAND NEW CAR ABOUT A MONTH. IT'S NOT A RELIABLE PRODUCT. THE SERVICE LADY IN MAITA MAZDA SACRAMENTO TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD DRIVE THE CAR EVERYDAY TO KEEP THE BATTERY WORK
• DRIVING 60MPH ON MAJOR FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR, LIGHT RAIN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. A FEW MINUTES LATER, EVERY WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND I LOST THE POWER STEERING. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED THE CAR OF, WAITED 10 MINUTES AND STARTED THE CAR. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT
• WHEN I STARTED DRIVING AND PUT ON MY HEADLIGHTS. EVERYTIME I PUT ON THE BRAKES THE HEADLIGHTS DIM AS THE BRAKE LIGHT IS PUSHED. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I DROVE THE CAR ON FRIDAY, 4/26/13, FOR ABOUT 120 MILES. ON 4/29/13, I FOUND THE BATTERY DIED. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME FOR THIS BRAND NEW CAR ABOUT A MONTH. IT'S NOT A RELIABLE PRODUCT. THE SERVICE LADY IN MAITA MAZDA SACRAMENTO TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD DRIVE THE CAR EVERYDAY TO KEEP THE BATTERY WORK”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

18 complaints

10%

• MY NEW 2013 MAZDA3 WITH ONLY 3660 MILES FAILED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. FIRST, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE EVERY TIME I SHIFTED GEARS (MANUAL SHIFT.) THEN, I COULD NOT CHANGE GEARS AT ALL, AND THE ENGINE FAILED----I JUST BARELY GOT IT TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE IT QUIT ENTIRELY. THE DEALER SAYS THE CLUTCH
• MY CAR SUDDENLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF IT. I COASTED TO A STOP, STOPPED THE CAR, WAITED A BIT, THEN RESTARTED. IT WENT ABOUT HALF A MILE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE DEALER SAID IT'S A FAULTY TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY (AND I WAS TOLD IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE, BUT DIDN'T SEE ANYT
• I STARTED THE CAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SHIFTED INTO GEAR THE "AT" LIGHT CAME ON. BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE AND THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE "TRANS VALVEBODY". LOOKS LIKE A RECURRING THEME HERE. THE CAR IS A 2013 MAZDA3 I GRAND TOURING HATCHBACK THAT IS ONLY ABOUT 7 MONTHS OLD AND HAS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“MY NEW 2013 MAZDA3 WITH ONLY 3660 MILES FAILED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. FIRST, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE EVERY TIME I SHIFTED GEARS (MANUAL SHIFT.) THEN, I COULD NOT CHANGE GEARS AT ALL, AND THE ENGINE FAILED----I JUST BARELY GOT IT TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE IT QUIT ENTIRELY. THE DEALER SAYS THE CLUTCH ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

15 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA, MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT AT 35 MPH, CAUSING THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN AND THE CONTACT'S HEAD WAS THROWN INTO THE WINDSH
• TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT HAD NOTICED EXTENSIVE SPIDER WEBS WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO CLEANED THE INTERIOR AND THE SAFETY CONCERN HAD RECURRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOTICED THAT THERE HAD STILL BEEN NUMEROUS SPIDER WEBS AF
• MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW MAZDA 3 I-TOURING EDITION IN 2013. ON APPROXIMATELY 10/10/2014 SHE PICKED UP OUR 10 YEAR OLD BOY AND WHEN HE TRIED TO BUCKLE THE SEATBELT IT DID NOT WORK. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS MY WIFE THEN GOT IN THE PASSENGERS SIDE TO SEE IF SHE COULD GET IT BUCKLED. SHE COULD NOT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA, MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT AT 35 MPH, CAUSING THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN AND THE CONTACT'S HEAD WAS THROWN INTO THE WINDSH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

15 complaints

• DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AT 15 MPH, THE CAR IN FRONT OF MYSELF HAD SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED AT A LIGHT. WHEN I SEEN SHE WAS STOPPING, I PRESSED DOWN MY BRAKES SO I WOULD STOP BUT THE BRAKE PEDDLE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. MY CAR DIDN'T STOP. FROM THIS I HAD REAR-ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME
• BRAKE CALIPERS AND PISTONS WERE DEFECTED AND WOULDN'T RELEASE AFTER YOU RELEASED THE BRAKE. THE WHEELS HAD TO BE MOVING FOR THE BRAKES THE BE RELEASES. CAUSING THE THE BRAKE PADS TO GRIND DOWN TO NOTHING AND HAVE METAL ON METAL CONTACT. IT WAS WORSE IN THE FRONT THEN THE BACK. I RECEIVED ALL NEW BRA
• 7/26/15 6:15 PM I WENT TO A FAMILY FRIEND'S HOUSE. I PULLED UP INTO HIS MAIN DRIVEWAY, TURNED TO THE LEFT TO A DIRT DRIVE WAY IT HAD ABOUT A 3% GRADE INCLINE. I PULLED MY E BREAK, PUT INTO 1ST GEAR AND TURNED OFF MY CAR AND GOT OUT, GOT MY DAUGHTER OUT OF THE CAR AND WALKED UP TO THE HOU

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AT 15 MPH, THE CAR IN FRONT OF MYSELF HAD SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED AT A LIGHT. WHEN I SEEN SHE WAS STOPPING, I PRESSED DOWN MY BRAKES SO I WOULD STOP BUT THE BRAKE PEDDLE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. MY CAR DIDN'T STOP. FROM THIS I HAD REAR-ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

SEATS/RESTRAINTS(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 176 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
LIGHTING: TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS COMPLETELY MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I DROVE THE CAR ON FRIDAY, 4/26/13, FOR ABOUT 120 MILES. ON 4/29/13, I FOUND THE BATTERY DIED. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME FOR THIS BRAND NEW CAR ABOUT A MONTH. IT'S NOT A RELIABLE PRODUCT. THE SERVICE LADY IN MAITA MAZDA SACRAMENTO TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD DRIVE THE CAR EVERYDAY TO KEEP THE BATTERY WORK
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: MY NEW 2013 MAZDA3 WITH ONLY 3660 MILES FAILED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. FIRST, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE EVERY TIME I SHIFTED GEARS (MANUAL SHIFT.) THEN, I COULD NOT CHANGE GEARS AT ALL, AND THE ENGINE FAILED----I JUST BARELY GOT IT TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE IT QUIT ENTIRELY. THE DEALER SAYS THE CLUTCH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SEATS/RESTRAINTS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA, MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC STOP, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT AT 35 MPH, CAUSING THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN AND THE CONTACT'S HEAD WAS THROWN INTO THE WINDSH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)