CSR

Mazda · NHTSA safety record

2017 Mazda MAZDA3

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 83 safety complaints about the 2017 Mazda MAZDA3 with the US government. Of those, 6 describe a crash, 1 person was injured and no death is recorded. 2 recall campaigns are open against it, covering back-over prevention and visibility.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 20 complaints, 24% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 28,692 miles, the median across the 34 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers May 2017 to April 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

83 complaints on file

83

Complaints

6

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

1

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

Complaints halved year on year: 6 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 21 in the twelve before.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 27 · 33%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 20 · 24%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 11 · 13%
SERVICE BRAKES 7 · 8%
ENGINE 5 · 6%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 5 · 6%
STRUCTURE 4 · 5%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 3 · 4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 3 · 4%
POWER TRAIN 3 · 4%
SUSPENSION 3 · 4%
WHEELS 3 · 4%
0 12 23

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 83.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2024 at 27.

32 24 16 8
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2017 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2017 Mazda MAZDA3, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4 DR FWD 5 HB FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 10.5% 10.5%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

2 on file

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

23V487000 · July 14, 2023

The defect
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Mazda3 and 2016-2021 CX-3 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display properly by showing a flickering or distorted image.
The risk
A rearview camera that does not display properly can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera, as necessary. In addition, dealers will install a wiring harness fastening seal. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 13, 2023. Final owner letters for affected models and model years in the states of CT, MA, MD, NJ, NY, PA and VA were mailed August 14, 2024. The remaining owner notification letters will be mailed at a future date, anticipated on or before May 1, 2025. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 6023G.

Mazda North American Operations · up to 236,100 vehicles across all model years covered

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

19V272000 · April 4, 2019

The defect
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Mazda3 vehicles. A defective windshield wiper relay may cause the windshield wipers to become inoperative, reducing the driver's visibility.
The risk
Reduced visibility while driving can increase the risk of crash.
The remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front body control module with a new module which uses an improved wiper relay design, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3219D.

Mazda North American Operations · up to 187,880 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

SERVICE BRAKES

1 injured · crash · towed

I made a right turn onto a gravel driveway that has a slight incline. My speed was less than 10 mph. At the top of the incline I attempted to make a U turn so I could park the car. Midway through the U turn the car's acceleration increased rapidly to high speed without my stepping on the accelerator. I pressed the brake 3 times. The brake pedal went to the floor without seemingly any effect. In seconds the car traveled across the front lawn, picked up concrete from and old cistern top and smashed into the front porch tearing it off it's foundation. Portions of the porch and tree limb fell shortly after the impact. The front tire was spinning at a rapid rate when I exited the vehicle.

NHTSA complaint 11665128, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

crash · towed · 28,692 miles

THIS GOES WITH PREVIOUS FORM TGE OTHER THING IS THAT MY DOOR FLEW OF ON FREEWAY RIGHT BEFORE IT JERKED LIKE STATED IN OTHER FORM MY CAR HAD JUST BEEN FIXED FROM SAME DOORS AND NOW ONE FLIES OF CAR DOINGB80 MILES PER HR ON I15 IN NEVADA CAUSIN THE ACCIDENT I HAD I FEEL REPAIR SHOP NEEDS TO COVER THE COST OF ACCIDENT

NHTSA complaint 11102914. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

crash · towed · 28,692 miles

SO I HAVE VISITED MAZDA DEALER IN CERRITOS. FEW TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED CAR I HAVE BEEN TELLING THEM ABOUT MY CAR JERKING TO THE SIDE WHILE DRIVING ITS LIKE A WOBBLE EFFECT THEY SAID CAR WAS FINE I INSISTED TO GET IT CHECKED AND THEY DIDNT SONI WENT BACK AND TOLD THEM I WANTED FULL CHECK THEY SAID FOR WHATBITS A NEW CAR I SAID I DONT FEEL SAFE WITH MY CAR JERKIN TO SIDE AND MAKING ME COME CLOSE TO SIDE SWIPE OTHER CARS. ON THE FREEWAY THEY CHECKED IT MILDLY I SAY THAT BECAUSE THEY DIDNT LAST NOT EVEN AN HOUR WHEN I GOT CAR RETURNED TO ME THE PROBLWM CONTINUED INRECENTLY GOT AN A ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS JREKIN CAR KEPT DOING WHAT DONI DO NOW I DONT FEELBITS OK TO LETBTHIS DEALER CONTINUE

NHTSA complaint 11102912, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

crash · towed · 10,000 miles

THE ENGINE BEGAN REVVING HIGH AS I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND APPLY THE BRAKES AS I APPROACHED A TRAFFIC RED LIGHT. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO SEE IF BY TAPPING THE GAS PEDAL IT WOULD STOP REVVING. IT DID NOT. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND THE CAR SPED FORWARD DESPITE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WENT THROUGH A RED LIGHT TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ON TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY, CROSSED A MEDIAN STRIP, CLIPPED A VEHICLE IN THE REAR, TURNED THE CAR TRYING TO AVOID COLLISIONS WITH OTHER CARS, WENT OFF THE ROAD HITTING UTILITY POLE AND TRANSFORMER BOX ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, FINALLY COMING TO REST WITH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON THE DRIVER

NHTSA complaint 11115710, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Many modern trucks, SUVs, and cars use LED headlights that are excessively bright and create dangerous glare. When approaching these vehicles from the opposite direction, the headlights can be blinding — similar to having a flashlight shined directly into your eyes — causing temporary loss of visibility. The glare also affects drivers traveling in the same direction, as the intense light reflects sharply off rear‑view and side mirrors. This creates a persistent distraction and makes it difficult to maintain safe awareness of the road. This issue is widespread across many vehicle types and appears to be related to the brightness and mounting height of LED headlights, especially on larger

NHTSA complaint 11731744, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Anytime the tank was filled with gas there was a strong smell of gasoline vapors that persisted for several days. The car was a few months past its warranty on emissions issues and so I was charged about $1500 to replace a cracked fuel pump and fuel vent that was stuck open. The mechanic also said that the check engine light should have warned me about the problem but that neither the dashboard light nor his diagnostic equipment was triggered by the defect. He suspects the car's computer is programmed to avoid drawing attention to the problem. Had the light been working I would likely have caught the problem while it was still under warranty.

NHTSA complaint 11686763. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Repeated instances of the Mazda Infotainment system making changes randomly without any user input while driving. Repeated instances of the navigation system freezing, going black, rebooting while driving.

NHTSA complaint 11676786. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The original OEM radio in my Mazda has been experiencing persistent ghost touch issues, making it incredibly frustrating to use. The screen often registers inputs without me touching it, leading to random changes in volume, station selections, and menu navigation. As a result, I find myself unable to rely on my radio for music or navigation, which significantly detracts from my driving experience. I’m considering possible solutions, but for now, it's an inconvenience that I can't overlook.

NHTSA complaint 11676190. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? -> Infotainment display has "ghost touch" issue. Infotainment starts acting up on its own without driver input. It changes radio station automatically, places a call randomly, disconnects call randomly. This is caused by the touchscreen digitizer, the display lens of poor quality which leads to webbing or cracking on the inside. This leads to loss of touch and ghost touch issue 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? -> It is distracting to the driver when the radio station is switch automatically. It sometimes freaks me out. When the infotainment places call to someone

NHTSA complaint 11674432, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The screen that displays the backup camera image has an issue that makes it difficult to see the backup camera feed clearly. The screen appeared like this unexpectedly when I returned to my car after a work day. The only warning was a malfunction of the screen's touch function for the last several months.

NHTSA complaint 11671873. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Mazda MAZDA3

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 8 1 —
2024 12 3 —
2021 52 1 —
2020 32 2 —
2019 74 6 —
2018 108 4 1
2016 104 6 —
2015 130 4 —
2014 138 4 —
2013 117 1 —
2012 226 1 —
2011 132 2 —
2010 686 3 —

Other 2017 Mazda models

CX-5 148 CX-9 61 MAZDA6 60 CX-3 21 MX-5 11

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Mazda on this site — 82 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst