There are 9 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2007 Mazda Mazda3in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING IN MY 2007 MAZDA 3 HATCHBACK IS MELTING. IT IS THE TOP RED LIGHT ON BOTH SIDES. THESE ARE STOCK BRAKE LIGHTS AND HAVE NEVER BEEN REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPLACE FOR FREE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND SAFETY ISSUE FROM MAZDA. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH OF THIS ISSUE, THERE ARE MANY MAZDA 3 OWNERS WHO ALSO HAVE THIS ISSUE AND HAVE RUN INTO THE SAME ROAD BLOCKS ON GETTING IT FIXED BY MAZDA.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PLASTIC RED TAIL LIGHT COVERING HAD MELTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING IN MY 2007 MAZDA 3 HATCHBACK IS MELTING. IT IS THE TOP RED LIGHT ON BOTH SIDES. THESE ARE STOCK BRAKE LIGHTS AND HAVE NEVER BEEN REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPLACE FOR FREE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND SAFETY ISSUE FROM MAZDA. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH OF THIS ISSUE, THERE ARE MANY MAZDA 3 OWNERS WHO ALSO HAVE THIS ISSUE AND HAVE RUN INTO THE SAME ROAD BLOCKS ON GETTING IT FIXED BY MAZDA.
SOMEONE RAN UP TO MY CAR AT A STOP LIGHT TO TELL ME THAT BOTH OF MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE OUT. NOT SURE HOW LONG I HAVE BEEN DRIVING AROUND WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS. I TOOK CAR TO SHOP AND THEY SAID THAT THE BRAKE BULBS HAD BURST AND MELTED MY TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES, PRESUMABLY DUE TO OVERHEATING. I KNOW THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS ISSUE BECAUSE A) I JUST REPLACED MY TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES 3 MONTHS AGO FOR THE SAME EXACT ISSUE AND B) I DID A QUICK ONLINE SEARCH AND SAW THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR MAZDA 3 HATCHBACKS, TAILS LIGHTS MELTING, BULBS BUSTING ETC. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN BE DRIVING AROUND FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME WITH BOTH BRAKE LIGHTS OUT AND NOT KNOW IT, LEADING TO REAR ENDING ACCIDENTS. I DRIVE AROUND MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY WITH MY BABY IN MY CAR. I WOULD BE FURIOUS IF I GOT I GOT REAR ENDED WHILE SHE WAS IN THE CAR BECAUSE OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
A FEW MONTHS AFTER WE BOUGHT OUR MAZDA 3 WE NOTICED THE BULBS BLEW OUT WELL COME TO FIND OUT OUR LENSES WERE MELTING AND IT GOT SO HOT THE SOCKET AND BULB BURST SO WE TOOK IT TO THE PLACE WE BOUGHT IT AND THEY WARRANTIED THEM OUT WELL GUESS WHAT THE TAIL LENSES WE GOT REPLACED MELTED AGAIN AND BLEW OUT THE BULBS. WE TOOK OUR CAR TO MAZDA AND THE TECHNICIANS FOUND NOTHING WRONG, NO GROUND PROBLEM. WELL WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE PLACE WE BOUGHT IT THINKING THEY'D BE ABLE TO WARRANTY THEM OUT SINCE THEY'RE LESS THAN A YEAR WELL THE LADY WOULDN'T DO IT. NOW I AM STUCK WITH MY SPOILER BRAKE LIGHT AND THE PASSENGER. SO WE DECIDED TO REPLACE THE BRAKE SWITCH AND SO FAR OUR PASSENGER SIDE HASN'T BLOWN OUT. I SUGGEST REPLACING IT AND SEEING WHAT HAPPENS. IT IS A $30 PART. TONIGHT I AM BUYING NEW LENSES AND PRAYING. I WENT THROUGH 4 BULBS IN THE DRIVER AND 3 BULBS IN PASSENGER. I NEED HELP FIGURING THIS OUT BECAUSE $8 FOR A PACK OF BULBS EVERY WEEK IS RIDICULOUS. *TR
The brake light bulb has melted and burnt out the brake light housing assembly multiple times, I have purchased multiple brake light housing assembly and the issue continues. Clearly this is a manufacturing defect that is a safety/fire hazard.
WE JUST NOTICED THAT BOTH TAIL/BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE MELTED HOLES IN THE SURROUNDING INSIDE RED PLASTIC LENS. THE BULBS ARE THE ORIGINALS AS ARE THE LENS. THE HEAT IS NOW STARTING TO AFFECT THE OUTSIDE CLEAR COVER. THE OUTSIDE COVERS ARE STILL INTACT, BUT LOOK BUBBLY; THE HOLES IN THE INNER RED LENS LET WHITE LIGHT COME OUT AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE BACK-UP LIGHTS ON CONTINUOUSLY AT NIGHT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA MAZDA3 HATCHBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ADVISED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE FOUND MELTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 42,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE XENON HEADLIGHTS PROVIDED POOR VISIBILITY. THE 12 VOLT,35 WATT LIGHTS DO NOT REFLECT THE EYES OF ANIMALS AND, AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SEE A DEER RUNNING ACROSS TWO LANES BEFORE IT STRUCK HER VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED $800 WORTH OF DAMAGE. THE LOW BEAMS WERE ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER AND DEALER ADJUSTED LIGHTS BUT STILL POOR VISIBILITY. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026