2010 Mazda Mazda3 Engine Problems

The contact's friend owns a 2010 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while riding in the front passenger’s seat, there was an abnormal booming sound heard. After exiting the vehicle, the driver and passenger opened the hood and noticed that the engine had fallen. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

THE TCM WENT OUT AND ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE CAR JERKED VIOLENTLY TO THE RIGHT AND ALMOST CAUSED MY GRANDDAUGHTER TO WRECK'. DID THIS NOT HAVE A RECALL?

WITHIN A WEEK AFTER PURCHASING MY 2010 MAZDA 3 S SPORT SEDAN IN OCTOBER, 2018 FROM A USED CAR DEALER IN MIDVALE, UT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. USING A CODE READER, I CONSISTENTLY GET A CODE OF P0421, WHICH INDICATES THAT THE CATALYST EFFICIENCY IS BELOW THRESHOLD. I HAVE HAD 3 AUTO REPAIR SHOPS LOOK AT MY CAR, AND THEY ALL SAY THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. DESPITE THE FACT THAT MAZDA WARRANTS CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS/PZEV VEHICLES (WHICH MINE IS) FOR A PERIOD OF 15 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES ON ALL EMISSIONS RELATED COMPONENTS, THEY WILL NOT REPAIR MY CAR UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE I CURRENTLY DO NOT LIVE IN A STATE THAT USES CA EMISSIONS STANDARDS WHEN TESTING VEHICLE EMISSIONS. I FEEL THAT SINCE MY CAR IS NOT PERFORMING AS IT WAS DESIGNED AND MAY BE RELEASING MY POLLUTANTS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE THAT IT SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER AT NO CHARGE TO ME, REGARDLESS OF WHERE I CURRENTLY LIVE. IN ADDITION, WHEN I START THE CAR ON A COLD ENGINE, I CAN SMELL EXHAUST FUMES INSIDE THE CABIN, WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY BE A LEAK AT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD GASKET WHICH COULD BE DANGEROUS TO ANYONE DRIVING THE CAR IF THEY INHALE THE EXHAUST GASES THAT MAY ENTER THE PASSENGER AREA THROUGH THE VENTILATION SYSTEM. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO GO ON DAILY (UNLESS I RESET IT, AND THEN IT GOES BACK ON AGAIN LATER AFTER DRIVING) AND MY CAR WILL NOT PASS ITS NEXT EMISSIONS INSPECTION WITHOUT THIS ISSUE BEING FIXED.

THE MAZDA DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE EQUIPMENT TO MAKE THE HARNESS FIX. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE MY CAR AND ONE DAY, MY CAR HAD LOUD ROARING SOUND. WITHIN A COUPLE DAYS LATER, IT BEGAN TO EMIT WHITE SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD AND BLACK SMOKE FROM TAILPIPE AND BEGIN TO LOSE POWER ON FREEWAY OFF-RAMP. I COASTED TO BOTTOM OF OFF RAMP. THEN I WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT TO MOVE IT TO A NEARBY KAISER LOT ADJACENT TO EXIT RAMP. FROM THERE, I HAD IT TOWED HOME AND HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT SINCE.

MY CAR HAS HAD RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE HOOD FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW AND TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY SAID IT IS COMMON FOR THIS MODEL TO HAVE A MOTOR MOUNT ISSUE.. BUT NOT TO FIX IT YET BECAUSE IT IS JUST NOW STARTING AND IT WILL BE FINE FOR A 6 MONTHS OR SO?!?!? SERIOUSLY ...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA 3. AT TIMES, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND THE VEHICLE SEIZED AND HAD TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA 3. WHILE REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,537.

I HAVE HAD MY 2010 MAZDA 3S SINCE JUNE OF 2010 WHEN I BOUGHT IT NEW. I DRIVE TO AND FROM WORK EVERY DAY. I HAVE 26,000 MILES ON IT, 75% OF WHICH ARE HIGHWAY MILES. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK LAST WEEK, AND NOTICED SOMETHING WITH THE CAR FELT OFF. EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK IT GOT WORSE AND WORSE, SO I FINALLY BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME, AS I SUSPECTED, THAT THE CLUTCH WAS SLIPPING AND NEARING THE END OF ITS LIFE. I HAVE YET TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS ON THIS CAR, AND TO GET TOLD THAT THE CLUTCH IS GONE BEFORE I EVEN REPLACE NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEMS IS JUST FLAT OUT UNACCEPTABLE. I HAVE HAD TWO PREVIOUS CARS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, AND NEVER REPLACED A CLUTCH, EVEN WHEN THEY HAD CLOSE TO 100,000 MILES ON THEM. MY MECHANIC SUGGESTED BEFORE I DO ANYTHING, TO LOOK ON FORUMS AND SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS BEEN HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH PREMATURE CLUTCH WEAR. I HAVE SPENT MY WHOLE WEEKEND ON MAZDA AND EDMUNDS FORUMS READING ABOUT COUNTLESS PEOPLE WITH MY MODEL YEAR, 2010, WHO HAVE HAD CLUTCHES GO BEFORE 35,000 MILES. THIS IS NOT A ONE-OFF CASE, AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT A "WEAR AND TEAR" ISSUE AS THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS. THAT'S THEIR BLANKET COVER-THEIR-[XXX]STATEMENT BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY PUT OUT A POOR PRODUCT AND DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THE COSTS INCURRED WITH REPLACING THEM. I HAVE NO FAITH ANYMORE IN MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, OR MAZDA AS A BRAND AT THIS POINT. WITH THE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF SIMILAR ISSUES TO MINE, THE FACT THAT THEY ARE STILL UNWILLING TO ADMIT THAT THEY CHOSE AN INFERIOR SUPPLIER TO CUT COSTS FOR ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL PARTS OF THE CAR, THAT ISN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, IS JUST PISS POOR BUSINESS PRACTICE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WRITING THIS WILL DO, IF ANYTHING, BUT I DECIDED THAT I AM DONE BEING [XXX] AROUND BY THE DEALER AND HOPEFULLY THIS IS FOLLOWED BY OTHER MAZDA OWNERS WHO SHARE THE DISTASTE FOR THEIR PRODUCT AND SERVICE AS I DO. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE, PURCHASED BRAND NEW. IN JANUARY 2012 THE HEATER WHEN TURNING ON MADE A LOUD CLICKING SOUND FOR APPROX. 20 TO 30 SECONDS, EACH TIME. UPON RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, LOCAL MECHANICS, I FOUND OUT THE HEATER BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR IS THE PROBLEM. I WAS GOING TO REPLACE IT, BUT UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT THIS HEATER ASSEMBLY IS NOT ONLY USED BY MAZDA, NISSAN, TOYOTA, CHEVY, FORD, AND LEXUS. THIS HEATER IS KNOWN TO HAVE THIS DESIGN ERROR. I THEN DECIDED TO HAVE THE MAZDA DEALER CHANGE IT FOR $130.00. THE DEALER THEN TOLD ME THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY NEEDED CHANGING FOR $250.00 PLUS LABOR. THIS ASSEMBLY WAS KNOWN FOR THIS. ALSO THE DEALER HAD UNPLUGGED THE HEATER BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR BECAUSE THIS UNIT IS KNOWN TO START A FIRE IN THE VEHICLE. THIS MADE ME EXTREMELY NERVOUS. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. *TR *JS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED CAUSING HIM TO LOOSE CONTROL OF HIS STEERING WHEEL AND WAS ALSO UNABLE TO APPLY THE BRAKES. HE THEN CRASHED INTO A MAILBOX AND THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN. A POLICE WAS FILED. THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED AFTER THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND INFORMED HIM THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE IN PRIOR YEARS, BUT NOT OF THE 2010 MODELS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6100. UPDATED 03/03/11

ON DECEMBER 21, 2010 CAR STALLED AND LOST STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL ON 12/22 HAPPENED AGAIN RESULTING IN ACCIDENT AND $9,000 IN DAMAGE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND TURNED ON WHEN IT SHUT OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IT WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE SUCCESSFULLY STARTED AFTER BEING TURNED OFF FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,700.

HEAT IS ALWAYS HOT. THERE IS NO TEMPERATURE CONTOL ON THE HEATER. *TR

DURING THE SUMMER THERE WAS A TOXIC SMELL THAT WAS MAKING MYSELF AND OTHERS WHO RODE IN THE VEHICLE ILL. DEALERSHIP SAID THE SMELL WAS PROBABLY THE PURGE VALVE WHICH WAS NORMAL AND THAT BASED ON THE SMELL MY VEHICLE SEEMED TO BE PURGING MORE THAN OTHERS BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. SUMMER OF 2014 THE SMELL BECAME EXTREMELY UNBEARABLE WHILE IN THE VEHICLE I WAS SUFFERING SEVERE NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS, AND BURNING SENSATIONS IN MY EYES AND AIRWAYS. PEOPLE COULD SMELL THE TOXINS JUST BY OPENING THE DOOR. I NOTICED THE HEAT DAMAGE TO THE DASHBOARD AND CAME ACROSS ANOTHER MAZDA OWNER WHO BECAME ILL BECAUSE OF THE OFF-GASSING FROM THE PLASTIC INSIDE THE VEHICLE SO I RAN THE SAME TEST BEFORE TRADING IN THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A TOXIC LEVEL OF CHEMICALS INCLUDING FORMALDEHYDE. MY APOLOGIES TO THE OWNER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS RESOLD TO BY THE DEALERSHIP, I HOPE YOU DON'T BECOME AS SICK AS I DID. *TR

SMOKE CAME THREW THE VENTS OF THE 2010 MAZDA3 HATCHBACK AND THEN FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THEN FLAMES CAME OUT FROM HOOD. IT BURNED UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT IT OUT. IT WAS NOT ABLE TO BE REPAIRED. *TR