There are 5 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 2011 Mazda Mazda3in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
DASHBOARD IS HOLD DOWN FAILS THROUGH TERRIBLE DESIGNED SYSTEM. DASHBOARD IS HELD DOWN WITH CHEAP PLASTIC CLIP ON CONTROL SCREEN. THROUGH QUICK ONLINE RESEARCH, THIS IS A COMMON CONSISTENT ISSUE WITH ALL SIMILAR MAZDA VEHICLES THROUGH MANY YEARS. MAZDA ACKNOWLEDGES ISSUE WITH EXTENDING THEIR WARRANTY; HOWEVER, ONLY FOR 7 YEARS FROM ORIGINAL WARRANTY OR 2018 (WHICHEVER IS THE LATER). ADVISE FROM OTHER CUSTOMERS, THIS "REPAIR" DOES NOT FIX THE ISSUE, AND ISSUE DOES OCCUR AFTER REPAIRING. THIS ISSUES CAUSES AN OBSTRUCTION OF VIEW AS WELL AS A DISTRACTION. MAZDA EXPECTS CUSTOMERS TO PAY FOR REPLACING DASHBOARD AND INFO DISPLAY!!!!
ON FEBRUARY 5, 2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 0525 HOURS THE SUNROOF GLASS ON MY 2011 MAZDA 3 EXPLODED ONTO ME. I WAS VERY CONFUSED BECAUSE I HAD MY EYES ON THE ROAD AND SAW NO OBJECT AND WAS NOT PASSING AN OVERPASS WERE SOMEONE MAY HAVE DROPPED SOMETHING. THE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 50 DEGREES. I WAS NORTH BOUND ON I-15 IN CORONA, CA. I BELIEVE THE SUNROOF JUST SHATTERED ON ITS OWN. I PULLED THE OVER IMMEDIATELY AND ATTEMPTED TO DISCOVER THE CAUSE. I WAS UNABLE TO COME TO ANY OTHER CONCLUSION OTHER THAN THE SUNROOF JUST FAILED. THIS WAS VERY STARTLING AND MADE ME JERK THE WHEEL. LUCKILY I DIDN'T STRIKE ANY OTHER VEHICLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, WHEN HE HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER SEACOAST MAZDA (180 SPAULDING TURNPIKE, PORTSMOUTH, NH 03801, (603) 436-6811) WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED HE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE IN COLD WEATHER. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 44,500.*LN CONSUMER STATED PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN THE CAR IS OFF WITHOUT THE KEY.*JB
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER MAZDA3 AND THE SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING. HER CAR WAS NOT HIT BY ANYTHING. THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR AND MY DAUGHTER AND HER FRIEND WERE COVERED IN GLASS SHARDS. MADZA REFUSES TO TAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT AND SAYS I NEED TO PROVE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT WHICH THE AUTO BODY SHOP SAYS IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO WITH GLASS. MY DAUGHTER SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT WHEN THE WINDOW EXPLODED AND THANKFULLY SHE DIDN'T LOOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR FROM THE FORCE OF THE WINDOW SHATTERING AND THE GLASS FALLING INSIDE THE VEHICLE.... *TR
SUNROOF SHATTERED WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH NO OBVIOUS CAUSE. SPEED APPROX. 60 MPH. OPEN ROAD, NO OVERPASS, NO DEBRIS/ROCKS ETC. KICKED UP FROM OTHER CARS. TEMPERATURE WAS LOW 80S, TIME OF DAY WAS 7 PM (NO DIRECT SUNLIGHT OR EXTREME TEMPERATURES). *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 Apr 26, 2026