NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2014 Mazda Mazda3. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Airbag warning symbol on dashboard flashes with or without passenger seated in front seat.
Blend door actuator linkage will not allow for heat to be turned on, will blow cool/cold air, have had it looked at and the gear teeth will not stay in line with on another to be able to turn when the knob inside the car is turned. I was told that this may be a recall but do not see anything listed, but that it is a known problem for this model of mazda 3 and ford expiditions
Gas tank is leaking from the TOP. I could smell gas after a refill (and refilling a portable tank) that I thought must have been a spill I hadn't noticed, and the smell faded. But then it happened again at the next refill, and I knew it wasn't just a spill. Brought it to our trusted mechanic who said that the TOP of the tank was rusted out (wow!)(so, not from road salt) and needs to be replaced. Not cheap, but worse, I'd been driving around in a very hazardous situation that Mazda knows happens. No warning lights, no recall. Thanks, guys. Here's a thread about this being a common issue: https://www.mazda3revolution.com/threads/2014-mazda3-fuel-tank-replacement.245797/
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that the vehicle was making an abnormal growling sound. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 140,000. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the motor mounts needed to be replaced. It was later discovered that the Title mileage was 197,687.
The rear backup sensors no longer work and did not give any indication they stopped working. They do not detect cars driving up from behind when driving or switching lanes or objects or people behind the car anymore when you reverse. This happened without any notice or warning indications.
The car screen displays, GPS, for calls, radio etc, doesn’t works, it’s off, and the airbags are deactivated and they’re off as well and have to press hard on the brake to get the car to stops.
Gas tank is leaking. According to the records the service recall has been repaired (via a previous owner). However, what started out as fumes is now definitely a leak and the dealership will not repair under the recall a second time.
The contact owns a 2014 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2014 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while driving up an incline at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle temporarily lost motive power, and the contact became aware that the vehicle had failed to shift out of first gear. The contact stated that the vehicle returned to normal functionality; however, the failure recurred several times while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that the instrument panel was functioning erratically, and the instrument panel lights frequently remained illuminated after turning off the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the head gasket seal had failed, which resulted in an oil leak. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with electrical system failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V173000(Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 62,000.
Noticed strong smell of gasoline when the car was parked. Took it to an independent service dealer who diagnosed leaking fuel from top of the tank. Gas tank was removed and replaced. Tank cost was $380.00 plus repair shop labor/supplies cost. See attached invoice. During a recent online search for this vehicles current book value I noticed there was a manufactures recall issued for this same problem, that I paid to have repaired. I never received any recall notice for a leaking gas tank problem for my vehicle.
In reference to the existing recall on my vehicle (Manufacturer recall # 6023G, NHTSA recall #: 23V-487), I would like to report that the vehicle manufacturer (Mazda) has yet to offer a solution to this problem, which is now over a year old. In addition to the reported distortion/flickering from the rearview camera, we are experiencing times (about 1 in 10) where the image displayed from the rearview camera is simply a blank screen. This makes operating the vehicle in reverse more difficult and dangerous, especially in situations were visibility is limited (night, dark spaces, garage parking, etc.). This is a safety issue, first and foremost, and a solution from the manufacturer is long overdue.
There is an existing recall on my car 2014 Mazda 3 dated July 14, 2023 for the glitches with rearview mirror and rearview mirror disconnecting at random. While this has been outstanding for one year Mazda discourages customers from scheduling appointment to get the vehicle inspected and fixed in accordance to the guidance listed in NHTSA recall. I visited Capitol Mazda San Jose on 11/18/23 as well as called them to schedule a check on 7/17/24 but both these times I was informed that there are no parts to be replaced. I believe the remedy listed with NHTSA is not being followed and the customers do not have a timeline to get a resolution to this issue. I'm sharing the remedy listed by NHTSA. "Dealers will inspect vehicles. If inspections verify no concern with the rearview camera image, a wiring harness fastening seal will be added to prevent harness movement. If inspections verify there is image distortion or flickering, the rearview camera will be replaced with a new part and a wiring harness fastening seal will be added." I'm unable to understand if there are efforts by Mazda to provide sufficient labor work to inspect the vehicle and the fastening seals are at all in their timeline. I think NHTSA should assess what progress has been made by Mazda in resolving this critical recall.
The contact owns a 2014 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the camera image was distorted. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
While accelerating onto a highway, my engine overheating light flashed then stayed on and my acceleration suddenly throttled back and my car started slowing down. I was able to pull over on the shoulder, but there was a close call with a semi bearing down. I had my car towed to a repair shop, where they told me the water jacket had cracked and the overheating caused a blown head gasket. This was repaired and tested. A week later, I got the car up to highway speeds and the engine overheating light flashed again. When I stopped and looked at the engine, there was foamy tan coolant all over the place. Towed it back again and was told the weld had failed. But in trying to find a used cylinder to replace mine, the shop told me that all of their sources said they had no used ones available because the same crack happened on those as well.
The manufacturer has not provided a timely remedy for a known safety issue on the backup camera for my car. (Jul 14,2023; Manufacturer Recall Number6023G; NHTSA Recall Number23V-487). I purchased the car in 2014. Around 2017, the backup camera began flickering and sometimes failing to load completely. I took the vehicle to the Mazda dealership in Tustin, CA and they said there was nothing wrong with the camera. They said that I would have to pay approximately $500 for a new camera if I wanted one. I could not afford to replace the camera at that time, so the problem has persisted ever since. In July 2023, a notice of a safety recall was issued for the same issue with the camera. On [XXX], I took the vehicle to the same Mazda dealership and asked for the camera to be replaced due to the recall. They inspected the vehicle and agreed the camera was defective; however, they said they didn't have the parts yet to replace the camera and that I would receive something "official" about the recall later. It is now April 2024 and I have heard nothing. This safety issue has been going on for 7+ years and Mazda needs to take responsibility. The fact that they wanted to charge me for the camera in 2017 and now they say no cameras are available leaves me to believe that they are stalling and just don't want to incur the cost to fix the safety issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2014 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while parked, the vehicle had smelled gas fumes in the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a plastic fuel pump module in the gas tank had corroded and the seam of the gas tank had leaked. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 158,500.
The contact owns a 2014 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2014 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while parked, the rear-view camera displayed a distorted image and failed to work as designed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear-view camera needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention). The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
There is currently a recall for 2014 Mazda 3 hatchbacks due to a faulty rearview back-up camera, but the dates are too limited. Production dates start in Dec 2013, but my particular vehicle was manufactured before that and still has the defective camera/mount. My car is in the shop getting fixed now for $1380 + tax, and should have been covered by the safety recall.
Recall for backup camera has not yet been remedied since September, 2023 issuance. Backup camera still flickers.
The is an open recall on this vehicle since 7/14/23. It is for rear camera wiring harness. If has been 7 months and there still is no information about a repair to this defect. When will Mazda address this issue and have repair parts?
The car has a smell of fuel when filling the tank and for a long period following. My mechanic tells me the surface of the tank has decayed and that it will cost $1600 to correct. I don't have the $1600, so he told me to fill the tank only halfway, which seems to have solved the issue of the fuel smell. I can't understand how a fuel tank could decay and believe Mazda should be responsible for something that is poorly designed or improperly manufactured.
The gas tank leaked gas due to corrosion on the top of the tank at the fuel pump. Strong smell of gas fumes evident and puddling of gas under the car after being driven. The problems was diagnosed at McGrath City Mazda in Chicago and also by my local garage JDH Auto repair in Prairie du Sac, WI. The fuel tank was replaced, along with the evaporation cannister. Until their was actual leaking of gasoline, there were no signs, lights, warnings of this problem. I have retailed the old tank if you wish to inspect the tank. This car was washed on a regular basis and did not show other issues from corrosion.
I was informed that I have a recall on my vehicle when I tried to put it on Turo. The manufacturer never reached out to.let me know. I live in Hawaii on the Big Island and we no longer have a Mazda dealership so I contacted Mazda Customer Service for help getting repaired. They said I had to pay for the repair myself and file for reimbursement. When I went to Kia in Kona to see if they would repair it, they explained the manufacturer is supposed to take care of recalls at no cost to me. Please help.
Rearview camera flickers or doesn't turn on at times.
Fuel was leaking from car.
Today on 3/6/23 I was parked outside a restaurant picking up food as I was inside the restaurant my hand brake failed to hold and my car rolled back and hit another customers car. My car is a manual and I had it in neutral and I was then approached by the owner of the vehicle I hit asking for my insurance information.
Temperature control link slips out of place when turning climate control knob. This is 100% a safety issue when you can’t see out of your windshield because you can’t defrost your windshield. There are no warning lights.
The contact owns a 2014 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that an abnormal odor was detected while the vehicle was turned on or off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V684000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
- After filling up the gas tank and putting the cap back on, there is a distinct smell of gasoline until some of the fuel is used up. In summary, it appears to be spilling or leaking fuel/fumes when we fill up the tank. -This is a problem when parking our car in our garage and we are concerned that it could cause a fire. - We have not yet confirmed this with a dealer or independent service center nor have we had any other entity or person confirm this. - This issue was noticed recently and within the last year or so and without any alerts and/or warning lamps. - We understand that there is a recall on the Mazda3 for model years 2014-2016 regarding the ICV Valve (deformed gas tank) and even though it appears to be the same issue, our vehicle doesn't fall within the recall group. - Please help us determine if this is the same problem as the 2014-2016 model year recalls and if your agency will need to issue a similar recall on this model year.
The contact owns a 2014 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, he could smell fuel fumes inside and outside of the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V684000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.
The infotainment screen in my Mazda3 developed a large spider crack in the corner. It's available for inspection upon request. It affects my ability to read information on the screen, and partially obstructs my backup camera's image. The problem has been confirmed by both the dealer, who saw the issue firsthand, and Mazda (see Service Alert No.: SA-008/18, issued 02/20/2018 - please note, the spider crack I have is much larger than the ones in the pictures in the Service Alert). There was no warning this issue was going to affect my car, it just happened one day.
Accelerating on the highway passing a semi-truck when I lost acceleration power. Nearly caused a serious accident at highway speeds. Engine light then came on. After the incident the car's engine would stutter when accelerated above 2000rpm. Was able to bring it to a local mechanic who diagnosed both fuel pumps as damaged and replaced. Part was not inspected by police or insurance as it did not lead to a crash.
MALFUNCTION LEVER WIPER-COMB SWITCH.
I thought I smelled gasoline when sitting in my car. I got out and inspected all around the vehicle, discovering that gasoline was leaking underneath. Both the hazardous fumes and the potential for a fire in the vehicle put me at risk. The loss of fuel on public roads could have resulted in danger to anyone behind me on the road due to the fire hazard and potential loss of traction before I noticed the problem. I immediately brought the car to my mechanic's personal shop (he is also a master mechanic at a local automotive dealership). He confirmed that the leak was gasoline and diagnosed the problem as a rusted seam near the top of the fuel tank having ruptured, allowing the leak and filling the cabin of the vehicle with fumes. I knew that the local Mazda dealership would be unable to repair this promptly, if at all, since they had just fixed the exact same problem in my mother in law's vehicle of the same make, model, and year, and had struggled to get the replacement tank for weeks due to the supply chain problems experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, I paid my own mechanic to source and install a tank, and coat it with anti-corrosion treatment. I contacted Mazda, explained the problem, and demanded they reimburse me, as the car was only 8 years old at the time. The Mazda representative refused to do anything to help me and did not answer my subsequent emails, so I posted about this problem on the [XXX] forum, and discovered others have had the same problem as my mother in law and I. There were no warning signs of the problem other than the smell of gasoline. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
strong gas smell
My gear box was popping out of gear at highway speeds into neutral. The service provider informed me the transmission in the car was bad, adding that it the bad transmission caused excessive wear on the clutch-and-flywheel assembly. It later came to my attention that there is an ongoing class action lawsuit in the state of California, represented by Cafferty Clobis Meriwether & Spengel regarding defectively-engineered transmissions of 5- and 6-speed Mazda 3s manufactured between 2010-2015. I had the clutch, flywheel, and transmission all replaced. I cannot be certain that the new OEM transmission part was re-engineered to correct for the original engineering defect and I am greatly concerned that the issues will repeat themselves soon, putting my family and me at risk. I am attaching a letter I sent to Mazda regarding this concern.
The contact owns a 2014 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the camera screen was flickering and became distorted. The failure mileage was 40,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2014 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that he had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V393000 (Parking Brake) five years ago and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for recall repair. However, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle passed the inspection test and did not need to be repaired. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle and driving from a complete stop, the vehicle drove sluggishly because the parking brake was not properly disengaged. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring and he would slide underneath the vehicle to manually disengage the parking brake. The contact stated the failure caused the brake pads and rotors to overheat. The contact was unsure whether a warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V393000 (Parking Brake) as the VIN was no longer included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Mazda Motors North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Mazda3 vehicles manufactured January 4, 2014, to September 18, 2015. The fuel tank of the affected vehicles may have been improperly handled during manufacturing and, as a result, the welded attachment of the Inlet Check Valve (ICV) may fail and allow fuel to leak. Consequence A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. This is what i seem to be experiencing please expand recall...
My 2014 Mazda 3 had very bad wear on the rear brakes, but not on the front. I took them apart, and both calipers were frozen. I contacted the dealership and they told me that there was a recall, but only for the cars manufactured in Mexico, not in Asia. The recall needs to be expanded, as Mazda denied there was any problem with these calipers. Clearly there is a more widespread problem than Mazda will admit.
Had a gas smell in our garage for months, thought our riding mower or snowblower was the cause but realized it was this car. Took to our mechanic and they said it was the fuel leak issue from NHTSA campaign 16V684000 however this car was manufactured in Dec 2013 and the official recall campaign began with cars manufactured the following month aka Jan 2014. We have been unable to get assistance from the dealership or reach anyone at Mazda due to the huge hold times.
About a month ago I got into my vehicle and noticed a corner of my infotainment screen was cracked. The cracking is internal and seems to spider around the corner. It cannot be felt externally in any way. Doing some research, I came across multiple other owners displaying similar problems. I was also able to find Service Alert No. SA-008/18 which pertained to the same issue even labeling it as (spider cracking). Calling Mazda's customer experience department, I was informed (and knew) that a service alert is not a recall. While this is true it is something that occurs due to normal temperature changes in a product (vehicle) that should be able to withstand such conditions. I was also informed that the Service Alert did not include my VIN even though my vehicle is inside the year, make, and model the service alert pertains to. I was encouraged to reach out to NHTSA if I had further concerns. While the spider cracking was more of an aesthetic issue since then I have noticed the infotainment will often rapidly change through various menus and apps. This causes both a sudden distraction to the driver as well as potentially making unknown changes to the vehicle systems maintained through the infotainment package. While my wife was driving the vehicle last week and trying to use the navigation, she was consistently having the directions break up and display change causing her to need to pull over. Given that both the aesthetic cracking and the menu/apps changing problems began at the same time it seems that the internal crack may have thrown off some pressure/contact the display relies on. The vehicle is available for inspections upon request. Aesthetic problem was seen by the dealer on July 7, 2021 however the function changes were not observed until just after.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN I HEARD A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION. I LOOKED UP AND THE CENTER OF MY SUNROOF WAS GONE. THERE WAS A LITTLE GLASS IN THE CAR, BUT MOST OF THE GLASS EXPLODED OUTWARD. THE GLASS IN THE CAR CONSISTED OF SMALL SHARDS. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS WITH ME SO NO INJURIES.
ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THE STEERING SENSOR AND ABS MODULE HAVE GONE BACK. THE CAR HAS ONLY 35,000 MILES ON IT. I SPOKE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INDICATED THAT THE MODULES ARE FLYING OFF THE SHELVES RIGHT NOW BECAUSE SO MANY OF THEM ARE GOING BAD.
Gas smell / leak from gas tank when more than 7/8 full. Seems to leak from the top. AEB frequently says disabled due to high interior car temperature. Even in winter when temperature below freezing.
MY IN CAR MONITOR IS CRACKING AT THE SCREEN AND WILL NOT TURN ON. IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WOULD COST THOUSANDS. I DID NOTHING TO THE SYSTEM IT JUST DOES NOT WORK. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM. I SEE THERE ARE RECALLS FOR CANADA VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED.
Gas smell when tank is filled past 3/4
Navigation touchscreen has deteriorated without any external damage to the point where it has false positives/ghost clicks. This randomly changes settings which include screen/instrument panel brightness which can be disorienting at night.
AROUND 68,000 MILES, I BEGAN TO HEAR A SUBTLE WHINING NOISE COMING FROM MY 2014 MAZDA MAZDA3. I WAS UNSURE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM AND ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE TIRES. AS TIME PASSED, THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER, EVENTUALLY TO THE POINT WHERE I FELT I NEEDED TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. A MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE SOUND WAS EMITTING THERE. HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN POSTED BY MAZDA THAT DESCRIBED THE EXACT ISSUE, AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S SURE IT IS. I GOT A SECOND OPINION FROM ANOTHER MECHANIC AND HE EXPLAINED THE SAME THING. THE COST TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A REMANUFACTURED MODEL IS SOMEWHERE IN THE BALLPARK OF $2,000 - $3,500. THE SECOND MECHANIC I WENT TO SHOWED ME THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. AFTER THE DESCRIPTION, THE BULLETIN STATES, "THIS IS CAUSED BY A DAMAGED BEARING IN THE TRANSAXLE DUE TO IMPROPER CONFIGURATION OF THE TRANSAXLE CASE." THIS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY; UNFORTUNATELY, THE ISSUE IS KNOWN ONLY TO HAPPEN RIGHT AROUND 65,000 + MILES, AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. BECAUSE THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN STATES THE ISSUE IS "DUE TO IMPROPER CONFIGURATION", TELLS ME THAT IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. IT ONLY HAPPENED BECAUSE OF A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO THE MAZDA SERVICE CENTER, AND BEING TOLD THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AS WELL AS SPEAKING WITH MAZDA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND EXPLAINING THE SITUATION, MAZDA WAS UNWILLING TO HELP BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER IN WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THIS ISSUE WAS DUE TO 'IMPROPER CONFIGURATION' MAZDA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO REFERENCE FOR THIS COMPLAINT IS BULLETIN NO: 05-005/15 OR NHTSA TSB # 10105626.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026