Your vehicle report
2008 Mazda MAZDA3
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 303
- Received Nov 2007 to Apr 2025
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Power steering cuts out while driving69 complaints · 23% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2TPMS valve stems break or leak37 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly32 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #11V329000Mazda is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 MAZDA3 and MAZDASPEED3 vehicles manufactured from january 7, 2008, through november 28, 2008. The ground terminal of the windshield wiper motor may have been inadvertently bent during assembly. If this condition exists then over time the electrical resistance of the motor circuit may increase up to a point that the windshield wipers would not work.
- Recall #10V374000Mazda is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 MAZDA3 and MAZDA5 vehicles manufactured from april 2, 2007 through november 30, 2008. These vehicles may have a condition in which a sudden loss of power steering assist could occur at any time while driving the vehicle.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 29 crashes, 1 fire, 20 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 16 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
- Transmission fails or loses power while driving
- Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 14 |
| 2009 | 18 |
| 2010 | 89 |
| 2011 | 41 |
| 2012 | 21 |
| 2013 | 18 |
| 2014 | 23 |
| 2015 | 18 |
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 303 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 69 | 23% | – | NHTSA recall #10V374000 |
| TPMS valve stems break or leak | 37 | 12% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 32 | 11% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 20 | 6.6% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 13 | 4.3% | – | NHTSA recall #11V329000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 12 | 4.0% | – | |
| Tail light sockets melt and burn | 11 | 3.6% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 7 | 2.3% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 6 | 2.0% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 6 | 2.0% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 6 | 2.0% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 5 | 1.7% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 5 | 1.7% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 3 | 1.0% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #11V329000June 15, 2011103,300 vehicles affected
visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor
Mazda is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 MAZDA3 and MAZDASPEED3 vehicles manufactured from january 7, 2008, through november 28, 2008. The ground terminal of the windshield wiper motor may have been inadvertently bent during assembly. If this condition exists then over time the electrical resistance of the motor circuit may increase up to a point that the windshield wipers would not work.
The loss of wiper function in adverse weather could potentially increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will install an additional ground harness on the wiper motor free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before july 15, 2011. Owners may contact Mazda customer assistance center at 1-800-222-5500.
NHTSA recall #10V374000August 12, 2010215,000 vehicles affected
steering: electric power assist system
Mazda is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 MAZDA3 and MAZDA5 vehicles manufactured from april 2, 2007 through november 30, 2008. These vehicles may have a condition in which a sudden loss of power steering assist could occur at any time while driving the vehicle.
Power steering assist is suddenly lost reducing the driver's ability to steer the vehicle as typically expected, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering pump and lines free of charge. The safety recall began on september 15, 2010. Owners may contact Mazda customer assistance center at 1-800-222-5500.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2008 Mazda MAZDA3.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN