Your vehicle report

2010 Mazda MAZDA3

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
686
Received Sep 2009 to Apr 2026
Official recalls listed
3
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Dashboard melts, becomes sticky and glares244 complaints · 36% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Seat belt fails to latch or retract76 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    TPMS valve stems break or leak47 complaints · 6.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #17V082000Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2011 Mazda2 and 2010-2011 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles equipped with a manual seat lifter. In the affected vehicles, the seat height adjustment lifter links may break or detach from the seat frame and the seat angle may incline causing the driver to not be able to maintain an appropriate driving position.
  • Recall #16V644000Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015. On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.
View recall details

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 identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 18 crashes, 5 fires, 13 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.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 20 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

1 more problem

Brakes

Electrical & lights

Airbags, belts & seats

Steering, suspension & tires

2 more problems

Body, doors & glass

1 more problem

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.

Complaints received about the 2010 Mazda MAZDA3
138
Show as a table
YearComplaints
20093
201028
201124
201228
201343
2014138
2015126
201660
201769
201826
201936
202044
202116
202211
202316
20248
20257
2026 (to Oct 2026)3
Total686

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.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Dashboard melts, becomes sticky and glares24436%–
Seat belt fails to latch or retract7611%–
TPMS valve stems break or leak476.9%–
Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up243.5%–
Manual clutch wears out or fails early233.4%–
Glass shatters or cracks without impact213.1%–
Tires blow out or tread separates172.5%–
Headlights dim or fail at night162.3%–
Unintended acceleration despite braking162.3%–
Power steering cuts out while driving162.3%–
Engine stalls and loses power while driving142.0%–
Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly121.8%–
Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips101.5%–NHTSA recall #09V126000
Airbags fail to deploy in crashes91.3%–
Airbag warning light stays on81.2%–
Vehicle catches fire from wiring71.0%–
Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps71.0%–
Dashboard cracks near passenger airbag60.9%–
Ignition key sticks or will not turn60.9%–
Rear door latch fails to open or close50.7%–

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 #17V082000February 9, 2017173,859 vehicles affected

    seats

    Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2011 Mazda2 and 2010-2011 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles equipped with a manual seat lifter. In the affected vehicles, the seat height adjustment lifter links may break or detach from the seat frame and the seat angle may incline causing the driver to not be able to maintain an appropriate driving position.

    If the driver cannot maintain an appropriate driving position, there is an increased risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat lifter links and install a reinforcement bracket to the lifter links, or replace the entire seat adjuster unit, free of charge. The recall began April 7, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0917B.

  • NHTSA recall #16V644000September 6, 2016580,455 vehicles affected

    structure: body: hatchback/liftgate

    Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015. On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.

    If the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Mazda dealers will replace the both lift gate supports, free of charge, however parts are not currently available. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9916H.

  • NHTSA recall #09V126000April 16, 200925,400 vehicles affected

    electrical system

    Mazda is recalling 25,400 my 2010 MAZDA3 vehicles. A clearance between the engine harness and the housing of starter motor may be insufficient. Due to this, the covering of the harness may be damaged through vibration during operation possibly causing a short-circuit between certain harness wires and the starter housing. A short-circuit Can result in engine control malfunction and/or poor shift quality.

    The main fuse may blow out causing the engine to stall and inability of restart, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will have the engine harness inspect and add a protector clip on the affected section of the harness. If necessary, the harness will be repaired. This service will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on may 6, 2009. Owners may contact Mazda 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 2010 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