BrakeNewsOwner complaints, read early

Your vehicle report

2021 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
54
Received Feb 2021 to Oct 2026
Official recalls listed
1
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
    Engine burns excessive oil between changes15 complaints · 28% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Automatic emergency braking applies without reason4 complaints · 7.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #21V101000Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2021 Mazda3 and CX-30 vehicles. Air may suddenly leak from the tire air valve.
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: 2 crashes, 2 fires, 1 person 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 2 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

Brakes

Electrical & lights

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Airbags, belts & seats

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Steering, suspension & tires

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Body, doors & glass

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

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 2021 Mazda MAZDA3
4
Show as a table
MonthComplaints
February 20211
March 20211
April 20211
May 20210
June 20210
July 20210
August 20210
September 20212
October 20210
November 20210
December 20211
January 20222
February 20220
March 20220
April 20222
May 20221
June 20223
July 20221
August 20224
September 20223
October 20221
November 20222
December 20220
January 20233
February 20230
March 20230
April 20232
May 20230
June 20230
July 20230
August 20230
September 20230
October 20230
November 20230
December 20231
January 20240
February 20242
March 20240
April 20240
May 20240
June 20243
July 20240
August 20240
September 20242
October 20240
November 20242
December 20241
January 20250
February 20254
March 20250
April 20251
May 20251
June 20250
July 20250
August 20250
September 20250
October 20251
November 20250
December 20250
January 20261
February 20260
March 20260
April 20260
May 20260
June 20260
July 20260
August 20260
September 20263
October 20262
Total54

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
Engine burns excessive oil between changes1528%–
Automatic emergency braking applies without reason47.4%–

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 #21V101000February 22, 2021599 vehicles affected

    tires: valve

    Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2021 Mazda3 and CX-30 vehicles. Air may suddenly leak from the tire air valve.

    A sudden air leak from the tire air valve may cause a loss of vehicle control while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four tire air valves with new parts, free of charge. The recall began April 6, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4721B.

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 2021 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