4.1

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
29,382 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Mazda MAZDA3 engine problems

engine problem

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2012 Mazda MAZDA3 Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #32

Jan 312020

MAZDA3

  • 69,009 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Motor cylinder #1 low compression took it to Mazda they couldnt figure it out and less than 20 miles after the motor threw a rod at 70,001 miles total. Cylinder 1 walls where not made correctly

- Jonestown, TX, USA

problem #31

Aug 272020

MAZDA3

  • miles
When I drive down the road.my car speeds up and I don't press on the excilerator any harder. The cars idol goes up and down when driving and at park. This happens on all types of road ways. Sometimes it speeds up on me so fast I have to hit the brake while driving on the road.

- Deer Isle, ME, USA

problem #30

Oct 172015

MAZDA3

  • 31,740 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Mazda 3. while driving at an unspecified speed, the check engine indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to jenkins Mazda of ocala (352-815-2425, located at 1740 sw college rd, ocala, fl 34471) where the fuel pump and gauge were replaced. The clutch was replaced six moths later. Five months later, the vehicle leaked fluid in the driveway. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer where the technician diagnosed and replaced the driver's side transmission axle. Seven months later, while driving approximately 5 mph, the vehicle made a clunking sound and was towed to the same dealer where the technician diagnosed and replaced the entire transmission. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures and offered to provide a discount towards the cost of a new vehicle. The offer was not acceptable. The contact's vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 31,740.

- Ocala, FL, USA

problem #29

Aug 222018

MAZDA3

  • 38,500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Mass airflow sensor failed at 38,000 miles causing the car to stall and wouldn't restart.

- Tucaon, AZ, USA

problem #28

Aug 082018

MAZDA3

  • 106,000 miles
There is a problem with the variable valve timing system causing reduced acceleration performance. The check engine light is displayed. This problem is exactly the same as the recall on Mazda3 vehicles manufactured between July 2011 and November 2011. The car lost acceleration and a vehicle behind me almost rear-ended my vehicle. For some reason Mazda is not recognising the recall on later models affected by the same issue. Mazda recall reference is 6511K. The recall should be expanded to cover additional vins

- Baton Rouge, LA, USA

problem #27

May 172017

MAZDA3

  • 26,465 miles
I purchased my 2012 Mazda 3 one year ago (2017). I first noticed the issue about a month after owning my car. I turned on my air conditioner at first low, then all the way up, it felt slightly cool, but only as if my fans were blowing and nowhere near what an air conditioner should properly feel like. This was after letting the car warm up, and driving on back roads or highways as well as when parked. I brought the car back and the technician had some trouble figuring out how to fix it. The ac compressor was replaced, and yet I am still now dealing with a car that will not blow cold air! only semi cool on the highest fan setting ! also when accelerating and having the air conditioner on my car does not accelerate as well or feel as though it is driving as well as it does without needing the air conditioner on. My car really feels like it is working extra hard to put out semi cool air. I have had the air conditioner checked again and it says its not as cool as it should be. I need a resolution to this please.

- Vernon, CT, USA

problem #26

Nov 302017

MAZDA3

  • 55,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

More that one problem with this vehicle. 1) it starts honking while driving, instrument panel and interior lights flash on and off, the car will only make right turns and will not restart when vehicle is turned off. Yesterday, it did it once again immediately as I turned right onto the city street from a parking lot. Luckily there was another parking lot entrance on the right, so I pulled in, parked and turned off the vehicle. It continued to honk, flash interior lights and instrument panel and ignition would not work nor crank. I tried to restart the vehicle several times over a five (5) minutes, when it finally restarted and I was able to get the vehicle home without it happening again. This vehicle has done this several times and it will start honking in the middle of the night while parked and off for no reason. There are times that as quickly as it started honking it will stop, other times, I must go attempt to turn vehicle on and eventually ignition will crank and engine will start. I have taken it to Mazda but they are not able to replicate the problem and tell me there's nothing they can do. I am worried I will not be able to turn one of these days and hit someone and get hit by someone else when the car decides it won't turn left. Not to mention if the car will not start while I am in a bad area and be harmed while waiting for the car to stop honking, flashing and refusing to crank and start. 2) when you put gear in drive, from either park or reverse, and take your foot off the brake the car accelerates and lunges forward without pressing the gas peddle. The first time it did it I almost hit a parked car! thankful I acted quickly and reapplied the brake. Now I allow enough space, as if I driving a truck and am ready to apply the brake. Dealership states nothing is wrong with it. Mazda needs to take these matters seriously. But it's going back!!

- San Jose, CA, USA

problem #25

Mar 312017

MAZDA3

  • 56,800 miles
In the morning of March 31, 2017 when I've proceeded to va 206 to the naval lab (25-mile speed limit zone), traction control system (tcs/dsc) indicator light suddenly lit up, and car stalled. I attempted to accelerated but received non response from the car. The car stayed around 20- 25 mph. I pulled in the auto shop and turn off the engine. I re-started the car and the tcs/dsc indicator light was off and car behaved normally. However I don't know if the problem will happen again.

- King George, VA, USA

problem #24

Dec 242016

MAZDA3

  • 101,000 miles
Cruise quit working, traction control light came on and shortly thereafter the check engine light came on. Then all the lights on the dash started flashing and went into limp mode. Car decelerated and I pulled over to the side of the road. Turned car off and then it wouldn't start. Waited about 10 min and restarted successfully with the check engine and traction control light still on. Drove another 70 miles going in and out of limp mode with dash lights flashing on & off. Took to dealer and replaced the angle (sp?) sensor in steering wheel. Dealer reset all codes and it's done it twice since getting car back, dealer can't figure out what's wrong. Have to go in and have the codes reset every time to get it back to running again.

- Savage, MN, USA

problem #23

Jul 042016

MAZDA3

  • 37,000 miles
About a year ago, I had to replace my tires at just under 30,000 mi because the treads wore improperly. Fast forward a few months, my axle wore out and had to be replaced. However, the real problem comes when about 3 weeks ago, I was driving at about 75 miles an hour on a major highway, four lanes of traffic, and the engine starts jumping. The rpms go up and down, but the car won't accelerate. I get the car to the side of the road on pure momentum. The car then turns completely off with the key in the on position, but not lights come on. I remove the key, wait 5 minutes and the car turns back on. It died again a few min later so I have it towed to a mechanic, who can't find anything wrong. 5 min after leaving the mechanic's shop, my car starts jumping again; I barely made it back. The mechanic is at a loss and recommends the dealership since there are no codes. The dealer gets it and works with it for a few days and says that the mass air flow sensor (mafs) was clogged, which was turning off the car, and the bearings were also causing problems because they were worn out (from the axle being improperly installed). They replaced the bearings, cleaned the mafs, and reset the computer, under the warranty, and told me my car was ok. 2 days later, I'm driving on a major highway again and the car starts jumping again. I was able to barely make it out of traffic before the car died again. The car starts up again 5 min later and I take about 10 min to get to safety as this repeats. The dealer has my car for almost 3 wks, Mazda's field engineers get involved, they-checked the fuel components, the computer, filters etc, and then Mazda recommends checking the wiring harness. A clip had broken above the axle on the engine that allowed the wiring to wear out. They had to redo the wiring in a different way so it wouldn't wear--this seems like it has happen to others w/O resolution.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #22

Jun 272016

MAZDA3

  • 95,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When decelerating, I'll push in clutch, apply brake, and shift to a lower gear. As I let out the clutch, car will sometimes lurch forward (as if I'm depressing accelerator even though I'm not). I must immediately depress clutch again and let out slowly to prevent the sudden surge in acceleration. Most often happens when I am coming out of a turn and begin to let out clutch. Also, at 3 1/2 years old, with 95,000 mostly highway miles, manual transmission has started popping out of 4th gear while driving. I'll be driving along and for no reason shifter will pop out of gear. Independent transmission shop said cause is likely bad bearings inside transmission and recommended replacement with manufactured transmission. I never had problems with my 2010 Mazda 5 with 5 speed manual transmission. I've reported problems to Mazda service and of course they can never get problem to repeat itself while they are driving.

- Mebane, NC, USA

problem #21

Mar 012016

MAZDA3

  • 40,000 miles
Squeaking noise from engine compartment. Source appears to be engine mount#4. needs to be replaced and greased. Noise occurs in motion, no correlation with turning or speed.

- New Paltz, NY, USA

problem #20

Sep 252015

MAZDA3

  • 28,625 miles
I just got off work and got in my car to leave. I turned on the car and everything seemed normal. I pulled out of the parking lot and as soon as I pulled up to the light, which was 1block away, my car shut off. I was just at the red light waiting then my car turned off and would not turn back on. All the power in the car was there but my car would just not turn back on, my vehical was being operated in the automatic position.this was dangerous because it was a Friday afternoon during the 5 O'clock traffic and I had all these vehicals lined up behind me honking and I had to push my vehicals off to the side and call a tow truck. My vehical was luckily on the city street.

- Bakersfield, CA, USA

problem #19

Jan 012015

MAZDA3 4-cyl

  • 16,090 miles
My wife was driving on the freeway - I was on the passenger side. This is the first time it happened. The car lost sort of reset itself - dash warning lights came on (according to my wife). Radio/cd stopped music - ABS light went on (that's all I can see from passenger side). My wife said others too but she was focused on the road because it was a construction zone. She was nervous and said the car was not responding to throttle. Luckily all went back to normal after 2 or maybe 3 seconds. The music came back on also. No check engine light or any sign of trouble. We pulled over and I checked the front to see if we hit something that could have caused it. Restarted the car - all seemed normal and reached our destination. This was our first 200 mile trip or more on this car. 1 day after arrival - I did a once over safety check (fluids, tire pressure, etc) nothing out of the ordinary. Got my obd2 code reader and it had the following U3003 U0140 U0428. So I will take this to our dealer for checkup.

- Hilliard, OH, USA

problem #18

Dec 192014

MAZDA3 4-cyl

  • 48,000 miles
Driving at approx 45mph, car lost acceleration, power steering, and multiple engine lights on. Car moved to site of the road and towed to dealer.

- Temple Terrace, FL, USA

problem #17

Jun 202014

MAZDA3 4-cyl

  • 40,000 miles
Driving at 70mph, lost acceleration and multiple engine lights came on. Had to move over to emergency lane on interstate and driving to nearest exit at approx 40mph. Car towed to dealer for repair.

- Temple Terrace, FL, USA

problem #16

Jul 282014

MAZDA3

  • 20,000 miles
We were just returning from a trip of 9 days which contained many high speed highway hours and mountainous terrain. Car has 20000 miles on it. As we pulled off the highway and onto a city street, all three lights ( engine, autotransmission, and slippage icon) went off and there was a bare minimum of power to move car forward. Maybe 5 mph. We drifted into parking lot, restarted car and was able to drive to dealership without incident although the lights remained on. If this had happened while passing a truck on the highway it would have been disastrous. In shop over a week.

- Worthington, OH, USA

problem #15

May 102014

MAZDA3 4-cyl

  • 16,490 miles
I was driving along a city street on the way to a mall when I noticed the traction control warning light come on. My car then started to decelerate. I pressed on the gas and noticed that the needle on my tachometer was running high indicating high rate of RPM. I could not drive faster than 35 mph for fear of redlining and possibly damaging the engine. I went back home and parked my car. Later when I started my car the traction control warning light had turned off and I was able to drive the car normally again. This is a very serious matter that could result in serious accident if it had happened on a freeway or on a mountain road. I no longer feel safe driving this car, not knowing when this might occur again. I will be having the car inspected at the dealership since it is still under warranty.

- Daly City, CA, USA

problem #14

Feb 132013

MAZDA3

  • 1,600 miles
While downshifting from 4th to 3rd and/or 5th to 4th to slow down without having my foot on the gas pedal (only on the clutch) my 2012 Mazda 3 touring 6 speed mt accelerates very rapidly and jerks about. It happens for several seconds and then stops. It's almost every time I downshift. I brought it to the attention of the Mazda dealer on the first service appointment at 5000 miles in April 2013. However, the service advisor informed me that mechanic checked the problem and found no issues with the car that would be causing this problem.

- San Francisco, CA, USA

problem #13

Mar 072014

MAZDA3

  • 18,800 miles
Hello, I was driving down a highway going about 30-40 mph in the passing lane. I went to accelerate past a truck when I noticed I wasn't gaining any speed. I looked down and the ABS light was on. Thinking that I might be in a lower gear and my auto transmission wasn't shifting well I changed it over to manual. There were no gear lights indicated on the dash. I could not get any power to the transmission from the engine. I have to pull over on the side of the road, while still kind of on the road considering I had no power. In a desperate attempt I turned the car off and back on and everything seemed to be reset. I called Mazda today and they seemed almost like it was no big deal. Well I consider this a big deal, losing transmission power on a highway is a big deal. Anyways I saw a post a few days ago with the same exact issue. This should not happen!

- New Kensington, PA, USA

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