What 117 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan

WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, AND APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS FLICKER/PULSE. OVER THE LAST 6-12 MONTHS THIS ISSUE HAS BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED SO THAT IT HAS BEGUN REDUCING VISIBILITY. PLUS, NEARBY CARS ARE DISTRACTED, EVIDENTLY THINKING WE ARE IN DISTRESS. WE BELIEVE THIS CREATES AN ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC HAZARD. NOTE: INITIALLY, THE PROBLEM WAS ONLY NOTICEABLE WHEN SLOWING FROM AN INITIAL SPEED OF ABOUT 25-40MPH. NOW IT SEEMS TO HAVE ADVANCED TO HAPPEN AT ANY SPEED ABOVE ABOUT 25MPH.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING 20-60 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE CONTACT CALLED SMITH HAVEN MAZDA (827 JERICHO TURNPIKE, ST JAMES, NY 11780, 631) 724-4070) AND MAZDA 112 (2112 NY-112, MEDFORD, NY 11763, (631) 256-1074), BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED REFERENCE NUMBER: 1-2451813550 THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHILE DECELERATING. ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN BRAKING. IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A LONG TIME, JUST DECIDED NOW TO REPORT IT. I SEE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE ONLINE.

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WHILE COASTING, APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES WILL MAKE THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER. AN ECU VOLTAGE MONITOR REGISTERS A DROP IN THE VOLTAGE THAT LASTS FOR AS LONG AS THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 3 SECONDS. MAZDA IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND APPARENTLY A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO THE ECU WILL SOLVE IT. THEY OFFERED THIS FOR FREE UNDER THE 6YR/60K MILE WARRANTY BUT APPARENTLY DID NOT TELL THEIR CUSTOMERS.

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THE DRIER SEAT BELT IS NOT CLICKING AND SENSOR FOR SEAT BELT IS OFF

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IF THE LIFT GATE FALLS UNEXPECTEDLY, IT MAY HIT THE USER, INCREASING THEIR RISK OF INJURY. THIS IS A CURRENT RECALL ON OTHER MODELS BUT IS NOT CURRENTLY LISTED FOR MY VEHICLE. IT DEFINITELY EFFECTS MY CAR AND WOULD LIKE MY MODEL ADDED TO THE CURRENT RECALL.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE POWER STEERING ABILITY WAS LOST. ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AT LEAST TEN TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

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THE SEAT LIFTER LINK ON MY 2013 MAZDA 3 POWER SEAT HAS A BROKEN WELD THAT ALLOWS THE DRIVERS SEAT TO WOBBLE FRONT TO BACK. THE WELD HAS OPENED UP SHOWING THE MOTOR SHAFT. WHEN YOU ACCELERATE THE SEAT MOVES BACK AND FEELS LIKE IT WILL SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME. CALLED LOCAL MAZDA DEALER AND THEY HAVE NO RECALL ON THIS AND MY WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THIS. VEHICLE HAS 187,400 MILES. FOUND ONLINE THAT THERE WAS A PREVIOUS ISSUE IN THE 2010 - 2011 VEHICLES. MAZDA HAD A RECALL CAMPAIGN 0917B FOR THAT ISSUE. APPARENTLY THERE IS STILL AN ISSUE WITH DEFECTIVE WELDS IN THE SEAT FRAME. FIRST NOTICED THIS CONDITION AFTER ACCELERATING TO ENTER THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. HAS GOTTEN WORSE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.

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WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES, THE LIGHT FLASH ALMOST AS IF IT FLASHING MY BRIGHT LIGHT, NO MATTER WHERE OR HOW FAST OR SLOW I'M DRIVING.

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MY HEADLIGHTS DIM AND FLICKER, MOST NOTICEABLY WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. IT WAS BARELY NOTICABLE AT FIRST. MY SON-IN-LAW, WHO IS AN AUTO AND DIESEL MECHANIC, BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION IN DECEMBER 2017 WHEN HE WAS DRIVING IT. IT IS GETTING WORSE AND BECOMING MORE AND MORE OF A PROBLEM, MAKING IT HARD TO SEE, ESPECIALLY WHEN APPROACHING A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. I AM NOT SURE IF THE TAIL LIGHTS ARE ALSO EFFECTED, BUT COMPLAINT ID 11164134 REPORTED THAT THEIR'S WERE. MY EXPERIENCE WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CAUSES ME TO WORRY THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FAIL ENTIRELY, LEAVING ME UNABLE TO SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS IS NOT A SINGLE INCIDENT; IT ALWAYS OCCURS EVERYTIME I DRIVE AT NIGHT, SO I AM PUTTING TODAY'S DATE IN THE "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN" FIELD BECAUSE I CAN'T INDICATE THAT IT IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. THE FOUR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM ALL INDICATE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES; I HOPE THERE DON'T HAVE TO BE INJURIES OR FATALITIES FOR THIS TO BE CONSIDERED SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT A RECALL. ALSO, THE SPEED DOESN'T MATTER, I HAD TO PUT IN A NUMBER SO I INDICATED 45 MPH, BUT IT HAPPENS ON THE FREEWAY AT 80 MPH AS WELL AS ON CITY STREETS. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 49,259 MILES ON THE CAR. WHEN I BOUGHT IT IT HAD 33,370 MILES ON IT. LIKE I SAID, IT IS GETTING WORSE. IT IS MORE DISTRACTING DUE TO MORE PRONOUNCED FLICKERING AND DIMMING OF THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ROAD.

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WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONS THE RADIO DISPLAY KEEP RESTARTING AND THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT, AND THEN THE VEHICLE POWERS COMPLETELY DOWN WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE LOOKED IN FORUMS AND THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN OCCURRING AT LEAST SINCE 2004, AND HAS NOT BEEN FIXED! HTTPS://WWW.FOXNEWS.COM/US/MAZDA-TO-RECALL-MAZDA3-AND-MAZDA5-TO-ADDRESS-LOSS-OF-POWER-STEERING THERE IS AN OLD ARTICLE THAT MAZDA 3'S HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE, BUT THE ISSUE APPARENTLY HAS ACTUALLY NEVER BEEN FIXED. SEE THE ATTACHED DOCUMENT, DO I NEED GET AN ATTORNEY TO GET THIS FIXED SINCE MY CAR IS 2013 AND THE ISSUES ARE ONLY BEING ADDRESSED IN LATER MODELS? CLEARLY THEY DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUE IF NEWER MODELS END UP WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS AND IT WILL KEEP FROM BUYING MAZDA EVER AGAIN DUE THE EXTREEM NEGLECT ON THIS ISSUE BY MAZDA, IT SHOWS A HUGE LACK OF INTEGRITY.

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HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS FLICKER WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. MY WIFE WAS STOPPED BY A POLICE MAN TO INFORM HER OF THESE CONDITIONS.

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HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHEN BRAKING.

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WHEN DRIVING WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON AND I BEGIN TO SLOW DOWN, WHETHER COASTING OR USING THE BRAKE, MY HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER REALLY BAD. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT IT HAPPENS 90% OF THE TIME. THERE ARE TIMES THEY FLICKER BAD ENOUGH THAT IT LOOKS LIKE I AM FLASHING MY HIGHBEAMS. I HAVE HAD TO PULL OVER MULTIPLE TIMES BECAUSE OF HOW HARD IT MADE IT TO CONCENTRATE ON THE SURROUNDING AREA. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT ITS LIKE FOR SOMEONE IN FRONT OF ME OR DRIVING TOWARDS ME. SOMETIMES THEY WILL ALSO FLASH A FEW TIMES WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. IVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY CONTINUE TO SAY NOTHING IS WRONG. SO IT IS STILL AN ONGOING PROBLEM FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT IT.

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I WAS DRIVING AND THE DRIVERS SEAT SNAPPED ON THE BACK RIGHT CORNER. SORT OF POPPED AND DROPPED DOWN A BIT. I CAN PHYSICALLY MOVE THE SEAT UP AND DOWN WITH MY HANDS. I BELIEVE IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE 2010-2011 MODEL RECALL.

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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE PRESSURE ON THE BREAK PEDAL GOT VERY LOW. I HAD TO PUSH THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A NEARBY MAZDA DEALERSHIP. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BREAKS PER SAY (PADS, ROTORS, ETC,), BUT THAT THE ABS HYDRAULIC AND THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD BOTH FAILED CAUSING THE LACK OF PRESSURE ON THE BREAK PEDAL. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THIS WAS QUITE UNUSUAL AND THAT HAD NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE ON A MAZDA PARTICULARLY WITH ONLY 52,000 MILES. HE TOLD ME THE CAR WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I'M THANKFUL THAT I DID NOT GET INTO A CAR ACCIDENT AND HURT MYSELF NOR ANYONE ELSE. THE VEHICLE STILL UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE POWER TRAIN PARTS, BUT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THAT MAZDA WOULD NOT COVER FOR THE REPAIRS. I WAS QUOTED $1,617 FOR THE REPAIRS AND I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THE VEHICLE FOR 4 DAYS. I BEEN TOLD THAT I WOULD GET A LOANER AS SOON AS ONE IS AVAILABLE. GIVEN THAT THIS WAS NOT WEAR AND TEAR, I BELIEVE MAZDA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS OF THE VEHICLE AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO ISSUES WITH THESE PARTS IN OTHER VEHICLES THAT COULD CAUSE SOMEONE TO GET HURT.

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THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHEN BRAKING OR IN PARKED. DRIVERS SEAT WOBBLES/ROCKS/SHIFTS WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT DANGEROUS.

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2013 MAZDA 3. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO HEADLIGHT CONDENSATION. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE HEADLIGHTS WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. *JS

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IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS, MY CAR BATTERY HAS DIED 3 ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS. WHETHER IT'S A COLD START OR I'VE DRIVEN SOMEWHERE AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. NO RESTART, BATTERY DEAD. EACH TIME I'VE HAD TO CALL A SERVICE FOR A JUMP AND HAVE TAKEN IT TO A LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE WHERE TESTS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED ON THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR AND STARTER ... NOTHING FOUND WRONG EACH TIME. THE LAST TIME THE CAR WOULDN'T START, I HAVE PUSH BUTTON START. EVEN THOUGH THE BATTERY WAS DEAD, THE PUSH BUTTON WAS STUCK IN THE 'CAR RUNNING' POSITION, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BE JUMP STARTED. THE CAR DEALERSHIP HAD NO CLUE WHY THIS HAPPENED OR IF IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN.

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CLICKING NOSIE IN THE REAR END OF CAR.

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CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WILL CUT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE. THE RADIO SHUTS DOWN, THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE IS LOST, AND POWER STEERING GOES. SEVERAL SENSOR LIGHTS COME ON. I HAVE TO FIGHT TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN TURN THE CAR OFF. WHEN RESTARTED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON BUT THE CAR WORKS FINE. THIS WILL ALSO HAPPEN WHEN THE CAR IS IDLING WITH THE SAME LOSS OF POWER. I TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN BACK ON AND IT WORKS OKAY AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED IN A VERY MOUNTAINOUS PASS RECENTLY AND THERE WERE NO SHOULDERS TO PULL OVER ON AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING OR ACCELERATION. I'VE TAKEN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND THEY CANNOT FIND THE ISSUE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED AND FLASHED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MAXON HYUNDAI MAZDA (2329 US 22, UNION, NJ 07083). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO CRYSTAL MAZDA (220 RTE 22 WEST, GREENBROOKEE, NJ 08812) WHERE IT WAS ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 96,000.

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PCM DOES NOT REGULATE ALTERNATOR OUTPUT CORRECTLY CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS TO FLASH/STROBE AND HORN TONE TO FLUCTUATE WHILE BRAKING IN MOTION. THE HEADLIGHTS FLASHING COULD LEAD OTHER DRIVERS TO BELIEVE YOU ARE SIGNALING THEM, AND LACK OF POWER TO HORN REDUCES THE AUDIBILITY AND MAY NOT BE HEARD BY OTHER DRIVERS. DEALERSHIP/MAZDA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND HAS PROVIDED A "SOFTWARE UPDATE" TO FIX THE ISSUE, BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL, THUS REQUIRING CONSUMERS TO PAY $60-$100 USD FOR THE UPDATE IF OUT OF WARRANTY. ON NOVEMBER 22TH 2017 I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND WAS BRAKING COMING TO THE RED LIGHT WHEN A VEHICLE ON A SIDE STREET WAVED AT ME AND PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME I USED MY HORN OF WHICH FLUCTUATED WITH POWER, I WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE CRASH BUT IT WAS A CLOSE CALL. I SUSPECT THE OTHER VEHICLE THOUGHT MY FLASHING HEADLIGHTS WERE SIGNALING THEM TO "GO AHEAD". I BELIEVE THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL AS THIS ISSUE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE HEADLIGHTS FLASHED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (MAZDA KNOXVILLE, 8814 KINGSTON PIKE, KNOXVILLE, TN 37923) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.

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WHEN DRIVING THE AFFECTED VEHICLES IN HEAVY RAIN OR IN DEEP PUDDLES, THE ALTERNATOR BELT MAY SLIP, CAUSING THE POWER CONTROL MODULE (PCM) TO INCORRECTLY ASSUME FAILURE OF THE CHARGING SYSTEM. ONCE THE PCM ASSUMES THAT THE CHARGING SYSTEM HAS FAILED, THE VEHICLE WILL STOP CHARGING AND COULD RESULT IN POOR ACCELERATION, LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST AND WINDSHIELD WIPER OPERATION, AND A POSSIBLE ENGINE STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH."

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