What 117 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan

I HAVE A 2013 MAZDA 3I 5-DOOR HATCHBACK WITH APPROXIMATELY 61,000 MILES, 90% HIGHWAY DRIVING TO AND FROM WORK. AFTER HAVING THE BATTERY REPLACED (ORIGINAL) EARLIER THIS YEAR, I THEN NOTICED THAT MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLASH INTERMITTENTLY, AT THAT TIME. AS THE YEAR PROGRESSED, THE HEADLIGHT FLASHING, WHICH PRESENTS ITSELF ONLY UPON BRAKING OR DECELERATION, BECAME MARKEDLY INCREASED AND BRIGHTER, INCLUDING THE DASHBOARD INFORMATION SYSTEMS WINDOW INSIDE. I WENT TO AN AUTHORIZED MECHANIC, WHO FIRST PUT MY CAR ON DIAGNOSTIC, WHICH SHOWED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS VERY WEAK/WORN. SINCE I HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY, THROUGH A PRIVATE COMPANY, BUT ONLY UNTIL 60,000/5 YEARS, I RUSHED TO MAKE TIME FOR THE MECHANIC TO RECEIVE AUTHORIZATION AND REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR, WHICH HE DID, AND MY CAR RUNS GREAT. THERE REMAINS, THOUGH, THE PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS FLASHING. SINCE THE MECHANIC DID RESET THE COMPUTER, WE WERE STUMPED. THEN MY HUSBAND FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM MAZDA DEALING WITH THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE, STATING THAT THE CAR MUST GO TO THE DEALER BECAUSE ONLY THE DEALER CAN RESET ALL THE PARTS OF THE COMPUTER. I THEN CONTACTED MAZDA, BUT HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE MADE TO PAY FOR THIS ADJUSTMENT/REPAIR SINCE MAZDA APPARENTLY IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR. JUST GOOGLE IT, THERE ARE ALOT OF M3 OWNERS OUT THERE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS, MOST GOT RESOLVED BECAUSE THEY WERE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. GREAT FOR THEM, BUT THAT DOESN'T HELP ME. NOT ONLY IS THIS A PROBLEM FOR ME SINCE I DRIVE NEARLY 40 MILES EACH WAY TO/FROM WORK EACH NIGHT, BUT I AM TIRED OF OTHER DRIVERS FLASHING THEIR LIGHTS AT ME, HONKING, OR YELLING. IT IS MOST ANNOYING, NOT TO MENTION A SAFETY HAZARD, SINCE I AM A NIGHT-TIME/EARLY MORNING DRIVER, PREDOMINANTLY DRIVING IN THE DARK. PLEASE ADVISE.

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TAKATA RECALL: ONCE I GOT THE AIRBAG OF MY MAZDA3 IS NOT SAFE, IT WORRIES ME A LOT. I HOPE THE RECALL COULD BE COMING SOON AND I PREFER TO STAYING IN A SAFE ZONE. THANKS!

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I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN I NOTICED MY AIRBAG LIGHT BEGAN BLINKING WHILE IN MOTION. I DID NOT BRAKE EXCESSIVELY AND I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING OR SWERVE. IT JIST RANDOMLY LIT UP OUT OF THE BLUE. THEN I NOTICED MY PASSENGER AIRBAG SIGN WAS OFF. I CALLED THE MAZDA DEALER AND THEY QUOTED ME $160 JIST TO DIAGNOSE THE LIGHT. I TOLD THEM I GOT A POSTCARD ABOUT AN AIRBAG RECALL AND THEY INSISTED MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED IN THAT RECALL. IT SHOULD BE.

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HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHILE APPLYING BRAKES. PROBLEM OCCURS ONLY WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION. SOMETIMES CARS THINK I AM FLASHING MY LIGHTS AT THEM SO THEY WILL TURN THEIR BRIGHT LIGHTS ON. ONCE I ALMOST DROVE OFF THE SIDE OF A WINDING ROAD BECAUSE WHEN THE FLICKERING LIGHTS BOUNCED OFF OF THE GUARD RAIL REFLECTORS, IT WAS DISORIENTING

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REAR SEAT BELTS NOT SECURED. RUST AND CORROSION AT DOOR OPENINGS. REAR TRUNK LIFT - LOCAL DEALER NEVER HAS THE PART TO FIX IT AS REQUIRED IN RECALL.

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THE HEADLIGHTS ON A NEWLY PURCHASED USED 2013 MAZDA 3 FLICKERING WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING ON UNLIT STREETS AT NIGHT. TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A COVERED MANUFACTURED ISSUE. THIS IS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND BEING DRIVEN.

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HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY KEEPS COLLECTING WATER WHICH SHORTS OUT THE HEADLIGHTS AND BALLAST. I KEEP FINDING THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WHEN RESEARCHING IT ONLINE. I CAN'T FIND ANY OBVIOUS WORN SEALS OR CRACKS. I'VE CHANGED MY LIGHTBULB 3 TIMES SO FAR IN SIX MONTHS. I FIND WATER EVERY TIME. MY LIGHT WILL MAGICALLY JUST GO OUT WHILE I'M DRIVING USUALLY AT NIGHT.

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SHIFT LEVER GEAR CONTROL EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO GEAR AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND APPLYING THE BRAKE FROM A STATIONERY POSITION

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY, THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DUE TO THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE VERSUS THE DAMAGE, THE INSURANCE COMPANY DECLARED THE VEHICLE DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

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THE SWING ARM THAT ATTACHES THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO THE LEFT-SIDE SEAT RUNNER UNEXPECTEDLY DETACHED. CLOSE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY A WELD FAILURE / METAL FATIGUE AT THE POINT WHERE THE ARM WAS WELDED TO THE ROD THAT RUNS BELOW THE CUSHION. THE SEAT IS NOW UNSTABLE AND ROCKS IN AN ALARMING WAY, BOTH WHEN ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING. COPIED FROM AN EXISTING COMPLAINT FOR THE 2010 MODEL YEAR BECAUSE IT IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM.

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WHEN BRAKING, THE HEADLIGHTS PULSE. WHEN BRAKING, THE CAR RIDES BUMPY. THE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT WILL COME ON AT RANDOM TIMES. THESE HAVE BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, AND ALL MECHANICS HAVE SAID THAT EVERYTHING LOOKS FINE ON THE VEHICLE.

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THE DRIVER SEAT OF MY 2013 MAZDA3 ROCKS FORWARD AND BACKWARDS, NOTICEABLE UNDER HEAVY ACCELERATION OR BRAKING. THIS CAN ALSO BE REPLICATED BY PLACING MY FEET ON THE FLOOR OF THE CAR WHILE SEATED IN THE DRIVER SEAT AND LEANING BACK, WHEN I DO THIS THE SEAT ROCKS BACK AROUND 1/4 OF AN INCH. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS SEAT IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT UP WITH THE DEALER WHO SAID "SEAT BASES MAY WEAR OUT" AND QUOTED +$1,800 TO REPLACE THE SEAT BASE. THIS PROBLEM IS SIMILAR TO A RECOGNIZED PROBLEM ON THE 2010 TO 2012 MAZDA3 CARS, THE 2013 MODEL IS IN THE SAME GENERATION OF CAR AND MAY BE SIMILARLY AFFECTED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V644000 (STRUCTURE); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE ROYAL PALM BEACH DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V644000 (STRUCTURE); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V644000 (STRUCTURE). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. A DEALER WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE REPAIR PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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I DISCOVERED ONLY ONE OF MY REAR BRAKES WORN BEYOND THE PAD AND INTO THE METAL BEYOND. I AM DEAF - SO UNKNOWN IF STUCK & SQUEALING OR IF A TECH BULLETIN OR RECALL. THE ONE SIDE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE APPLIED POSITION FULL TIME. MY MOTHER CALLED MAZDA NO INFO - BRING IT IN !! I WILL TRY.

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THE POWER STEERING ON MY CAR JUST STOPPED WORKING AND THEN THE NEXT DAY IT WAS FINE. NOW, IT DOESN'T WORK AGAIN AND I CAN'T DRIVE IT. I WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY AND WANTED TO BACK OUT TO GO TO WORK AND THE WHEEL WOULDN'T TURN. I NEED MY CAR FOR WORK!! I SEE OTHERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE - WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL? I ALSO HAD AN ISSUE THAT THE GAS TANK GOT A WHOLE IN IT AND AGAIN - NOT UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I SEE OTHERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT ISSUE AS WELL. MY CAR HAS ABOUT 32,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT IT IN 2014, BUT IT WAS A BRAND NEW 2013 MODEL. I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR SOME KIND OF RECALL. LIKE I SAID, I SEE OTHERS WRITING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. THANK GOD I WASN'T DRIVING WHEN THE STEERING DECIDED TO QUIT!! CAN YOU HELP ME?

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THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH. THE RATCHETING SYSTEM THAT CONTROLS THE RECLINE OF THE DRIVERS SEAT FAILED CAUSING THE SEAT TO RECLINE AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V644000 (STRUCTURE); HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR THE STRUCTURE; HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL PULSE. THE FLASHING HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN FOLLOWING BEHIND ANOTHER CAR. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR WEEKS.

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WHEN DECELERATING WITH HEADLIGHTS ON WHILE IN MOTION, HEADLIGHTS FLICKER UNTIL PRESSURE IS RELEASED FROM BRAKE PEDAL. BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS CHARGED $26.38 FOR PCM REPROGRAMMING.

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WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER OR PULSE. THE FLASHING HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN FOLLOWING BEHIND ANOTHER CAR. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR MANY MONTHS.

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I HAD WARMED UP MY CAR FOR APPROX. 5 MINUTES ON 1/1/2017, DROVE APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES TO A NEARBY CITY, AND TURNED ONTO A CITY STREET DRIVING 30 MPH. I ARRIVED AT A TURN ONTO ANOTHER CITY STREET, COMPLETED THE TURN, AND AS I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, MY VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT HAD SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL ON ITS OWN. AS I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, THE RPMS WOULD RISE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY COASTING DOWN THE STREET. I CHECKED THE GEAR SHIFTER, AND IT WAS STILL LOCATED IN THE DRIVE POSITION (AUTOMATIC) I THEN CHECKED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND IT SHOWED DRIVE WITH NO MAINTENANCE OR PROBLEM LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, THEN BACK INTO DRIVE. EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL, SO I CONTINUED DRIVING DOWN THE SAME STREET AND ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED. I FOLLOWED THE SAME PROCESS AS BEFORE AND THEN CONTINUED TO MY DESTINATION. I BELIEVE THAT THIS ISSUE IS CAUSED BY SOMETHING FAULTY WITH THE TRANSMISSION OR RELATED COMPONENTS. IT SEEMS TO HAVE DONE THIS RANDOMLY OR WHEN SHIFTING INTO DIFFERENT GEARS. ALSO SEEMS FAULTY AS THEIR ARE NO OTHER INDICATORS OF AN ISSUE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE AS IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN DURING MY TRANSIT TO WORK EACH DAY (VIA HIGHWAY, TRAVELING 65 MPH) THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ACCIDENT IS GREAT I BELIEVE. I HAVE CONDUCTED SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND MY FINDINGS INDICATE SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR TRANSMISSION, COSTING THEM UNNECESSARY DOLLARS AS WELL AS RISKING SAFETY BY SOMETHING I BELIEVE TO BE FAULTY EQUIPMENT. *TR

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WHENEVER I'M DRIVING AND USING MY HEADLIGHTS AND THEN I STEP ON MY BRAKES MY HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AS IF I WERE FLASHING SOMEBODY AND I HAVE HAD MY BATTERY TESTED AND ALTERNATOR AND CHANGED MY HEADLIGHTS BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS I HAVE ALSO LOOKED ON YOUTUBE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS LIKE THIS AND THEY WERE THE ONLY THING I HAVEN'T TRIED WAS CONTACTING THE DEALER ABOUT IT. THE LIGHTS ARE NORMAL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND I STEP ON THE BRAKES. *TR

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