What 138 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan

Today on 3/6/23 I was parked outside a restaurant picking up food as I was inside the restaurant my hand brake failed to hold and my car rolled back and hit another customers car. My car is a manual and I had it in neutral and I was then approached by the owner of the vehicle I hit asking for my insurance information.

NHTSA ODI 11510516

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY IN THE SNOW/RAIN MIX WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG! I THOUGH I WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR BUT WHEN I LOOKED AROUND I NOTICED THE GLASS OF MY SUNROOF HAD SHATTERED AND SOME GLASS FELL ON ME. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE SUNROOF HAD ACTUALLY BLEW OUT AND UPWARDS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHO THEN SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO MAZDA. ALTHOUGH THEY ARE AWARE OF LATENT DEFECTS IN SUNROOFS, THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR/REPLACE MINE. IT'S COLD AND RAINING HERE AND I HAVE PART OF MY CAR ROOF MISSING DUE TO A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT THAT I KEEP READING ABOUT ALL OVER THE INTERNET. THIS IS DANGEROUS TO HAVE HAPPEN AND THESE SUNROOFS SHOULD BE REPLACED. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY THINKING I WAS EITHER HIT OR SHOT AT! I HAVE IMAGES UPON REQUEST AS THEY ARE NOT LOADED ON THIS COMPUTER.

NHTSA ODI 11075234

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHEN I ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD AND FEELS LIKE IT MIGHT BE JAMMED. THE CAR WILL THEN PROPEL INTO GEAR CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO SKID OUT. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. IT APPEARS TO BE HAPPENING THE WORST WHEN MAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS. THIS HAS RESULTED IN ONE ACCIDENT, AND TWO NEAR FATAL ACCIDENTS.

NHTSA ODI 11030186

I WAS TURNING SLOWLY INTO A PARKING SPACE BETWEEN TWO PARKED CARS WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. APPROXIMATELY 1/4 TO 1/3 OF THE WAY INTO THE SPACE THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED (MY FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE). IT JUMPED THE CURB, CROSSED OVER THE SIDEWALK, "TOOK OUT" 2 PILINGS AND LARGE FLOWER BOX AND THEN STOPPED. ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. IT HAPPENED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS AND I HAD NO TIME TO REACT IN ANY WAY. CAR HAD TO BE WINCHED OFF OF THE PILINGS WHICH NOW HAVE TO BE RESET APPROX. 15" - 18" INTO THE GROUND. I HAVE PHOTOS TAKEN BY A NEIGHBOR, BUT DO NOT KNOW HOW TO UPLOAD THEM. TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOOK SOME TO SHOW TO THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER.

NHTSA ODI 11018647

MY 2014 MAZDA 3 SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED TRUCK. THERE WAS AN EYE-WITNESS. HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED: I WAS DRIVING ON A QUIET, DEAD-IN STREET ACCOMPANIED BY MY HUSBAND. I TURNED LEFT INTO THE TURN AROUND AREA AT THE END OF THE STREET. AS I WAS COMING TO A STOP, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED'GOING VERY FAST, VERY QUICKLY. IT LEAPT OVER THE CURB, NARROWLY MISSED A TREE AND A FIRE HYDRANT, PASSED BACK OVER THE STREET I HAD BEEN ON MOMENTS EARLIER, AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED PICK-UP TRUCK. THE AIR-BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALL OF THIS HAPPENED IN 2 TO 3 SECONDS. WE WERE NOT HURT. THE EYE WITNESS WAS IN HIS YARD, WHICH ADJOINS THE TURN-AROUND AREA. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, HE CAME OVER AND ASKED IF I WAS OK. HE ASKED ME IF I COULD TURN MY CAR OFF. THE EYE WITNESS LATER TOLD ME HE HAD SEEN THE WHOLE THING AND THAT I NEVER HAD CONTROL OVER THE CAR. HE SAID HE TOLD THE POLICE THAT HE WAS WATCHING ME TURN MY CAR INTO THE TURNAROUND AREA AND SAW THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. HE WANTED ME TO KNOW THAT THERE WAS A MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. HE TOLD ME THAT WHEN HE APPROACHED THE CAR, IT WAS REVVING AND STILL TRYING TO ACCELERATE INTO THE TRUCK, EVEN THOUGH MY FEET WERE NOWHERE NEAR THE PEDALS. THAT WAS WHY HE ASKED IF I COULD TURN THE CAR OFF. I REMEMBERED BEFORE TURNING THE CAR OFF, THAT I COULD HEAR THE WHINE OF THE ENGINE AS IT SOUNDS WHEN IT IS AT HIGH RPMS. THE UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION AND THE FACT THAT THE AIR-BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ARE BOTH SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONTACTED MAZDA CORPORATION WHO SENT AN ENGINEER TO CHECK IT OUT. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM, BUT THEY PUT AN EVENT DATA RECORDER ON THE CAR TO MONITOR IT. THEY DROVE THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS AND NOTHING SHOWED UP. THE DEALER BOUGHT THE CAR BACK.

NHTSA ODI 10888959

AS I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING SPOT TO PARK MY CAR, THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND RAN INTO A CONCRETE WALL. I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THIS CAR'S PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN TO GET FIXED AFTER THE SAFETY RECALL IN JANUARY '16. AS I REALIZED THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING - AND PUSHING ON THE BRAKE WOULD NOT STOP IT - I LIFTED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CRASH ULTIMATELY STOPPED THE CAR - NOT THE BRAKE OR EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THE DAMAGE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, AND MORE CONCERNED THAT I HAD ZERO CONTROL OVER THE CAR AND ANY ABILITY TO STOP IT.

NHTSA ODI 10884129

CAR CAUGHT OF FIRE ON THE FREEWAY WHOLE CAR WAS CONSUMED STARTED IN THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WELL AREA

NHTSA ODI 10849664

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE ROAD WAS STRAIGHT AND SHE WAS TRAVELING IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE WHEN SHE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND LEFT OF CENTER BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. HER CAR BOUNCED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE GUARDRAIL AND THEN SPUN ACROSS THE ROADWAY. HER CAR THEN STRUCK THE CONCRETE BARRIER ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY DAUGHTER AND HER PASSENGER WERE THROWN BACKWARDS DUE TO THE IMPACT FROM BEHIND AND MY DAUGHTER LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AT THAT POINT. SHE SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND HAS HAD FREQUENT AND SOMETIMES SEVERE HEADACHES, ALONG WITH BACK AND NECK PAIN SINCE THE ACCIDENT. THE PHOTOS I AM SENDING WERE TAKEN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE DEBRIS FROM THE ROADWAY WAS PLACED IN THE BACKSEAT OF THE CAR WHICH IS FORCING THE SEATS TO BE IN A MORE UPRIGHT POSITION THAN THEY WERE AT THE CRASH SCENE, BUT YOU CAN STILL CLEARLY SEE THAT THE SEATBACKS BROKE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS AND PREVENTABLE PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

NHTSA ODI 10823880

IN PARKING GARAGE, TURNING INTO PARKING SPOT. CAR ENGINE REVVED UP, AND CAR ACCELERATED INTO THE GUARD RAIL, SMASHING THE FRONTEND OF THE VEHICLE AND DAMAGING THE RADIATOR. DRIVER DID NOT PUT FOOT ON THE GAS; CAR LUNGED FORWARD ON IT'S OWN. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, AND DRIVER HAD DARK BRUISES ON ABDOMEN, LEFT ANTERIOR THIGH, AND LEFT SIDE OF NECK D/T SEAT BELT, AND ALSO HAD MINOR WHIPLASH. FORTUNATELY, NO OTHER CARS OR PEOPLE WERE AROUND WHEN CAR ACCELERATED. ALSO, HAD THE CAR HAD MORE THAN JUST A FEW FEET TO RUN INTO SOMETHING, THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED WORSE. PRIOR TO INCIDENT, CAR ENGINE REVVED UP FOR SEVERAL SECONDS ON ITS OWN TWICE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 10716911

HAVING SPENT APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, THE TRAFFIC PICKED UP AGAIN, ONLY TO COME TO ANOTHER STOP. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP BECAUSE MY BRAKES HAD COMPLETELY FAILED, MY FOOT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I HAD NO BRAKING RESPONSE AT ALL. I TAPPED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, NO DAMAGE TO HIS CAR, SO WE DECIDED NOT TO CALL THE POLICE. MY CAR SUSTAINED COSMETIC DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END, PUSHED THE LEFT FRONT FENDER BACK SO I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 250 MILES FROM MY HOME WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. THE FOLLOWING DAY I DID A TEST PANIC STOP IN A PARKING LOT, AND THE BRAKES THEN RESPONDED APPROPRIATELY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10670297

WHILE EXITING A TRAFFIC CIRCLE, I HEARD A POP AND THE CAR SWERVED. I CORRECTED BUT WAS TOO LATE AS THE FRONT WHEEL HIT THE CURBING CAUSING THE ALUMINUM RIM TO CRACK ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND A LARGE RECTANGULAR PIECE OF THE TIRE SIDE WALL MISSING. THE SIDE WALL SEPARATION WAS THE TIRE ON THE PASSENGER REAR SIDE. THE RAPID DEFLATION CAUSED THE CAR TO SWERVE WHILE EXITING THE TURN. FORTUNATELY I WAS TRAVELING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10607215

ON MAY 7, 2014, AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 PM I PARKED IN A PARKING SPACE, ON A HILL, AT TOWSON WOODS APARTMENT COMPLEX. I TURNED THE CAR OFF WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED AT OVER 3/4 OF THE WAY UP. I WAS STANDING ABOUT 10 FEET OUTSIDE MY CAR, WHICH WAS OFF AND STATIONARY, TALKING TO A FRIEND FOR APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MINUTES WHEN MY CAR STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS OF ITS OWN ACCORD. I ATTEMPTED TO PUSH IT, WHICH FAILED, AND THEN I JUMPED INTO THE DRIVERS SEAT AND TRIED TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE UP AS FAR AS IT COULD GO, WHICH DID NOT STOP THE CAR. IT THEN CRASHED INTO THE BUMPER OF ANOTHER CAR. BECAUSE THE WHEEL HAD BEEN TURNED TO THE LEFT WHEN I PARKED, THE CAR HAD ROLLED AT AN ANGLE SO THAT ONLY THE RIGHT SIDE BUMPER MADE CONTACT WITH THE OTHER CAR?S BIG ALUMINUM BUMPER THAT STICKS OUT. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR OUT FROM AGAINST THE BUMPER, I FOUND THERE TO BE COSMETIC DAMAGE THAT INCLUDED THE BUMPER STICKING OUT. (ESTIMATE $855) MAY 16, 2014 AT 9:00 AM. AFTER APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR AND A HALF I WAS TOLD THAT THE TECHNICIANS FOUND THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE APPLIED WHEN THE HANDLE WAS APPLIED ALL THE WAY UP, WHICH THEY TERMED ?WITHIN NORMAL OPERATION." HOWEVER, FOR ?PEACE OF MIND,? THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY TIGHTENED THE BRAKE SO THAT NOW IT ONLY GOES UP 5 CLICKS. THE ACTUAL WORDING USED IS ?TECH MADE MINOR ADJUSTMENT SO EBRAKE DOES NOT GO ALL THE WAY UP.? ON MAY 21, 2014, AT APPROXIMATELY 7:05 PM, I STARTED MY CAR AND A FLASHING LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD APPEARED. THIS IS THE ?BSM OFF? LIGHT, IN REGARDS TO THE BLIND SPOT MONITORING. I READ THE MANUAL AND IT SAID TO CLEAN THE AREA WHERE THE BSM SENSORS ARE, WHICH I DID. IT STILL WAS MALFUNCTIONING SO I DID THE NEXT STEP IN THE MANUAL, WHICH WAS TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER. ESTIMATE $250 ON JUNE 2 THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. THE PARKING BRAKE GOES ALL THE WAY UP. WE ARE TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN TO HAVE IT FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10597877