What 129 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan

Description On 12-15-2025, in 18°F weather, the vehicle was parked on a residential sloped driveway with the manual parking brake fully engaged. While the driver was outside the vehicle, the parking brake system failed to hold the car’s weight. The vehicle rolled backward, crashed through a wooden railing, teetering on a 4-foot retaining wall, and came to rest over a culvert. Two young children were inside the vehicle at the time of the failure. Component Failure & Availability: The manual parking brake system failed to provide sufficient holding force to secure the vehicle. The rear brake calipers are currently available for inspection. Safety Risk: The safety of the two children inside the vehicle was put at extreme risk due to the unexpected movement of the car. This failure matches the exact conditions and consequences described in Safety Recall 1217F (NHTSA Campaign 17V-393), which states that "unexpected movement of the vehicle if parked on a slope" increases the risk of a collision. Reproducibility & Confirmation: The failure occurred under the specific environmental triggers (cold temperature and slope) identified in the manufacturer's own safety recall documentation. However, the manufacturer has officially refused to authorize the internal teardown of the actuator shafts—the only diagnostic method capable of verifying the rust and sliding resistance that causes this loss of holding force. Inspections: The vehicle has been visually inspected by an authorized dealership and insurance representatives. The manufacturer has declined the necessary internal mechanical diagnostics to verify the internal defect. Warning Symptoms: There were no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms prior to the failure. The parking brake felt fully engaged at the time the vehicle was parked.

NHTSA ODI 11711269

The contact owns a 2015 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, smoke was coming from under the hood of the vehicle, followed by the vehicle shut down and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact's son opened the hood and flames came out from under the hood. The contact son burned his fingers but did not seek medical attention. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was contacted, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 200,000.

NHTSA ODI 11514255

My 2015 mazda3 was in a collision on 09/08/2021 and my vehicle was totaled. None of my airbags deployed . Fortunately i only sustained neck and back injuries. I believe that i would have avoided these injuries if my airbags deployed properly. Has anyone else reported a problem with airbags on the 2015 mazda3? If there is a problem with the airbag then other owners need to be notified of this safety issue.

NHTSA ODI 11432540

COMMING TO A STOP CAR DIDNT SLOW DOWN AND WHEN EMERGENCY LEVER WAS PULLED FOR A STOP IT DIDNT WORK! RECALL NOTICE1217F NHTSA NUMBER17V393

NHTSA ODI 11184240

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR CUTS, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER (SPORT MAZDA, 9786 S ORANGE BLOSSOM TRAIL, ORLANDO, FL 32837), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND APPROVED THE REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ODI 11054294

I WENT TO GO STEP ON BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN AS I WAS COMING UP ON A VEHICLE THAT WAS STOPPED DUE TO TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME WHEN MY BRAKES LOCKED UP AND I SLID RIGHT INTO THE GUY. I TRIED TO TURN MY WHEEL TO GO ON SHOULDER, BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND IN TRAFFIC. I WASN'T SPEEDING AS THERE WAS NO POSSIBLE WAY TO AS TRAFFIC WAS IN PLAY, BUT OUR LANE STARTED TO MOVE AND I STAYED BACK AND WHEN I WENT TO STEP ON BRAKES, THEY LOCKED UP.

NHTSA ODI 11002481

DRIVING ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY PULLED TO THE LEFT. CAR WENT OFF THE HIGHWAY RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS. PART OF THE STEERING RACK AND PINION MAY HAVE CRACKED. WHEN LOOKING AT THE PART IT APPEARS TO HAVE AN OLD CRACK ALONG WITH A FRESH LOOKING BREAK.

NHTSA ODI 10981255

VEHICLE WAS INADVERTANTLY TURNED OFF WHILE IN DRIVE, WHEN PARKING THE VEHICLE NO ALARM SOUNDED. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS, FORCING ME TO JUMP BACK INTO THE CAR AND JAM ON THE BRAKE. ONE WOULD THINK THAT AS A SAFETY MEASURE, THE CAR WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE IN PARK, BEFORE TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. WHILE ITS CONCEIVABLE THAT IN AN EMERGENCY THE DRIVER MAY WANT TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE WHILE IN GEAR, THIS WOULD BE VERY RARE, AND COULD BE ACCOMMODATED BY PROGRAMING THE OFF SWITCH TO REQUIRE MULTIPLE PUSHES OR HOLDING IN THE BUTTON FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. EXITING THE CAR WHEN IT IS NOT IN PARK IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, JUST AS DANGEROUS AS TRYING TO START THE CAR WHILE IN GEAR, RESULTING IN UNEXPECTED MOVEMENT OF THE CAR. SINCE THE CAR REQUIRES THE GEARSHIFT TO BE IN PARK AND THE BRAKE ON BEFORE STARTING, ONE WOULD THINK A SIMILAR PROCESS WOULD BE USED FOR TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 10875142

INTERIOR DOME LIGHT STARTED FLICKERING, LOOKED UP TO SEE WHY, THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR FLAMES COULD BE SEEN. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT HIGHWAY SPEED, APPROX. 65 MPH. CAR HAD 22,000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI 10824893

TURNING TO PARK HER VEHICLE, IN A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND HIT TWO PARKED CARS IN FRONT.

NHTSA ODI 10819278

I WAS IN A REAR END COLLISION WITH THE MAZDA, AND WAS HIT AT 50MPH SPEED BY A DRUNK DRIVER WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE DRIVER HAD FALLEN ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL, SO DID NOT BRAKE PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. DURING THE COLLISION, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, NOR DID THE SEAT BELT CATCH ME, AND I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH FULL STRENGTH, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY FACE WHERE I HAD HIT WITH EYE DAMAGE, AND SOFT TISSUE DAMAGE ALL OVER THE FACE WITH NERVE NUMBNESS ON THE WHOLE LEFT SIDE. OF CONCERN IS WHY NONE OF THE SAFETY FEATURES OF A 2 MONTH OLD VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY DURING A HIGH IMPACT CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10670216

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MAZDA 3. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CROSS A RAILROAD TRACK, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE AND CAUSED THE DRIVER SEAT TO MOVE FORWARD. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND BACK, BUT DID NO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 550.

NHTSA ODI 10650657