Home · 2016 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan · Complaints

What 102 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (102)Crash / fire / injury (8)Electrical system (22)Brakes (13)Backup camera & sensors (12)Transmission & drivetrain (9)Engine (7)Visibility & wipers (7)Airbags (6)Fuel system (6)Parking Brake (6)Body & structure (4)

7 of 102 complaints match · Visibility & wipers · clear filters

Oct 11, 2024Electrical systemVisibility & wipersBackup camera & sensors

It’s been over a year since recall number 23v-487 was issued Need to get it taken care of

NHTSA ODI 11619306

Aug 15, 2021Visibility & wipers

The windshield wipers work but the washer does not squirt the windshield washing fluid out and it the reservoir is full of fluid but there are certain days in which I need that to work because my visibility is greatly reduced which has made the risk of accident that much greater. it says there is a recall pertaining to this problem and the fix was a relay However nothing comes up for my specific car when I enter the Vin but I would like this problem fixed and I’m not sure how to go about it

NHTSA ODI 11429167

Oct 12, 2020Visibility & wipers

ALL OF THE WINDOWS HAVE BUBBLES AND RIPPLES IN THE FACTORY TINT WHICH CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY. THE WINDOWS HAVE TO BE ROLLED DOWN TO TO SEE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE RIPPLES AND BUBBLES ARE SO BAD THAT YOU CAN'T SEE OUT OF THE REAR VIEW OR SIDE VIEW MIRRORS WHICH COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11363942

May 22, 2019Visibility & wipers

REAR DEFROSTER DONT WORK. WHEN I PUSH THE DEFROST BUTTON IT STAYS ON FOR 5 SECONDS AND GOES OFF.

NHTSA ODI 11209312

May 6, 2019Visibility & wipers

WINDSHIELD WIPER CONCERN RECALL ON MAZDA 3 VEHICLES.

NHTSA ODI 11205926

Nov 13, 2018Visibility & wipers

FRONT CONTROL MODULE WHCH APPARENTLY CONTROLS MY WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AND I CANNOT DRIVE IN CERTAIN WEATHER CONDITIONS. I WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER WORK I WORK NIGHTS IT WAS AROUND 3 AM AND IT WAS POURING RAN OUTSIDE WHEN MY WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AND I WAS STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR OVER 2 HOURS . IT HAPPENED TWO DAYS AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRED, MAZDA REFUSED TO HELP ME.

NHTSA ODI 11151344

Nov 8, 2016Visibility & wipers

WHEN DRIVING ANY TIME THE SUN IS OUT, REFLECTIONS FROM THE DASH AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD ARE VERY PRONOUNCED AND CAN SIGNIFICANTLY EFFECT VISIBILITY. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS AND I KNOW ALL CARS HAVE THE PHENOMENON ON OCCASION. UNFORTUNATELY THIS MAZDA 3 RESTRICTS VISION AS I HAVE DESCRIBED EVERY DAY THE SUN IS OUT FOR 90% OF THE DRIVING TIME. IT IS MORE THAN A DISTRACTION, I BELIEVE IT IS A HAZARD AND ACCIDENTS WILL OCCUR BECAUSE OF IT.

NHTSA ODI 10924991

Working with the data? Download all 102 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 18, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2016 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan verdict →