What 107 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan

The center dashboard information screen developed "spider cracks" and got opaque in the corners of the screen. The screen would change functions / jump around commands without being touched while driving ( from NAV to radio, change radio stations etc) - apparently called 'Ghost Touch". Mazda has been aware of the defect for some time and issued a TSB ( and settled a class action lawsuit) but we never received any notification. The dealer offered no assistance as the car was out of warranty . We paid several hundred dollars to replace the screen as the car was becoming undriveable.

NHTSA ODI 11714999

My 2018 Mazda 3 has an intermittent electrical failure on the high-speed CAN network that causes multiple safety-critical systems to fail while driving. When the fault occurs, the dash lights up with warnings for powertrain, ABS/traction, lane departure, collision-avoidance, TPMS, immobilizer, and the check-engine light. The car also hesitates or “lurches” between 15–30 mph during these events. At one point in 2024, the vehicle went into limp mode on the freeway, creating a safety hazard. These failures are intermittent but repeatable. Diagnostic scans from 2023–2025 show multiple U-codes for lost communication between control modules; two later became permanent. The issue appears unrelated to any one component and affects many systems at once. The vehicle has been to every Mazda dealership in the North Texas region (Mesquite, Freeman, Hiley, Norm Reeves, Town North). All performed only basic scans; none completed a full CAN-bus or wiring-harness diagnostic. Town North kept the vehicle for six weeks (Sept–Oct 2025), replaced a coil and spark plugs, performed a camera calibration and a TCM update, but the network failures returned within 38 miles. We sought independent inspection only after dealerships repeatedly refused diagnosis whenever the warning lights were not on at the moment of arrival. In November 2025, a technician found significant internal corrosion inside the negative battery cable; touching the cable reproduced the full failure immediately. The corrosion extends deep into the wire sheathing. This appears to be an electrical defect affecting CAN communication and power/ground integrity. When the fault occurs, multiple safety systems disable at once and the vehicle behaves unpredictably. Mazda Corporate has declined further assistance, and the defect remains unresolved. I am filing this report because this is a recurring safety issue that may affect other vehicles of the same model and year.

NHTSA ODI 11700428

There is a infotainment display that sits on the center part of the dash that has touch screen capability that over time starts to fail and results in what is known as "ghost touch", where random screen settings change as though someone is using the touch screen on the infotainment screen. I had issues to where settings for screen brightness have changed causing my ability to see the controls being hindered and the radio sometimes turning up loudly and then off causing a scare distraction while driving. This screen is also used for the back up camera. There is currently a class action lawsuit for this.

NHTSA ODI 11671421

Mazda had previously issued a Special Service Plan (SSP) to remediate issues with their Mazda Connect Center Display (infotainment system), specifically "ghost touches" and "spider cracking" of the screen: [XXX] This Special Service Plan only applied to 2014-2016 models of the Mazda3. I own a 2018 Mazda3 which has the exact same issue described in the above service plan. Searching online, I am far from the only person who is affected by this issue that continues to be present in newer models of the Mazda3. Mazda should replace my (and others) infotainment system, as it is unusable and distracting in it's current condition. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11641573

Mazda has a warranty extension for the 2014-2016 Mazda 3 infotainment touch screen as it may malfunction and glitch. This glitch can be a distraction as the system believes that it is being touched and may cause many things to change in the car such as radio station, navigation setting, and even some vehicle setting accessible from the infotainment screen, causing distractions. However, this issue is also possible on newer 2017 and 2018 models, and there is currently no program to fix the issue. While Mazda may seem like this is not a safety as the touch screen is disabled above 5 MPH, it can still cause distractions when coming to a stop and while stopped which may result in an accident. I think this needs to be resolved and Mazda needs to acknowledge that this touch issue "Ghost Touch" can affect all Mazdas with Mazda Connect 1. Taking this to the dealership to fix is expensive as they want to replace the entire system at a cost of $1000, which I could see many people not doing leading to more dangerous vehicles on the road.

NHTSA ODI 11633634

NHTSA: #23V-487 This recall has not been resolved yet despite it being established in July 2023. States no remedy available, and this is very frustrating.

NHTSA ODI 11625092

Mazda issued a recall for backup camera failures on specific vehicles over 1 year ago on July 14 2023 (Mazda Recall 6023G, NHTSA #23V-487). According to Mazda dealerships I contacted, parts are still not available. Drivers impacted have been waiting for repair components related to this safety recall for over a year. Simply submitting this as a complaint about an ongoing recall resolution.

NHTSA ODI 11609623

The touchscreen has started to exhibit similar issues as seen in previous recalls for the Mazdas. Commonly known as "ghost touch," the screen receives erroneous inputs, causing settings to change or unwanted functionality to start/stop. Depending on the active screen, the system will exhibit different behavior. In my case, the discoloration is directly at the 6 o'clock position. Whatever application button is there is the one that will be triggered. On a Bluetooth connection, that is the random button. On the AM or FM application, that is the seek button. On the settings menu, that could be any number of important things, including safety systems' settings including the ability to disable traction control. You can see on the display where it has been overheated and is discolored. This is the same location that the "ghost touches" occur. It is intermittent, but occurs more frequently as the unit heats up or after the car warms in an parking lot.

NHTSA ODI 11607680

In 2023, the reverse camera would either flicker or completely shut off (displaying a blank screen) while the reverse gear is engaged. While reversing the vehicle to park onto the property the rear camera image failed to display in the vehicle, leading to a collision with the curb. The limited visibility out of the rear windshield for the Mazda 3 leads to a typical driver relying on the camera display to show obstructions not visible through the rear and side mirrors. This failure lead to the car impacting the curb and the passenger being shocked that the car was in an accident. If that was child or small animal, they would have been hit or run over. Luckily, this failure only resulted in property damage, a large dent in the bumper, and possible exhaust damage (see attached). A recall notice for this known Mazda camera issue was sent out in the mail by the manufacturer at the end of 2023. Mazda failed to address the issue when inquired over the phone, instead stating they "Would be in contact once a solution was found." Mazda did not reach out or notify me at any point with a solution until the incident above occurred. After contacting Mazda by phone to address the issue, they said there is still no solution found but to take the vehicle down for a diagnostic test that would be the owner's responsibility to pay for if it was found to be a "owner issue". After a brief discussion and multiple phone calls, Mazda stated they would make the repair as it was confirmed to be a Mazda issue that had just been solved. However, the car would need to be kept over the weekend and a loaner vehicle would be provided. Mazda also stated the collision was a driver issue and Mazda will not be responsible for anything that occurs while using the vehicle. At that point, the dealership was unwilling to assist me and I left. This seems to be a Mazda originating issue, if the rear camera functioned as intended, the curb would have been visible and the impact could have been avoided.

NHTSA ODI 11603286

The radio has a ghost touch that continues to beep and change noise levels without being able to control the radio. This is distracting and is a danger to have this occur while trying to focus on driving.

NHTSA ODI 11603040

The collision warning light and lane assistance light come on frequently. It used to just be when the weather was under 40 degrees and the car was cold. However, it now happens all the time. It seems to go on and off for no reason. Additionally, the infotainment system keeps switching radio stations or ghosting without anyone touching it. It also drops Bluetooth connectivity constantly.

NHTSA ODI 11593200

The screen/head unit in my car is registering ghost touches. Basically the screen thinks it's being touched even though it isn't. This causes much distraction and hinders the use of the screen because if I try to actual use the head unit, the ghost touch overrides my input which makes it unusable.

NHTSA ODI 11592126

Safety Recall 6023G - NHTSA Campaign Number 23V-487. The car was purchased in 2018. On 5/29/2024 the backup camera view has gone black, providing no image. Since I've owned this car, the backup camera view appears, sometimes flickers, and now, has gone completely black, only to "pop" on randomly. I have asked the local Mazda dealer on multiple occasions, since purchasing the car, if it can be repaired/replaced, but am told parts are not available or that there is no "start date" on file. The mechanic has done something to that camera system when the car gets an oil change, and the problem goes away, only to return.

NHTSA ODI 11591286

I have seen the problem online called ghosting or ghost control. The infotainment system changes station, settings, selected input or anything else it randomly selects on its own and this is occurring while driving the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11590154

I was driving in the rain on the freeway and my wiper stopped working on 12/27/2022. Dealership diagnosed the issue that it was caused by the front body control module with an internal relay failure. The cause was exactly the same as the recall campaign #3219D after my research. However, the original recall did not cover my vehicle even though my vehicle's model year is exactly the same as stated in the recall campaign. I had to pay out of pocket to repair this issue at the dealership ($663.34) and went back and forth with Mazda's customer service and they could not do anything because my VIN does not match the original recall. The vehicle was repaired on January 2023 but I was not aware that I could file a complaint here on NHTSA. My file number with Mazda Corporation was - 00069514 In below, I have attached: - the screenshot of my dashcam, right after the wiper failed while I was on the freeway. - A PDF of the recall campaign #3219D - an invoice and description of the repair from the dealership File that I could not attach due to the limitation: - a detailed video of the dealership technician, they recorded and showed what my vehicle's issue was.

NHTSA ODI 11589576

The infotainment system randomly mutes and unmutes Bluetooth calls; it switches radio stations, skips, and repeats on Spotify and through the settings. It's like the daily turns itself, even though no one touches it. It's startling to have it happen while you're driving, and suddenly, the display starts doing all sorts of crazy changes on its own.

NHTSA ODI 11589009

The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the parking brake light illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated and was losing motive power. The contact pressed the parking brake button off and on and the warning light stopped, and the contact was able to drive normally. Additionally, the contact stated that in other instances the forward sensing camera and the lane departure systems were also independently engaging. The contact stated that it was difficult to maintain the lane she was driving in. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred at various speeds. The contact drove the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and flashed the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failures reoccurred and the battery short-circuited. The contact had taken the vehicle to a non-manufacturer dealer who used a handheld scanner and retrieved the following codes: C1001 Type 97, U3003, and B13D3. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 31,321. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11583064

I took my vehicle into RBMC dealership due to the vehicle was experiencing electrical issues and had an open recall / still does. The dealership said I can’t have a dash cam plugged in to a charging port. FCM / LDW / E-Break staying on / throwing error codes = C1001 FSC failure type 97 & U3003 EPB control module power supply failure type 16. They gave me back the car the battery failed the next day and when I called them they banned the VIN of this car to ever return to them. ( the battery was under factory warranty) the issue has only gotten worse and removed my dash cam as they demanded and now I can’t get the car fixed and the issue has gotten worse then taking the car to this dealership less then 30 days ago. They also did not perform the recall when the car was there. The car now has the fallowing codes B13D3 / C1001 / U3003 & possibly more codes because the whole dash is flashing auto light / fcm/ LDW and Break. My [XXX] grandma can’t even take the car in to get fixed the refuse to touch it after it had issues when they gave it back to us and it’s under a extended warranty and was a CPO and has a extended warranty through Mazda. Car only has 31k miles on it and is dangerous for her to drive and myself. Issue has been on going for over a month. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11582867

There is a known issue with the infotainment system referred to as ghost tough. This causes the system to randomly change stations/songs, etc while the car is in motion. There is also a delamination issue. Mazda issued a recall for 2014-2016 vehicles, however a quick internet search shows that this issue continues to be a problem. This issue can be extremely distracting as the driver attempts to stop the system from changing.

NHTSA ODI 11578788

This is in reference to the recall for the rear view camera on 7/14/2023 Manufacturer Recall Number6023G NHTSA Recall Number23V-487 Mazda has still NOT come up with an adequate remedy solution. The dealerships continue to state that they do not have the parts to replace it even though this recall was made 8 months ago. This is unacceptable as the rear view camera is an essential safety mechanism. If Mazda is unable to repair this defect, drivers should be allowed to get it repaired at other more component repair shops and be reimbursed.

NHTSA ODI 11576213

I became aware of this recall for my backup camera and one day i closed my trunk wasnt expecting it too affect my car but it did!! the rear backup camera was flickering and distorted as i was back out of a parking spot and almost got rear ended by someone and mazda told me by the middle of january they should have a fix for this its a camera and a wiring harness and fastener no need to have too wait this long for something that can cause a major accident its not only happened once but twice out of nowhere i have pictures and video recordings of it!!

NHTSA ODI 11566796

Touchscreen in vehicle is randomly changing without my touching the screen. This is a well-documented issue in other 2014-2016 Mazdas for which a recall has been previously issued. However, my vehicle also experiences this same issue ("ghost touch") which indicates to me that the problem is not just limited to 2014-2016 vehicles and that my 2018 Mazda should be included in the original recall to replace the defective touchscreen. The random operation of the touchscreen is a safety hazard and should be immediately recalled by Mazda.

NHTSA ODI 11560347

The infotainment screen has begun cracking and causing a ghost touch issue. This is distracting and dangerous.

NHTSA ODI 11539157

This is related to the existing recall with the backup camera. I have intermittently experience, fuzzing of the review camera. I have also experienced total loss of the review camera. In addition, I have had occasionally experienced the panel system not switching over to the rear view camera. The issues appear to be associated with opening and closing the rear hatch and if occurred could sometimes be resolved by turning the car off and back on. The issue was persistent and occurring on a more or less regular basis, but then in the last month it has ceased to occur though I have been opening and closing the hatch on a regular basis... I had been avoiding opening and closing the hatch to avoid losing the camera :( I am concerned that due to the intermittent nature of the failure that when I take the vehicle in under the recall that it will not occur and the dealership will consider the matter closed even if it reoccurs later. Note that in the attached pictures the vehicle is on and in reverse, but the screen is not showing the rear camera view.

NHTSA ODI 11534982

To Whom It May Concern: On Sunday October 2, 2022, while driving in very rainy conditions caused by Hurricane Ian, my windshield wipers failed. On Monday, October 3, 2022, I took the car to an independent mechanic at Chesapeake Import Services in Annapolis, MD. The auto mechanic ran a diagnostic test on my vehicle to discover an electric malfunction caused by a defective relay. This is the same issue that is noted as part of the recall that has already been identified here: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2019/RMISC-19V272-0572.pdf. Unfortunately, my VIN does not fall into the recalled VINs. I am requested that you review and expand the recall to include additionally impacted vehicles, and this issue seems to be significantly more widespread that originally noted. I have contacted Mazda, and they are refusing to take responsibility for this faulty part, as it's not part of the original recall. I have documentation from the mechanic regarding the diagnostic, and they are willing to speak on my behalf regarding their findings on my vehicle. Please contact me ASAP to review the issue. I am currently not able to drive my car due to the safety issues involved with having inoperable windshield wipers. Thank you for your attention.

NHTSA ODI 11487801