RoadVitals

2012 Mazda Mazda2 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Mar 5, 2024
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Apr 26, 2012

What this page shows

Our database holds 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2012 Mazda Mazda2. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–9 of 9

Interior & seats
Filed Mar 5, 2024

My wife and daughter and I were driving out of the driveway. The driver's seat came completely detached from the frame and I ended up rotated and laying backwards in the driver seat. This is extremely dangerous and could cause serious injury or death. This was a recall for 2010 and 2011 models but this was manufactured in 12/11 so it didn't fall into the recall. This is exactly the issue that was described in the recall.

NHTSA ID
11575635
Incident
Mar 4, 2024
BrakesSteering
Filed May 1, 2020

STEERING HAS BEEN MAKING A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING. HOWEVER, ON 4/30/2020 UPON TURNING ONTO THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE INTERSTATE, STEERING AND BRAKING BOTH WENT OUT AND SWERVED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE RAMP BARRIERS AND FORTUNATELY MADE IT ONTO A SHOULDER WITH OUT GETTING HIT OR HITTING A BARRIER. HAD TO BE TOWED TO MAZDA DEALER FOR SERVICE.

NHTSA ID
11322956
Incident
Apr 30, 2020
Mileage
72,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceSuspension
Filed Aug 1, 2019

AFTER 3,000 - 5,000 MILES OF DRIVING EACH TIME, A VIBRATION BEGINS AND QUICKLY LEADS TO VIOLENT VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEN BRAKING FROM ANY SIGNIFICANT SPEED (30 + MPH). ESPECIALLY VIOLENT WHEN BRAKING FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO AN EXIT RAMP. ALSO, THE AIR BAG SENSOR IS ON. AND THE DEALER TRYIN TO FIX IT BUT CAME AGAIN.

NHTSA ID
11241071
Incident
Aug 1, 2018
Airbags
Filed Sep 19, 2017

TAKATA RECALL

NHTSA ID
11024202
Incident
Sep 1, 2017
Airbags
Filed Aug 5, 2017

TAKATA RECALL

NHTSA ID
11013015
Incident
Aug 5, 2017
Steering
Filed Apr 26, 2016

MY 2012 MAZDA HAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000 MILES ON IT. I PURCHASED IT USED IN 2013 WHEN IT HAD 35,570 MILES ON IT. WHEN I BOUGHT IT USED FROM A RENTAL-CAR SALE LOT, I NOTICED A SLIGHT "HITCH" IN THE STEERING IF THE WHEELS WERE TURNED FAR TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. BUT THE ANOMALY WAS VERY SLIGHT AND THE STEERING OTHERWISE FUNCTIONED SMOOTHLY. LATELY THE "HITCH" IN THE STEERING GOT NOTICEABLY WORSE, WITH "HITCHES" DEVELOPING EVERY FEW DEGREES OF TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. THE FACTORY AUTHORIZED MAZDA SHOP THAT DOES MY ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ADVISED ME TO HAVE MY STEERING DIAGNOSED. TODAY, I TOOK IT IN FOR DIAGNOSIS AND WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW STEERING RACK AND A STEERING ALIGNMENT. IN TOTAL THE WORK WILL COST ME APPROXIMATELY $1700. I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM IS CONSIDERED "PRETTY MUCH NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" AND THAT NO MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY COVERS THE REPAIR. I'VE DRIVEN SEVERAL CARS OVER 100,000 MILES WITHOUT NEEDING TO HAVE THEIR STEERING SERVICED. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE STEERING OF MY MAZDA AND THAT MAZDA SHOULD PAY TO HAVE THE RACK REPLACED AND THE STEERING ALIGNED.

NHTSA ID
10861541
Incident
Apr 13, 2016
Mileage
41,600 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 23, 2014

I PURCHASED A MAZDA2 ON APRIL30TH 2012. AT APPROXIMATELY 850 MILES, I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT AT (TOWSON MAZDA), BECAUSE OF A SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEN BRAKING. SINCE THEN, I HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP APPROXIMATELY EVERY 5,000 MILES FOR THE SAME ISSUE. OVER THE COURSE OF 6-8 VISITS, THE DEALER HAS MACHINED THE ROTORS AND ACTUALLY REPLACED THE ROTORS TWICE (OR SO THEY SAID...). AFTER 3,000 - 5,000 MILES OF DRIVING EACH TIME, A VIBRATION BEGINS AND QUICKLY LEADS TO VIOLENT VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEN BRAKING FROM ANY SIGNIFICANT SPEED (30 + MPH). ESPECIALLY VIOLENT WHEN BRAKING FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO AN EXIT RAMP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN JUST SHORT OF THE EXPIRATION OF THE WARRANTY AT 36,000. THE REGIONAL MANAGER SUPPOSEDLY TOLD THE DEALERSHIP TO TELL ME THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THE BRAKE PROBLEM ON AN "AS NEEDED BASIS" AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRATION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AT APPROXIMATELY 42,000 MILES. AT WHICH POINT, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD SPLIT THE COST WITH ME ON ANOTHER ROTOR REPLACEMENT, AND THEN THEY WERE FINISHED WITH ME. I AGAIN TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK AT APPROXIMATELY 46,000 MILES AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING MORE. I NOW HAVE 49,000 ON THE VEHICLE, AND THE VIOLENT VIBRATION IS WORSE THAN EVER. 4 WEEKS AGO, AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE DEALER, I CALLED THE MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE AND EXPLAINED MY ENTIRE COMPLAINT. THEY FINALLY CALLED BACK AFTER 5 DAYS ONLY TO SAY THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY WERE WILLING TO DO, AND THERE WAS NO METHOD BY WHICH I COULD ESCALATE THE COMPLAINT. I HAVE OWNED 7 NEW VEHICLES IN MY LIFE. NEVER HAD BRAKE ISSUES EVERY 5,000 MILES WITH NO RESOLUTION TO THE ISSUE. IT IS MORE THAN ANNOYING. IT IS DANGEROUS. I DO NOT KNOW WHERE ELSE I CAN GO TO PURSUE THIS ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10605450
Incident
May 30, 2012
Mileage
850 mi
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Mar 4, 2014

I BOUGHT MY MAZDA 2 NEW FROM RICART MAZDA, AND TAKE IT THERE FOR SERVICE. AS I DRIVE AT A STEADY SPEED, THE TRACTION CONTROL LAMP AND ENGINE LAMPS LIGHT AND STAYS LIT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, I CANNOT ACCELERATE. THE CAR IDLES HIGHER, JUST LESS THAN 2000 RPMS. I MUST TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTART THE ENGINE. ONCE RESTARTED, THE TRACTION CONTROL LAMP IS NO LONGER LIT, BUT THE ENGINE LAMP REMAINS LIT. THE CAR THEN RESPONDS NORMALLY. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TWICE, THEY SAY THE ENGINE CODE IS P2299. THE DEALER (RICART) STATES THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP, I HAD NO PROBLEMS GOING TO WORK (APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES - 2/25/2014). WHEN I LEFT WORK FOR HOME, I WENT APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES BEFORE A RECURRENCE @ 55 MPH. ON THE WAY TO WORK THE NEXT DAY (2/26/2014) THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AFTER 8 MILES @ ABOUT 55 MPH. ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK, AFTER ABOUT 7 MILES THE PROBLEM RECURRED @ ABOUT 55 MPH. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER 2/27/2014. ALONG THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND AFTER APPROXIMATELY 9 MILES @ ABOUT 65 MPH, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. I LEFT THE CAR FOR THE WEEKEND, AND PICKED IT UP 3/2/2014. THE DEALER (RICART) STATED THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSOR. ON MY WAY TO WORK FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE PROBLEM RECURRED AFTER ABOUT 7 MILES @ ABOUT 35 MPH. THE SAME EVENING, ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK, AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES @ ABOUT 40 MPH THE PROBLEM RECURRED. I DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR 3/3/2014. IN EVERY INCIDENT (TWICE PER DAY AFTER THE CAR HAS NOT RUN FOR AT LEAST 8 HOURS), THE TRACTION CONTROL LAMP LIGHTS AND STAYS LIT, AFTER A FEW MILES (5 -10 THUS FAR). IN ORDER TO PROCEED NORMALLY, I MUST GET OUT OF TRAFFIC, PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTART. UPON RESTARTING, THE TRACTION CONTROL LAMP NO LONGER LIGHTS, BUT THE ENGINE CONTROL LAMP REMAINS LIT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10566986
Incident
Feb 25, 2014
Mileage
15,173 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 26, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MAZDA2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS WERE DESIGN TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. THE CONTACT'S FOOT WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RESUME ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 300. UPDATED 06/07/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE METAL LEVER FOR THE BRAKE EXTENDED OUTWARD TOWARD THE ACCELERATOR. HER FOOT BECAME CAUGHT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL ONCE AND HER HUSBANDS FOOT WAS CAUGHT UNDER THE BRAKE ONCE AS WELL. UPDATED 06/11/12

NHTSA ID
10456610
Incident
Apr 24, 2012
Mileage
300 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .