RoadVitals

2006 Mazda Mazda3 Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure reportsComplaints 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.
12
Latest Feb 22, 2023
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 166 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Mazda Mazda3 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming body or structure

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structureBrakesSuspension
Filed Feb 22, 2023

Im having issues with rust the car it’s getting pretty much the car it’s falling apart the under body it’s nothing but rust I’m scared of changing a tire because there’s actually not a good grip where I can lift the car without feeling it’s going to fall apart, the rear or the disks it’s falling by chunks and just yesterday the rear shock plate broke out of place because it’s way too rust same thing with my muffler I don’t feel safe I’m My car which I love, I truly do but I feel like at any minute its just going to break apart right now it’s the shock rear driver side but I feel like next a tire or my brake disks are going to break like I said I don’t even feel safe to change a tire

NHTSA ID
11508457
Incident
Aug 25, 2021
Body & structureOther / unspecified
Filed Feb 4, 2015

THE BACK REAR WHEEL WELLS COLLECT SO MUCH DIRT AND SALT IT ENDS UP RUSTING IT OUT! THERE NEEDS TO BE PLASTIC COVER FOR THE WHEEL WELLS OR BETTER DRAIN HOLES! I WASH MY CAR EVERY WEEK IN THE WINTER AND IT IS STILL HARD TO PREVENT IT! THE REAR STRUT MOUNT TAKES A TOLL ON THE ABUSE FROM ALL THE SALT AND DIRT THAT COLLECTS NEAR THE TOP WHERE IT IS SCREWED IN! HAD MY STRUT BREAK TWICE IN ONE MONTH! THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER DRAIN HOLES FOR THE DOORS TOO! *TR

NHTSA ID
10681381
Incident
Apr 1, 2014
Mileage
72,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structureSuspension
Filed Jul 13, 2014
Crash reported

ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
10610133
Incident
Feb 13, 2014
Body & structure
Filed May 7, 2014

THE DASH IS STARTING TO CRACK NEAR THE DRIVER SIDE. ITS JUST GETTING LARGER OVER TIME. I'M AFRAID IT COULD POSE A PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE. MAZDA DEALER TOLD ME ITS A COMMON ISSUE ON MY YEAR, EVEN THE YEAR AFTER TOO. SEEMS PEOPLE ONLINE TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME TOO. WHY WONT MAZDA RECALL? NOT THE FIRST ISSUE I'VE HAD. *TR

NHTSA ID
10587082
Incident
Dec 31, 2013
Mileage
100,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 10, 2014

A MAJOR CRACK IN RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DASHBOARD, IT GOES RIGHT THROUGH THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR. I WOULD ASSUME IS DUE TO THE HOT WEATHER AND THE QUICK TEMPERATURE CHANGES WE HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO. DUE TO THE CRACK, A SLIGHT SINKING OF THE ACTUAL DASH HAS STARTED TO OCCUR, MEANING , YOU COULD TELL THAT SOMETHING HAS CRACKED AND THE SIDES ARE SLIDING DOWN. I HAVE GONE ON MANY THREADS ON FORUMS THAT ARE ALL ABOUT THAT ISSUE. 5 OUT OF 10 PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT ALSO HAPPENS ON THE 2ND GENERATION AS WELL. LAST THING THAT MIGHT BE CAUSED BY THAT "CRACKAGE" ARE THE RETAINING CLIPS LOCATED RIGHT BEHIND THE WHOLE DASHBOARD MORE TOWARDS THE LEFT SIDE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. IT MAKES A VIBRATING, MORE LIKE A DANGLING NOISE AS OF SOMETHING IS LOOSE OR IN THE WORST CASE BROKEN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10563800
Incident
Jul 1, 2013
Mileage
70,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Apr 14, 2011

I HAD GOTTEN A FLAT TIRE AFTER HITTING A POT HOLE AND KNEW THAT I WAS GOING TO NEED NEW TIRES SHORTLY ANYWAYS SO I HAD THEM PUT ON A USED TIRE TO GET ME THROUGH TWO WEEKS AND WHILE DURING THE TWO WEEKS I WAS GONE FOR A FEW DAYS AND HAD NEW BRAKES PUT ON AND ASKED THEM TO JUST DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE- THERE WAS- A BUSTED STRUT ON MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE (SIDE THAT I GOT A FLAT). I WAITED UNTIL I GOT HOME FROM A VACATION (CAR WASN'T DRIVEN) AND GOT THAT FIXED BUT EVERYONE WAS SURPRISED WITH THE STRUT BEING OUT. ALL 4 TIRES WERE REPLACED AS WERE BOTH FRONT STRUTS. CAR WAS GREAT FOR ~2 WKS. THEN IT WAS LOUD AND TERRIBLE VIBRATIONS. AFTER ARGUING AND COMPLAINING A MONTH LATER THEY REPLACED TIRES FOR ME BECAUSE TWO WEREN'T EVEN KEEPING TIRE PRESSURE AND THEN I REMEMBERED THAT A FEW MONTHS PRIOR I WAS AT THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP (WHERE I REALLY CAN'T STAND THE JERKS!-THEY'RE AWFUL!) AND THEY SAID I HAD A BUSTED MOTOR MOUNT BUT REFUSED TO SHOW ME. I HAD MY MAIN DEALER CHECK IT OUT BUT THEY FOUND NOTHING THEN A FAMILY FRIEND, BUT AGAIN NOTHING. FF TO DECEMBER AND I GIVE IN AND GO BACK TO MAZDA- MOTOR MOUNT WOULD BE IN MULTIPLE PIECES IF IT WASN'T IN A CAPSULE LIKE DEVICE. IN JANUARY THEY GOT MY PART IN AND REPLACED IT- ALSO KNOCKING OUT A STOPPER- AND VIBRATIONS STOPPED. MOUNT SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE OUT SO FAST- AT INITIAL DX I THINK CAR WAS AT 45K-50K MILES (LATE SUMMER OF '10) I THINK THERE'S A DEFECT WITH MOUNTS (MINE WAS PASSENGER SIDE OVER TIRE AREA) AND ALSO WITH STRUTS. EVERYONE HAS TOLD ME- MAZDA, MY DEALER (ZIMBRICK-WHO IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!), AND A FEW OTHER SERVICE CENTERS THAT THE STRUTS SHOULD'VE LASTED A LOT LONGER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10395864
Incident
Oct 30, 2010
Body & structureEngineSteering+1 more
Filed Jan 22, 2011
Crash reported1 injury reported

FOLLOWING A REAR END COLLISION, MY 2006 MAZDA3 MILEAGE DROPPED FROM ~24MPG TO ~8MPG, WITH NO TORQUE AT ALL FROM ~20MPH. SIGNIFICANT STEERING TROUBLE, AWFUL TIRE NOISE, AND LOUD KNOCKING WHEN TURNING WERE DISMISSED BY THE LOCAL DEALER AS "WELL WITHIN SPECS". REQUESTED BRAKE CALIPER AND ALIGNMENT CHECK, REFUSED BY THE SAME DEALER; TECH PERFORMED A ROAD TEST, DECLARED THE PROBLEM DUE TO TIRE FEATHERING AND DEMONSTRATED 120MPH TIGHT CURVE AS REMEDY. THREE SETS OF TIRES, ONE SET OF WHEELS [3 OF OEM WERE WARPED], ENTIRE COMPLEMENT OF MOTOR MOUNTS, TWO SETS OF ROTORS LATER, I'M ABOUT TO REPLACE CALIPER MOUNTS AND AXLES. CAR IS UNSAFE, AND DEALERSHIP DISREGARD OF WARRANTY AND TSBS, AND OF BASIC SAFETY STANDARDS WAS OUTRAGEOUS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN (ONGOING) [SPINE INJURY FROM COLLISION WAS NEARLY FATAL] CIRCUMSTANCES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10378301
Incident
Feb 5, 2009
Mileage
29,000 mi
Body & structureEngine
Filed Aug 9, 2010

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

NHTSA ID
10348209
Incident
Aug 9, 2010
Mileage
85,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Nov 5, 2009

I AM FILLING THIS FORM OUT IN RESPONSE TO NEGLIGENCE AND FALSE ADVERTISING ON THE PART OF CLAY COOLEY OF DALLAS TEXAS. WHEN ME AND MY FIANCE WENT TO TRADE IN OUR CAR THE FORD DEALER (FIVE STAR FORD) RAN A AUTO CHECK AND FOUND THAT IT HAS FRAME DAMAGE AND WOULD NOT TAKE IT FOR LESS THAN 2000$ BUT WE OWED 14000$ SO WE COULD NEVER GET A LOAN ON ANOTHER CAR WITH THAT CARS REPORT. WHEN WE TALKED TO CLAY COOLEY WE TALKED TO ALEX SERANGA HE SAID WE COULD BRING THE CAR IN AND INSINUATED THAT THEY WOULD TAKE THE LOAN IF WE GOT ANOTHER CAR, BUT OF COURSE WHEN WE GOT THERE THEY WANTED TO US TO TRADE IN THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER CAR. ALSO THEY WOULD NOT TELL US WHAT THE AUCTION PAPER WORK SAID FOR THE CAR THEY TRIED TO SELL US AND REFUSED TO SHOW IT TO US. WHEN WE SHOWED THEM THE AUTO CHECK REPORT THAT SAYS THE FRAME WAS DAMAGED ON OUR CAR AND THEY BOUGHT AND SOLD IT KNOWINGLY FROM AUCTION WITH UNIBODY DAMAGE THEY SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF AUTO CHECK. BUT AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THE AUTO CHECK WEBSITE I HAVE FOUND THAT THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES PROMOTED BY THE NADA SO THERE CAN BE LITTLE WAY THEY NEVER HEARD OF THEM. PLEASE HELP ME I AND MY FAMILY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW. THE CAR IS A 2006 MAZDA 3 *TR

NHTSA ID
10291046
Incident
Nov 4, 2009
Mileage
71,000 mi
Body & structureSuspension
Filed Jan 8, 2009

2006 MAZDA 3 ALIGNMENT ISSUE RUINING NEW TIRES. NOW MAZDA CLAIMS I NEED A $900 FRONT ALIGNMENT REPAIR, BUT CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY????? I'VE GONE THROUGH 2 SETS OF TIRES IN 50,000 MILES??? *TR

NHTSA ID
10254331
Incident
Jan 8, 2009
Mileage
40,000 mi
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Jul 18, 2006

THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CENTER INFORMATION DISPLAY PANEL IS VERY POOR-TO READ IT REQUIRES THE DRIVER TO TAKE HIS EYES OFF THE ROAD TOO LONG WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD MY DEALER RECOGNIZES THIS PROBLEM BUT STATES THERE IS NO "FACTORY BULLETIN" TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ID
10162766
Incident
Feb 25, 2006
Mileage
426 mi
Body & structure
Filed May 23, 2006

2006 MAZDA 3 MAKES A NOISE AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. *TS THREE MONTHS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASE THE CONSUMER BEGAN TO HEAR AN ANNOYING CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT EH PROBLEM WAS NOT MECHANICAL AND THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TAKEN TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE BODY SHOP FOR SEVEN WEEKS. THEY CLAIM THAT THE UNIBODY WELD HAD TO BE REPAIRED BUT WHEN THE CONSUMER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE THE NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT. *NM

NHTSA ID
10158405
Incident
Feb 5, 2006

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .