RoadVitals

2006 Mazda Mazda3 Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes 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.
14
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.
8%
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.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. 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. 14 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 brake

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
BrakesOther / unspecified
Filed Jul 24, 2020

I HAVE, HAD (2), TWO BRAND NEW SET, OF TIRES FROM FIRESTONE PUT ON THIS CAR. I WAS ALSO TOLD ONLY THOSE TWO SETS CAN ONLY BE PUT ON THIS MAZDA 3. THE CAR KEEP BUCKING ON EVERY STREET AND EVERY ROAD. EVERY DAY AND EVENING.

NHTSA ID
11341336
Incident
Jun 25, 2020
Mileage
82,500 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 25, 2017
Crash reported2 injuries reported

APPROACHING A REDLIGHT AT A HIGHWAY INTERSECTION, MY SON PRESSED HIS FOOT DOWN ON ON THE BRAKE AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND DID NOT WORK AT ALL AND RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT THAT DESTROYED THE CAR AND INJURED THE OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR HE STRUCK. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED USED. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE BRAKES COMPLETELY REPAIRED WHEN THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED WHILE BRAKING. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE SPECIFICS OF THE BRAKE REPAIR UNTIL AFTER THE ACCIDENT WHEN I INQUIRED AS TO WHY HE HAD REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE. INTERNET SEARCHES AFTER THE ACCIDENT SEEMED TO INDICATE THAT THIS HAPPENED WITH SOME FREQUENCY TO OTHERS AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I LET SOMEONE KNOW.

NHTSA ID
10980359
Incident
Apr 1, 2017
Mileage
106,000 mi
BrakesEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed May 26, 2016

MY CAR IDLES REALLY ROUGH. ONCE I GET CLOSE TO FREEWAY SPEED MY CAR CONSTANTLY SHIFTS GEARS FROM 3 TO 4 TO 3, SO ON. THIS CAUSES MY CAR TO JERK, IT REVS FROM 3,000 TO 1,000 AND EVEYTHING IN BETWEEN. DURING THIS MY BRAKES BECOME PRACTICALLY USELESS, I HAVE TO COMPLETELY PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE IT DECELERATE. AND BRAKING DISTANCES ARE DRASTICALLY INCREASED. IT FURTHER WORRIES ME THAT I DONT HAVE ANY DASH LIGHTS ON SUCH AS CHECK ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, ABS, ETC.

NHTSA ID
10871105
Incident
May 26, 2016
Mileage
116,600 mi
Brakes
Filed Aug 28, 2014

TOTAL FAILURE OF BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER CAUSED LOSS OF SERVICE BRAKES AT ALL WHEELS. NO PRIOR INDICATION OF BRAKE ISSUES BEFORE TOTAL LOSS OF FUNCTIONALITY. VEHICLE BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL USING MECHANICAL EMERGENCY BRAKE. REPLACED WITH AFTERMARKET MASTER CYLINDER - EXTREMELY POOR BRAKE FUNCTION AT PRESENT, BUT VEHICLE STILL IN USE WITH DIFFICULTY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10629101
Incident
Jul 16, 2014
Mileage
140,700 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 8, 2013

DRIVING AT 35 MPH BRAKES GAVE OUT. BRAKES NEEDED TO BE PUMPED JUST TO STOP AND HAD 8 YEAR OLD CHILD IN THE CAR. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID BRAKE BOOSTER WAS BAD AND WOULD COST $625 TO FIX. FOUND ON-LINE ON FORUMS THAT MAZDA BRAKE BOOSTERS GO OUT AT ABOUT 50K MILES. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVER AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. HAVE OWNED 6 VEHICLES OF DIFFERENT MAKES AND NEVER HAD ANYTHING FAIL ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART FOR DRIVER SAFETY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10547323
Incident
Oct 6, 2013
Mileage
60,000 mi
BrakesEngineSteering
Filed Nov 9, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA MAZDA3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING AREA AND AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING AND BRAKES RESPONDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ID
10483873
Incident
Nov 8, 2012
Mileage
80,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 21, 2012

REAR BRAKE CALIPER SEIZED AND HEATED OVERHEATED. THE BRAKE PADS STARTED TO SMOKE AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10481331
Incident
Apr 20, 2012
Mileage
128,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 7, 2011

MY 2006 MAZDA 3I SEEMS TO HAVE AN ISSUE WHEN STOPPING THE FIRST TIME AFTER THE CAR HAS SIT IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR 1 DAY OR MORE. WHEN IT SNOWS OR RAINS OUT AND I DRIVE MY CAR AFTER SITTING IN THESE CONDITIONS, APPROACHING MY FIRST INTERSECTION WHICH IS ABOUT 100 YARDS FROM MY HOUSE, I HAVE NO BREAKING ACTION. THERE SEEMS TO BE PRESSURE BECAUSE THE BREAK PEDAL DOES NOT GO TO THE FLOOR, HOWEVER THEY DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AND I HAVE TO USE THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO STOP. USUALLY ITS TOO LATE AND I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION OR EVEN THROUGH IT. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS INFREQUENTLY AND IT IS HARD TO REMEMBER THAT "IF MY CAR SAT FOR 1 OR MORE DAYS AND IF IT RAINED OR IF IT SNOWED, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP. I HAVE FOUND NOTHING ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT WANTED OTHERS TO KNOW IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS. *LN

NHTSA ID
10380928
Incident
Feb 6, 2011
Mileage
140,000 mi
BrakesTransmission
Filed Nov 24, 2008
Crash reported

LAST WEEK, AFTER CLIPPING AND GOING OVER A 2 INCH CURB WITH MY LEFT WHEEL TO AVOID ANOTHER CAR IN A PARKING LOT, MY 2006 MAZDA M3 ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. APPLYING THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. IN THE END, I SWIPED TWO CARS AND HIT A CEMENT WALL HEAD ON. THIS STOPPED THE CAR AND THANKFULLY I AM ALIVE. HAVE YOU HEARD OF ANY MALFUNCTIONS OF THIS KIND AND HOW DO I GET IT ESCALATED TO MAZDA OR OTHERS TO ENSURE CORRECTIVE ACTION? UPDATED 02/02/09. *LJ

NHTSA ID
10249724
Incident
Nov 15, 2008
Brakes
Filed Sep 9, 2008

2006 MAZDA 3 HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE SPACE AND HEIGHT BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, HE INADVERTENTLY HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD AND REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE ONLY TAPPED THE OTHER VEHICLES BUMPER. *JB

NHTSA ID
10241549
Incident
May 10, 2008
Brakes
Filed Oct 29, 2007

MY 2006 MAZDA 3 IS EXPERIENCING GREATLY ACCELERATED REAR BRAKE PAD AND ROTOR WEAR, BOTH REQUIRING REPLACEMENT BY 38K MILES. THIS IS AT LEAST 3X FASTER WEAR THAN NORMAL. FRONT BRAKES SHOW LITTLE WEAR AND LOOK TO LAST UP TO 100K MILES. COULD THIS PROBLEM BE THE RESULT OF IMPROPER FRONT/REAR BRAKE BIAS OR DEFECTIVE PARTS/MATERIALS? COULD THIS SITUATION LEAD TO IMPROPER/UNSAFE BRAKING PERFORMANCE UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS? *TR

NHTSA ID
10207311
Incident
Sep 20, 2007
Mileage
38,000 mi
BrakesTires & wheels
Filed Sep 11, 2006

THE DAY AFTER PURCHASE OF MY 2006 MAZDA3 I WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, THE REAR BRAKES WERE GRINDING. THEY WERE GRINDING SO LOUD I COULD HEAR THEM OVER THE RADIO ON LEVEL 2 IN VOLUME. I SHOULD NOT HEAR THEM AT ALL!! I HAD UNDER 30 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE GENTLEMAN I SPOKE WITH TOLD ME THIS IS VERY COMMON , THAT ALL DO IT. I AM SORRY , I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE HAPPENING, I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE THAT HAS DONE THAT UNLESS THE BRAKE PADS, AND ROTORS DIDN'T NEED REPLACED. NOW, 2 MONTHS LATER, THE BRAKES ARE STILL DOING IT, AND SEEM TO BE EVEN LOUDER WITH A SMALL SQUEAK ADDED IN. *JB

NHTSA ID
10167798
Incident
Jun 21, 2006
Mileage
30 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 4, 2006

MY 2004 MAZDA 3 IS EXPERIENCING GREATLY ACCELERATED REAR BRAKE PAD AND ROTOR WEAR, BOTH REQUIRING REPLACEMENT BY 32K MILES. THIS IS AT LEAST 3X FASTER WEAR THAN NORMAL. FRONT BRAKES SHOW LITTLE WEAR AND LOOK TO LAST UP TO 100K MILES. DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS NORMAL, INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS SAY NOT. MANY '04 AND '05 MAZDA 3 OWNERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM. COULD THIS PROBLEM BE THE RESULT OF IMPROPER FRONT/REAR BRAKE BIAS OR DEFECTIVE PARTS/MATERIALS? COULD THIS SITUATION LEAD TO IMPROPER/UNSAFE BRAKING PERFORMANCE UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS? *NM

NHTSA ID
10167303
Incident
Jul 28, 2006
Mileage
32,000 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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .