RoadVitals

2006 Mazda Mazda3 Powertrain (other) Problems

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

Data refreshed

Powertrain (other) 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.
15
Latest Mar 25, 2018
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.
9%
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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. 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. 15 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 powertrain

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

Powertrain (other)
Filed Mar 25, 2018

WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM A HIGH GEAR TO A LOW GEAR AND SHAKES VIOLENTLY

NHTSA ID
11081165
Incident
Mar 5, 2018
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 9, 2016

TYPICALLY BUT NOT ONLY WHEN TRAVELLING AT HIGH SPEED, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OF MY 2003 MAZDA 3 SHIFTS DOWN FROM THE 4TH TO THE 3RD GEAR. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO JERK VIOLENTLY AND THE CONTROLS TO ILLUMINATE INCLUDING CHECK ENGINE, NO TRACTION AND AT. MY MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE OF THIS, AND HE SERVICED THE TRANSMISSION BY CHANGING THE FILTER AND TRANSMISSION FLUID BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. HE SUGGESTED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REBUILT. HAS ANYONE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR ISSUE AND IF SO, DID YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT CAUSED IT AND HOW TO FIX IT.

NHTSA ID
10904950
Incident
Sep 9, 2016
Mileage
189,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 6, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED INTO THIRD GEAR AND THE TRANSMISSION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.

NHTSA ID
10904236
Incident
Sep 6, 2016
Mileage
163,000 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
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed May 1, 2015

THE ENGINE WAS COLD. I ENTERED THE CAR, STARTED THE ENGINE, SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND THE ENGINE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY, SCREAMING. I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR WITH FULL BRAKING AND SHUT OFF ENGINE. I RESTARTED AND IT WORKED NORMALLY. THIS ALSO HAPPEN ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND THE DEALER COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. HELP!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10713976
Incident
Apr 30, 2015
Mileage
101,231 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 22, 2015

DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION, WITHOUT WARNING OR INDICATION, THE VEHICLE MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER PLUNGER CONNECTING FROM THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO THE MASTER CYLINDER IN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE BROKE AND DISCONNECTED THE LINKAGE BETWEEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER THEREBY RENDERING THE CLUTCH SYSTEM INOPERABLE. THIS CAUSED THE INABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION FROM THE DRIVE GEARS AND INTO NEUTRAL, WHICH THEREFORE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL ONCE I SAFELY BRAKED TO A STOP. IN MY SITUATION I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY STOP THE VEHICLE, BUT THIS ISSUE MAY CAUSE A SAFETY ISSUE IF I WERE AT HIGH SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10712305
Incident
Jul 10, 2014
Mileage
80,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 21, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INDEPENDENTLY INTO THIRD GEAR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

NHTSA ID
10711971
Incident
Jun 24, 2014
Mileage
155,000 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Dec 18, 2014

CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING ,LOST POWER CANT TURN THE WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10667143
Incident
Dec 4, 2014
Mileage
71,000 mi
Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Nov 14, 2014

I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND SUDDENLY A LOUD NOISE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR SHIFTED FROM 4TH TO 3RD WITHOUT LOSING SPEED (EXCEPT FROM ME TAKING MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS WHEN HEARING THE NOISE) ALL AT THE SAME TIME. MY MECHANIC SAID THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE POINTED TO THE "TURBINE SPEED SENSOR", SO THIS WAS REPLACED WITHIN 2 DAYS. THE SAME DAY I GOT THE CAR BACK, I DROVE IT ABOUT 30 MILES AND IT DID THE SAME THING AGAIN. NOW MY MECHANIC IS CHECKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION, POSSIBLY CAUSING THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10655100
Incident
Nov 9, 2014
Mileage
95,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Sep 26, 2014

CAR WAS IN PARK AND WOULD NOT START. PLACED IN NEUTRAL AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. HAPPENED ONE OTHER TIME TOO. THAT TIME I REPOSITIONED THE CAR TO PARK(TOOK IT OUT OF PARK AND PUT IT BACK IN PARK) AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. UPON TALKING TO A MECHANIC I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE "NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH" THAT IS FAULTY AND SHOULD BE REPLACED AS THIS PROBLEM WILL ONLY GET WORSE WITH TIME. I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED 2 YRS AGO FROM A DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10639239
Incident
Sep 24, 2014
Mileage
68,502 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 29, 2013

I HAVE A 2006 MAZDA 3I TOURING SEDAN . I WAS DRIVING TO PICK UP A CAKE FOR MY ANNIVERSARY WHEN I PARKED THE CAR GOT OUT GOT THE CAKE AND LEFT THE PARKING SPOT JUST A FEW FEET DOWN THE ROAD I HEARD SOME NOISE THOUGHT IT WAS MY ENGINE UNDER BODY PLASTIC THAT PROTECTS THE UNDER PART OF MY ENGINE. WELL WENT HOME TOOK IT OFF DRIVEN IT AROUND STILL THE SAME NOISE GRINDING THE DEALER SAID TRANSMISSION AND 3OTHERS SAID POWERTRAIN PROBLEMS I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF IT HAS A RECALL ON THE POWERTRAIN/ CARRIER AND PINION BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO DRIVE MY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10554174
Incident
Mar 23, 2013
Mileage
133,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 7, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LIGHT, AND ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE TRANSMISSION MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHO CONFIRMED THE FAILURE WAS WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA ID
10515634
Incident
May 5, 2013
Mileage
110,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 14, 2012

WHILE CRUISING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70MPH, CAR DOWNSHIFTED INTO THIRD GEAR CAUSING THE CAR TO JOLT AND SLOW DOWN. AT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON. THE CAR IS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE TRANSMISSION CORRECTLY CAUSING IT TO DOWNSHIFT INTO 3RD RANDOMLY AND ALSO IDLE IN 3RD. THE ENTIRE SHIFTING IS RANDOM AND DANGEROUS, SOMETIMES WORKING AND SOMETIME THROWING YOUR RPMS UP TO 6000. WHILE DRIVING IT CAUSES MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES WHEN IT RANDOMLY CHANGED GEARS WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN PLUGGED IN I GET ERROR CODE U0101. THE COMPUTER IS FAILING AND WITH RECENT GOOGLE SEARCHES I REALIZE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT MAZDA WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ME PERSONALLY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10443803
Incident
Jan 13, 2012
Mileage
102,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 3, 2011

I FIRST NOTICED THAT MY CLUTCH WAS NOT COMING BACK ALL THE WAY AFTER CHANGING GEARS. I WAS ABLE TO USE THE TOP OF MY FOOT TO LIFT THE CLUTCH UP WITHOUT DIFFICULTY AND IT WOULD POP BACK UP. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP WHICH, I WAS CURRENTLY ABOUT 2 MILES FROM. I EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY SAID TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT IN THE MORNING. I DROVE HOME ABOUT 3 MILES. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. NO ONE RETURNED MY PHONE CALL, SO I STARTED TO DRIVE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT BECAME MORE DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO GEAR, THAN I BROKE DOWN COMPLETELY AFTER ONLY DRIVING ABOUT 3 MILES AND ONLY ABOUT 3 TRAFFIC LIGHTS. AFTER THAT, I COULD PUT THE STICK SHIFT INTO GEAR BUT WHEN I LIFTED THE CLUTCH UP IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE. I BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW AT MAZDA AND HAD ALL MY REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTIONS AT THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP ASIDE FROM REGULAR OIL CHANGES WHICH, I GOT DONE AT A LOCAL SHOP. I HAVE ALWAYS DRIVEN A STICK SHIFT AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH CLUTCHES. I WAS ALSO THE SOLE DRIVER OF MY CAR. WHEN I GOT HOME I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND SOMEONE RECOMMENDED FILLING OUT A COMPLAINT AT THIS WEBSITE. IF I HAD NOT STUMBLED ACROSS THAT I WOULD BE NONE THE WISER. WHILE LOOKING OVER THE SITE, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A RECENT INVESTIGATION OF MAZDA RX8. IT STATED THAT AFTER THE INVESTIGATION, MAZDA HAS INFORMED ODI THAT IT CONDUCTED AN OWNER NOTIFICATION OF AN EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE PROGRAM INCREASING THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY WARRANTY TO 8 YEARS AND LIMITED AT 100K MILES FOR MODEL YEARS 2004 THROUGH 2009 RX8 VEHICLES. MY QUESTION IS, HOW CAN A CLUTCH HAVE A LIFETIME OF 100,000 MILES IN AN RX8 WHICH IS A SPORTIER CAR AND PROBABLY RECEIVES MORE ABUSE THAN OTHER MODELS AND ONLY GOOD FOR 12,000 IN A 2006 MAZDA 3/HATCHBACK? COULD YOU LOOK INTO ALL MODELS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID
10423149
Incident
Sep 1, 2011
Mileage
41,640 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 9, 2010

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC CAME TO A STANDSTILL. I WENT TO ACCELERATE AS THE CARS MOVED AND THEN I REALIZED MY ENGINE HAD SHUT OFF. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON AND MY CAR WAS DEAD. I PUT IT IN PARK, TURNED THE KEY AGAIN AND IT STARTED UP AGAIN. BUT I NOTICED AS I WAS CRAWLING ALONG, MY CAR HAD A ROUGH IDLE. THE WHOLE CAR WOULD SHAKE AND RPM SEEMED A LITTLE LOWER THAN USUAL AT IDLE. I FOUND OUT MY MOTOR MOUNT HAD GONE. DEALER REPLACED IT, HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY SO IT WAS COVERED. GAVE OUT PRETTY QUICK IF YOU ASK ME - AT AROUND 55,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10308103
Incident
Mar 15, 2009
Mileage
55,000 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 .