2006 Mazda Mazda3 Suspension Problems

The rear driver's side trailing arm broke into two pieces.

NHTSA ID

11535582

Incident

Jul 30, 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

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, I STARTED TO HEAR A BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF MY CAR. WHEN I GOT HOME AND CHECKED IT OUT, I SAW THAT THE REAR SHOCK MOUNT HAD BUSTED FROM WHERE IT IS BOLTED INTO THE WHEEL WELL. IT HAS CRACKED ACROSS THE ENTIRE MOUNT FROM BOLT TO BOLT. IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT HAPPENS TO THE OTHER REAR SHOCK.

NHTSA ID

11066021

Incident

Jan 30, 2018

Mileage

164,360 mi

I WAS ON A FREEWAY OFF-RAMP AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, WHEN LOUD GRINDING AND CRASHING NOISES CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR THEN BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER, AND WOULD NO LONGER PROPEL ITSELF. I COASTED INTO A DRIVEWAY NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE OFF-RAMP. UPON INSPECTION, I DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION "MOTOR MOUNT" HAD BROKEN. THE ENGINE APPARENTLY LUNGED FORWARD, SHEERING OFF BOLTS TO THE OTHER MOTOR MOUNTS, AND LANDED ON THE SUSPENSION, SEVERELY DAMAGING MANY FRONT-END PARTS. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST MAZDA DEALERSHIP, WHOSE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED MY ASSESSMENT OF WHAT HAD OCCURRED. THE REPAIR ESTIMATE IS APPROXIMATELY $3,000. BEFORE THE INCIDENT, THE CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, HAVING BEEN WELL-MAINTAINED. (I HAVE SERVICE RECORDS.) I DISCOVERED THAT MAZDA HAD RECALLED A NUMBER OF MAZDA 3'S FOR MOTOR MOUNT PROBLEMS, BUT MY CAR WAS NOT AMONG THOSE RECALLED. WHILE THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL TYPE OF FAILURE, WHICH, UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS COLLISION. I HAVE OWNED NUMEROUS CARS OVER THE YEARS, WITH FAR MORE MILES ON THEM, AND NEVER HAD A MOTOR MOUNT FAIL IN SUCH A CATASTROPHIC MANNER. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DESIGN/ENGINEERING FLAW.

NHTSA ID

10775306

Incident

Sep 18, 2015

Mileage

150,000 mi

I HIT A BUMP GOING ABOUT 30 MPH AND AFTER I HIT THE BUMP I KEPT HEARING A CLUNK NOISE WHEN I WOULD RUN OVER A UNEVEN PART OF THE ROAD! I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND THEY COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT. I FIGURED IT WAS SOMETHING IN MY SPARE TIRE COMPARTMENT OR MY SEAT BELT IN THE BACK! COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS MY REAR STRUT MOUNT THAT HAD BROKEN! ALL THAT DIRT AND SALT COLLECTS UP THERE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10681378

Incident

Mar 27, 2013

Mileage

61,000 mi

ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

10610133

Incident

Feb 13, 2014

RUBBING SOUND COMING FROM FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WHEN TURNING HARD RIGHT, AS WELL AS WHEEL HOP. DIAGNOSED AS A BROKEN ENGINE MOUNT WHICH LED TO A BROKEN STRUT. BOTH HAD TO BE REPLACED. MAZDA REFUSES TO FIX, DESPITE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF BAD ENGINE MOUNTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10473040

Incident

Aug 30, 2012

Mileage

92,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THE REAR TRAILING ARMS WERE DRY AND MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE THE BUSHING ON THE REAR SUSPENSION CAUSED THE TIRES TO DETERIORATE ON THE INSIDE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REAR LOWER TRAILING LINKS AND ALL FOUR TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

NHTSA ID

10409220

Incident

Jun 24, 2011

Mileage

89,000 mi

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 BREAKS 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

10395863

Incident

Oct 30, 2010

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

THE "FACTORY SPEC" NEGATIVE CAMBER SETTINGS ON THE MAZDA 3 CAUSED MY TIRES TO PREMATURELY WEAR ON THE INSIDE OF THE TREAD EVEN WITH REGULAR TIRE ROTATIONS. BY THE TIME I HAD 30,000 MILES ON THE FACTORY TOYO TIRES THE INSIDE TREAD WAS COMPLETELY BALD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10257823

Incident

Feb 7, 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

BOUGHT A MAZDA 3 2006. AT AROUND 17,000 MILES I BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES. AFTER COMPLAINING SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALER, I WAS REFERRED TO THE TOYO DEALERS TO ADDRESS THE WARRANTY. I RAN INTO MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THEM IN HONORING THE WARRANTY AND ENDED UP BUYING 4 NEW FIRESTONE TIRES AT 21,000 MILES. AGAIN AT AROUND 20,000 MILES, I BEGAN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I HAD THE TIRES ALIGNED, ROTATED AND BALANCED EVERY 3,000-6,000 MILES AND NOTHING IMPROVED THE WEAR OF THE TIRES. NEITHER THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP NOR THE MAIN MAZDA OFFICES WERE WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM OR FIND A SOLUTION. I FINALLY TRADED THE CAR IN 2008 AND DON?T PLAN TO EVER BUY ANOTHER MAZDA IN MY LIFE. I HAVE READ BLOGS ON BOTH THE MAZDA 3 AND MAZDA 6 WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. UNLESS ONE IS RICH AND CAN AFFORD TIRES EVERY 17,000 MILES, IT IS NOT WORTH THE TROUBLE YOU INCUR. YOU WILL BE ZOOM ZOOMING EVERY 17,000 MILES TO A TIRE STORE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10243818

Incident

Jan 11, 2007

Mileage

17 mi

2006 MAZDA 3 FRONT TIRES RUB AND WEAR UNEVEN. THE CAR CUT A DEEP GOUGE ON THE INSIDE OF EACH FRONT TIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218408

Incident

Feb 17, 2008