2010 Mazda Mazda3 Visibility Problems

my Mazda 03 dashboard is melting, and I am not able to see out the window... I have talked to dealer and manufactory, and they will not pay the whole amount knowing it's a safety issue. I don't understand how they can sell product on car that is malfunctioning and a safety issue. I bought the car brand new in 2010 and didn't have any issues until this year. Please call me back at [XXX] my name is [XXX] . I was not in an accident, just think this is a safety issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11583189

Incident

Apr 15, 2024

The dashboard adhesive migrates to the surface of the dashboard. Adhesive then sublimates and condenses on the windshield making a glaze on the windshield, making it extremely difficult to see the road in sunrise or sunset conditions. I've repeatedly cleaned the windshield with many different cleaners including acetone, but at best I am only able to improve visibility, not restore it. In the attached photo, the upper portion of photo illustrates the film of adhesive on the glass after it was wiped with a clean paper towel, creating a hazy appearance. The entire windshield was cleaned with acetone and heavy duty degreaser and window cleaner prior to the photo.

NHTSA ID

11539717

Incident

Aug 1, 2022

Front dash is melted and very shiny causing intense glare for the driver.

NHTSA ID

11530073

Incident

Jul 3, 2023

The dashboards should be subject to a recall immediately since badly reduced visibility from glare is a recipe for an accident. The defective (melting) material is so bad that if the sun hits it just right, I can hardly see anything ahead of me; it is an accident waiting to happen. I called my Mazda dealer (Gray Epperson Mazda in Cleveland, TN (423) 303-1333) but said there was nothing they could do now as there was a warranty before but it had expired. I try to drive the car but always trying to avoid sunny conditions, but unfortunately, when I leave at 5pm conditions are worse if it's sunny. I wish Mazda would accept responsibility soon (or they are forced to do so by NHTSA, if needed) so that I wouldn't have to take such a risk.

NHTSA ID

11522117

Incident

May 15, 2022

I am writing to file a complaint regarding the defective dashboard of my Mazda 3. The dash of the car under the windshield has become melty and shines excessively, making it extremely difficult to see when the sun is shining on the dashboard. The reflection on the windshield is so intense that it affects the visibility of the road and makes it hard to see clearly. I was informed by the dealership that there was an extended service available for this issue, but it expired after 10 years. I was never informed of this extended service and only now, after my dashboard has become extremely affected, did I find out about it. This is extremely concerning as the dashboard is an important safety feature of the car and the reflection from the dashboard is affecting my visibility, putting myself and other drivers on the road in danger. I am extremely frustrated with the lack of transparency and communication from the dealership regarding this extended service and the fact that my dashboard has become defective despite proper maintenance and upkeep of the car. I demand that Mazda take responsibility for the defective dashboard and rectify the issue as soon as possible. I kindly request that the NHTSA investigates this matter and ensures that Mazda takes the necessary actions to resolve this issue for all affected car owners.

NHTSA ID

11506921

Incident

Jan 5, 2022

The dashboard in my 2010 Mazda 3 has melted significantly throughout the years. It has become hazardous and tough to operate this vehicle. The dashboard is glossy, sticky, and believe a slight odor. I tried to slow its deterioration by using a sunshade when parked. It not only did not help, the dashboard just ruined each shade with a sticky, tar-like, black residue. No dealership has offered to help me without trying to charge me the total price of replacement, plus their labor costs. I regularly check to see if there has been a new recall, but there has not. I can not sell this car without feeling guilty for endangering others. I am unlikely to return to Mazda as a paying customer since they shy away from treating my family like one. I hope this issue is fixed adequately for me and anyone else suffering from this issue.

NHTSA ID

11463293

Incident

May 1, 2015

The dashboard is melting and its causing a poor visibility due to the shiny reflection on the windshield

NHTSA ID

11420365

Incident

Jun 9, 2021

STICKY DASH LEAVES A MAJOR GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD, IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE IN THE SUN

NHTSA ID

11361972

Incident

Jul 1, 2019

Mileage

130,000 mi

MY CAR'S DASHBOARD IS MELTING CREATING AN AWFUL SMELLY CHEMICAL FUME OF WHATEVER IS DETERIORATING. TOUCHING IT RESULTS IN GETTING MOLTEN DASHBOARD ON MY FINGERS AND THERE IS AN AWFUL GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD WHEN DRIVING IMPAIRING VISIBILITY. IT'S BEEN HOT THIS SUMMER AND WHATEVER THE DASHBOARD IS MADE OF WAS NOT BUILT TO HANDLE HEAT.

NHTSA ID

11343464

Incident

Jun 2, 2020

Mileage

70,000 mi

STICKY DASHBOARD INTERFERES WITH WINDSHIELD GLARE HE WINDSHIELD TEND TO GET A VERY BAD GLARE AND MAKES IT HARD TO DRIVE DUE TO THE DASH BOARD. THE DASH BOARD IS ALL STICKY AND GETS WORSE WITH THE HEAT

NHTSA ID

11341738

Incident

Jul 10, 2016

DASH IS MELTING AND I HAVE VERY POOR VISIBILITY DUE TO A LOT OF GLARE REFLECTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

11331850

Incident

Jul 1, 2019

THE DASH ON MY VEHICLE HAS MELTED AND BECOME SHINY AND HARD TO SEE WHEN DRIVING. IT APPEARS THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND MAZDA HAS "EXTENDED" THE WARRANTY ON THE DASH, HOWEVER SINCE MY CAR HAS A "BRANDED TITLE" FROM HAIL DAMAGE THIS EXCLUDES MY VEHICLE. ALSO THE ISSUE IS OUTSIDE THE 10 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUES AND IS LISTED ON THE MAZDA WEBSITE. MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. AFTER CONTACTING MAZDA THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE DASH. SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND SAFETY HAZARD I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE A RECALL VS THEM EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO SAVE COSTS ON NOT HAVING TO REPLACE CERTAIN VEHICLES. HTTPS://INSIDEMAZDA.MAZDAUSA.COM/PRESS-RELEASE/MAZDA3-AND-MAZDA6-WARRANTY-EXTENSION-STATEMENT/ *TR

NHTSA ID

11330010

Incident

Jun 1, 2018

Mileage

65,000 mi

STICKY SURFACE DASHBOARD, DASHBOARD GLARE, *TR

NHTSA ID

11328282

Incident

Jun 29, 2014

MELTING OF DASHBOARD PROJECTS A GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD BLINDING THE DRIVER LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD ON SUNNY DAY.

NHTSA ID

11317431

Incident

Mar 9, 2020

THE CAR A RECALL FOR DASHBOARD IT'S MELTED THEIR GLARE WHEN THE SUN HIT YOU CANT SEE. TOOK IT TO THE MAZDA DEALER THEY WOULDN'T FIX IT. I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUTER MY POCKET. WHEN DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11292516

Incident

Dec 14, 2019

Mileage

98,000 mi

APPROX 4"X12" SECTION DASHBOARD MELTING ABOVE GAUGE CLUSTER AND CREATING GLARE BOTH OFF OF THE DASH AND ON THE WINDSHIELD. CANNOT CLEAN OFF GOOEY MESS

NHTSA ID

11266583

Incident

Oct 5, 2019

Mileage

108,000 mi

THE DASHBOARD APPEARS MELTED AND STICKY AND IS EFFECTING VISIBILITY MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE

NHTSA ID

11258801

Incident

Sep 28, 2019

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A SECURED COMPANY PARKING LOT. WHEN I LEFT WORK, THE SUNROOF GLASS WAS SMASHED. THERE WAS NOTHING ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR. I THOUGHT A HUGE TREE LIMB MAY HAVE FELL ON THE CAR AND SOMEONE MOVED IT BUT THERE WAS NOTHING NEARBY TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED. I HAD THE SUNROOF REPAIRED AND FORGOT ABOUT IT UNTIL I JUST SAW INFORMATION ABOUT THIS HAPPENING ON OTHER CARS. REPORTING TO YOU FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES. SUNROOF GLASS SHATTERED, VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY (PARKED), THE HIGH TEMP THAT DAY WAS 90 AND THE LOW WAS 72, NOTHING WAS ON TOP OF THE CAR (ROCK,TREE,ETC), NO KNOWN REASON FOR WHY THE GLASS BROKE.

NHTSA ID

11230166

Incident

Jun 13, 2017

Mileage

120,000 mi

MY DASHBOARD HAS BEEN MELTING CAUSED ME TO DRIVE OFF ROAD AND ALMOST TO HAVE ACCIDENTS NUMEROUS TIMES WHEN THE SUNLIGHT AND THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AT NIGHT REFLECTS ON THE DASHBOARD/WINDSHIELD AND BLINDS WHOS DRIVING AND U CANT EVEN CLEAN IT JUST WISH THAT IT WOULD BE RESOLVED BEFORE SOMETHING WORSE HAPPENS

NHTSA ID

11128143

Incident

Jun 25, 2017

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE DASH BOARD IS MELTING AND CAUSING PROBLEM SEEING. I RECEIVED A LETTER A WHILE BACK STATING THERE WAS ISSUES WITH THE DASH BOARDS BECOMING STICKY OR MELTING MINE HAS JUST STARTED DOING THIS AND ITS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE ON REALLY SUNNY DAYS FROM THE GLARE THAT IT REFLECTS ON THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS I CALLED MAZDA ABOUT IT AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WAS GONNA DO ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN NOT FIX IT WHEN ITS CAUSE OF THE DASHBOARD THEY PUT IN THE CARS. THIS IS NOT ONLY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE BUT ALSO COULD RISK PEOPLE LIVES. I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPEN AND ONLY GETTING WORSE AS TIME GOES ON I DONT HAVE A CERTAIN DATE SO I JUST PICKED ONE BELOW

NHTSA ID

11031593

Incident

Aug 1, 2017

MY DASH HAS GLARE FROM DASH MELT

NHTSA ID

11000520

Incident

Feb 24, 2017

THE DASHBOARD IS MELTED AND STICKY AND THAT MAKES IT BRIGHT WITH THE SUN AND REFLECTED IN THE GLASS INTERNALLY AND MAKES DAY DRIVING VERY DIFFICULT.

NHTSA ID

10938888

Incident

Dec 30, 2016

Mileage

165,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE RADIO ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE RADIO TURNED ON AND OFF WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. IN ADDITION, THE WINDOWS FAILED TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ID

10899634

Incident

Jun 10, 2016

Mileage

130,000 mi

THE DASHBOARD IS MELTING. IT IS WORSE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND CONTINUES ACROSS THE WHOLE DASHBOARD. IT IS CAUSING A NOXIOUS FUMES AND A GLARE THAT AT TIMES GOES ACROSS THE LOWER PART OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE GLARE IS WORSE IN THE MORNING AS THE SUN RISES AND ON SUNNY DAYS. THE GLARE CHANGES AS YOU DRIVE AND MAKES THE ROAD APPEAR AS IF SOMETHING IS IN FRONT OF YOU ON THE ROAD. THE GLARE CAN BE FROM 5 INCHES DIRECTLY IN YOUR LINE OF SIGHT TO GOING ACROSS AT LEAST 2/3 OF YOUR VIEWING LINE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD-CAUSING IT TO LOOK AS IF SOMEONE HAS THROWN SLICK OIL OR A SILVER SHEET OF METAL IN THE ROAD. HAVE SWERVED QUITE A FEW TIMES (DEPENDING ON THE DIRECTION I AM DRIVING), CAN'T SEE WHEN PEOPLE STEP OFF OF A CURB, AS THE GLARE COMES IN THE SOON AND CAN BE THERE FROM THE START OF YOUR DRIVE OR APPEAR OUT OF THE BLUE AS YOU CHANGE DIRECTIONS OR PARK. YOU CAN'T HELP TO RESPOND TO THE GLARE WHEN IT APPEARS-ESPECIALLY WHEN ON UNFAMILIAR ROADS. THE SMELL IS OF BURNING PLASTIC. I LIVE IN FLORIDA ANY DAY OVER 80 DEGREES IN THE SHADE OR WHEN PARKED DIRECTLY IN THE SUN CAUSES THE DASHBOARD TO EMIT A NOXIOUS SMELL, GET SOFT AND GOOEY. BUGS, INSECT DROPPINGS, DUST, AND LINT GET STUCK IN THE DASHBOARD AND CAUSE GLARE. I DRIVE AT LEAST 3 HOUR/DAY MINIMUM. THE SMELL CAUSES A HEADACHE/SORE THROAT/NAUSEA. I CAN'T PUT A VISOR TO BLOCK THE SUN-IT GETS STUCK IN THE MELTING DASH AND THE VISOR. WHEN YOU REMOVE THE VISOR IT SPLATTERS "GOO/PLASTIC" ONTO THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH CAN ONLY BE REMOVED WITH A RAZOR. RISKING GETTING THE HOT GOO ON YOUR HAND/ARM/FACE. YOU CANNOT WIPE AWAY ANY OF THE MELTING PART AS IT IS REALLY STICKY AND THE DASHBOARD ONLY CONTINUES TO MELT. I SELL REAL ESTATE AND NO LONGER TAKE CUSTOMERS INTO MY CAR NOT ALLOWING ME TO DO BUSINESS THE WAY MOST SALES PEOPLE DO, BECAUSE CLIENTS COMPLAIN OF THE SMELL/FEELING SICK.

NHTSA ID

10824472

Incident

May 17, 2015

DASHBOARD IS MELTED, CAUSING EXTREME GLARE DURING THE DAYTIME. THE GLARE FROM THE MELTED DASHBOARD IS DIFFICULT TO SEE THROUGH AND CAUSES SAFETY AND VISIBILITY ISSUES WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

10817333

Incident

May 15, 2014

Mileage

80,000 mi