RoadVitals

2011 Mazda Mazda3 Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance 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.
8
Latest Feb 25, 2020
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.
6%
of 132 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.
3
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

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Mazda Mazda3 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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 driver-assistance

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

Driver assistance
Filed Feb 25, 2020

MAZDA HAS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE TCM. MINE GOES IN AND OUT AND I CAN'T PULL IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC WHEN THE ACCELERATION GOES DOWN. IT'S AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN AND IT KNOWN THE THIS PARTICULAR PART IS KNOWN TO GO OUT. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE MAZDA NEEDS TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. THE FIRST PICTURE IS WHEN THE CAR IS IN MANUEL MODE AS YOU CAN SEE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A 5 FOR FIFTH GEAR WHICH U CAN SEE THAT IT'S HARD TO TELL AND THAT IS WHEN IT'S WORKING WHEN IT GOES OUT THE CARS ACCELERATION SLOWS DOWN AND THERE'S NO DIGITAL DISPLAY AT ALL. THE SECOND PICTURE IS WHEN IT'S IN AUTOMATIC THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A D LETTER LETTING YOU KNOW AS THE DRIVER THE GEAR IS IN DRIVE. THIS A FREQUENT PROBLEM AND I'M NOT WILLING TO RISK MY LIFE AND POSAR HE LIVES OF OTHERS FOR A MISTAKE THAT SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY MAZDA.

NHTSA ID
11311429
Incident
Feb 19, 2020
Mileage
194,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Feb 20, 2020
Crash reported

AIRBAGS: DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT OF A STREETLAMP POLE ON THE FRONT DRIVERSIDE QUARTER. FRONT FARRING DAMAGED AND REPLACED. I WAS TURNING LEFT, IT WAS RAINING, THE GLARE OF THE LIGHT BLINDED ME ENOUGH TO GO UP ON THE CURB AND IMPACT THE STREETLAMP POLE. I REPLACED THE FARRING AND HAD MY MAZDA3 FULLY ALIGNED. ELECTRICAL: PURCHASED VEHICLE IN OCTOBER 2016. REPLACED BATTERY 4 TIMES, ALTERNATOR 3 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. SEAT HEATERS HAVEN'T WORKED EVER. DRIVERSIDE SEAT STARTED WIGGLING AFTER CONTACT WITH STREETLAMP POLE.

NHTSA ID
11310455
Incident
Oct 23, 2018
Mileage
105,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceSteering
Filed Apr 15, 2019
Crash reported

ON APRIL 8 WHILE PICKING UP MY DAUGHTER FROM SCHOOL ON NAUTILUS STREET IN LA JOLLA, POINTED DOWNHILL ON A STEEP GRADE, MY IDLING VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING, I LOST CONTROL OF STEERING AND BRAKES HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE HANDBRAKE, THE PASSENGER CAR DOOR WAS OPEN AT THE TIME MY DAUGHTER WAS TRYING TO STEP INTO THE VEHICLE AS THE CAR TOOK OFF, THE DOOR HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME BREAKING HER TAIL LIGHT, IT TOOK ME THREE TRIES TO GET THE ENGINE TO TURN BACK OVER.

NHTSA ID
11196467
Incident
Apr 8, 2019
Mileage
65,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed May 2, 2016
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MAZDA 3. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, IT EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE IN A DOG PARK. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. IT HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED IF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 22,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA ID
10862616
Incident
Apr 20, 2016
Mileage
22,000 mi
Driver assistanceSteeringSuspension
Filed Nov 2, 2015

OEM YOKOHAMA AVID ENVIGOR, FIRST SET OF TIRES LASTED 20,000 MILES. SECOND SET LASTED 20,000 MILES. THE MIDDLE OF THE TIRE KEEPS THE TREAD VERY NICE, IT'S THE SIDEWALLS THAT GO COMPLETELY BALD. VERY DANGEROUS IN THE SNOW AND WET ROADS. FIRST I TOOK STS TIRES (YOKOHAMA AUTH.) DEALER TO COURT FOR LYING ABOUT TIRES BEING STILL GOOD. THEN TOOK YOKOHAMA TO COURT....... DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME DOING THIS..... YOKOHAMA IS PAYING SOMEONE OFF AND GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER. LITERALLY THE JUDGE DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE. GOT SCREWED BIG TIME. SOMEONE LET ME KNOW WHEN YOKONUMBNUTS FINALLY GETS NAILED FOR SELLING CRAP AND GETTING AWAY WITH IT?

NHTSA ID
10787609
Incident
Nov 6, 2012
Mileage
20,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 25, 2012

WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND APPROACHING A STOP SIGN MY BRAKING WAS NORMAL AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED UNTIL ABOUT 10-15 MPH, HOWEVER FURTHER APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE DIDN'T CONTINUE TO STOP THE VEHICLE SMOOTHLY AND I NOTICED THE ENGINE REVVING AND 'JERKY' CONTINUED FORWARD MOTION. HAD A VEHICLE BEEN STOPPED AT THE SIGN IN FRONT OF ME I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE CRASHED, INSTEAD I RAN THE SIGN SLIGHTLY. I QUICKLY FIGURED OUT THE PROXIMITY OF THE BRAKE/ACCELERATOR PEDAL ALLOWED MY (LARGE) FOOT/SHOE TO CATCH THE EDGE OF THE ACCELERATOR WHEN I WAS BRAKING. I COULDN'T DETECT A CHANGE IN PEDAL 'FEEL' WHEN I WAS ENGAGING THE BRAKE VERSUS THE BRAKE PLUS ACCELERATOR. WHILE NOT AN ELECTRONIC MYSTERY AND CLEARLY MY BIG FOOT THAT HIT THE PEDAL, I FIND IT TROUBLING THAT AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER WITH 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, NO CRASHES OR TICKETS IN 25 YEARS, WHOSE OWNED ABOUT 12 VEHICLES IN THAT TIME SPAN CAN HAVE THIS HAPPEN FOR THE FIRST TIME - I WONDER IF THIS VEHICLE'S PEDAL GEOMETRY IS OFF. I NOTICED A SIMILAR COMPLAINT FOR THE 2012 MODEL, ALTHOUGH IT SIMPLY SAID IT LURCHED INTO A POLE WHILE PARKING. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD BE SAYING IF I WAS TRYING TO PARK RATHER THAN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, LUCKILY WITH NO LEAD VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10482255
Incident
Sep 5, 2012
Mileage
1,200 mi
Driver assistanceSeat belts
Filed Aug 6, 2012

2011 MAZDA3 I TOURING 5 SPEEDS 4 DOORS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10469451
Incident
Jul 30, 2011
Mileage
32,000 mi
Driver assistanceSteering
Filed Sep 22, 2011

ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2011 I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2011 MAZDA 3 FROM MAZDA OF ESCONDIDO. ON TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 13, 2011 I STARTED MY VEHICLE AND TURNED ON THE HEADLIGHTS AT WHICH POINT THE POWER STEERING LIGHT AND ALSO THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. AS I WAS TRYING TO PARK MY VEHICLE I NOTICED DIFFICULTY WITH THE POWER STEERING. ALSO, THE DSC BUTTON WOULD NOT TURN ON/OFF WHILE THE LIGHT WAS ON. ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2011 THE SAME TWO LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK A PICTURE OF THE LIGHTS AND THE ODOMETER READING SO WE COULD SHOW THE DEALER. DUE TO A PRIOR WRIST INJURY POWER STEERING IS A MUST FOR ME. *TR

NHTSA ID
10426834
Incident
Sep 13, 2011
Mileage
500 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 .