2013 Mazda Mazda3 Brakes Problems

The Brake Pedal consistently malfunctions, even after the replacement of the master cylinder (by independent service center). The master cylinder does not hold pressure due to a faulty ABS control unit (which, when Mazda was contacted, said that part was on backorder until September). If the manufacturer knows this is an issue and can't supply the part due to so many replacements needed in their vehicle, why is there no recall? There is no warning to the driver on the dashboard of this issue and has causes repeated issues while breaking.

NHTSA ID

11658244

Incident

Feb 1, 2024

ABS Module suddenly start failing causing brake sinks down. Almost crashed because of it. It appears to be a very common issue but Mazda still does not recall these ABS modules made by Ford/ATE. Also, it does not show any ABS warning light, which might be why not many people have called on this as they probably thought it was normal. There is all sort of communication error codes if you read with a OBDII scanner. In fact, Ford had a recall for these ABS modules, citing "stuck or slow-responding valves due to reaction with brake fluid".

NHTSA ID

11504342

Incident

Dec 22, 2022

MY HEADLIGHTS DIM AND FLICKER, MOST NOTICEABLY WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. IT WAS BARELY NOTICABLE AT FIRST. MY SON-IN-LAW, WHO IS AN AUTO AND DIESEL MECHANIC, BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION IN DECEMBER 2017 WHEN HE WAS DRIVING IT. IT IS GETTING WORSE AND BECOMING MORE AND MORE OF A PROBLEM, MAKING IT HARD TO SEE, ESPECIALLY WHEN APPROACHING A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. I AM NOT SURE IF THE TAIL LIGHTS ARE ALSO EFFECTED, BUT COMPLAINT ID 11164134 REPORTED THAT THEIR'S WERE. MY EXPERIENCE WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CAUSES ME TO WORRY THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FAIL ENTIRELY, LEAVING ME UNABLE TO SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS IS NOT A SINGLE INCIDENT; IT ALWAYS OCCURS EVERYTIME I DRIVE AT NIGHT, SO I AM PUTTING TODAY'S DATE IN THE "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN" FIELD BECAUSE I CAN'T INDICATE THAT IT IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. THE FOUR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM ALL INDICATE NO INJURIES OR FATALITIES; I HOPE THERE DON'T HAVE TO BE INJURIES OR FATALITIES FOR THIS TO BE CONSIDERED SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT A RECALL. ALSO, THE SPEED DOESN'T MATTER, I HAD TO PUT IN A NUMBER SO I INDICATED 45 MPH, BUT IT HAPPENS ON THE FREEWAY AT 80 MPH AS WELL AS ON CITY STREETS. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 49,259 MILES ON THE CAR. WHEN I BOUGHT IT IT HAD 33,370 MILES ON IT. LIKE I SAID, IT IS GETTING WORSE. IT IS MORE DISTRACTING DUE TO MORE PRONOUNCED FLICKERING AND DIMMING OF THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

11182189

Incident

Feb 24, 2019

Mileage

49,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE PRESSURE ON THE BREAK PEDAL GOT VERY LOW. I HAD TO PUSH THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A NEARBY MAZDA DEALERSHIP. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BREAKS PER SAY (PADS, ROTORS, ETC,), BUT THAT THE ABS HYDRAULIC AND THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD BOTH FAILED CAUSING THE LACK OF PRESSURE ON THE BREAK PEDAL. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THIS WAS QUITE UNUSUAL AND THAT HAD NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE ON A MAZDA PARTICULARLY WITH ONLY 52,000 MILES. HE TOLD ME THE CAR WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I'M THANKFUL THAT I DID NOT GET INTO A CAR ACCIDENT AND HURT MYSELF NOR ANYONE ELSE. THE VEHICLE STILL UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE POWER TRAIN PARTS, BUT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THAT MAZDA WOULD NOT COVER FOR THE REPAIRS. I WAS QUOTED $1,617 FOR THE REPAIRS AND I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THE VEHICLE FOR 4 DAYS. I BEEN TOLD THAT I WOULD GET A LOANER AS SOON AS ONE IS AVAILABLE. GIVEN THAT THIS WAS NOT WEAR AND TEAR, I BELIEVE MAZDA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS OF THE VEHICLE AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO ISSUES WITH THESE PARTS IN OTHER VEHICLES THAT COULD CAUSE SOMEONE TO GET HURT.

NHTSA ID

11140696

Incident

Oct 12, 2018

Mileage

52,700 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MAZDA 3. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE HEADLIGHTS FLASHED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (MAZDA KNOXVILLE, 8814 KINGSTON PIKE, KNOXVILLE, TN 37923) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.

NHTSA ID

11046228

Incident

Nov 1, 2016

Mileage

134,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHILE APPLYING BRAKES. PROBLEM OCCURS ONLY WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION. SOMETIMES CARS THINK I AM FLASHING MY LIGHTS AT THEM SO THEY WILL TURN THEIR BRIGHT LIGHTS ON. ONCE I ALMOST DROVE OFF THE SIDE OF A WINDING ROAD BECAUSE WHEN THE FLICKERING LIGHTS BOUNCED OFF OF THE GUARD RAIL REFLECTORS, IT WAS DISORIENTING

NHTSA ID

11020491

Incident

Aug 28, 2017

Mileage

50,000 mi

WHEN BRAKING, THE HEADLIGHTS PULSE. WHEN BRAKING, THE CAR RIDES BUMPY. THE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT WILL COME ON AT RANDOM TIMES. THESE HAVE BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, AND ALL MECHANICS HAVE SAID THAT EVERYTHING LOOKS FINE ON THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11014156

Incident

Mar 1, 2015

I DISCOVERED ONLY ONE OF MY REAR BRAKES WORN BEYOND THE PAD AND INTO THE METAL BEYOND. I AM DEAF - SO UNKNOWN IF STUCK & SQUEALING OR IF A TECH BULLETIN OR RECALL. THE ONE SIDE APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE APPLIED POSITION FULL TIME. MY MOTHER CALLED MAZDA NO INFO - BRING IT IN !! I WILL TRY.

NHTSA ID

10968472

Incident

Mar 24, 2017

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER OR PULSE. THE FLASHING HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN FOLLOWING BEHIND ANOTHER CAR. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR MANY MONTHS.

NHTSA ID

10944160

Incident

Jan 10, 2017

WHEN BRAKING OR DECELERATING, THE HEADLIGHTS PULSE. IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE SIGNALING OTHER DRIVERS AT NIGHT (ALTHOUGH WHO KNOWS WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSEDLY SAYING) AND IT IS A SERIOUS HAZARD. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY A PROBLEM HEADING DOWN A MOUNTAIN AT NIGHT DURING A WINTER STORM TO HAVE OUR VISIBILITY GO IN AND OUT. THERE IS ALREADY A NOTICE OUT ACCORDING TO OUR MECHANIC, BUT WE RECEIVED NOTHING FROM MAZDA AND ARE BEING CHARGED TO REPROGRAM THE COMPUTER THAT IS SUPPOSEDLY CAUSING THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10926540

Incident

Dec 18, 2015

Mileage

73,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS PULSE, LIKE OTHERS HAVE STATED WHEN DECELERATING, AS IN COMING DOWN A HILL WHILE GENTLY BRAKING. I AM PUTTING THE LATEST DATE OF OCCURRENCE, BUT ITS BEEN GOING ON SINCE ABOUT SUMMER OF 2015. WOULD LIKE THIS RESOLVED.

NHTSA ID

10852943

Incident

Mar 31, 2016

Mileage

17,000 mi

DRIVING AT NIGHT AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATES AND APPLY BRAKES (WHICH IS MORE NOTICEABLE) THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER. I HAVE HAD PEOPLE THINK I'M A POLICE OFFICER BEHIND THEM, ALSO HAD VEHICLES PULL OUT IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT I WAS FLASHING MY LIGHTS FOR THEM TO GO. I HAVE TAKING THE CAR INTO MAZDA DEALER HAVE LOOKED AT AS WELL AS WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AND THEY HAVE YET TO SAY WHAT'S WRONG OR EVEN FIX IT. IF YOU DISCONNECT THE BATTERY FOR 5-10 MINUTES IT STOPS FLICKERING FOR A DAY OR SO, BUT STARTS BACK UP AND AT TIME BEEN WORSE THAN PREVIOUS TIMES.

NHTSA ID

10817301

Incident

Oct 2, 2014

Mileage

36,000 mi

7/26/15 6:15 PM I WENT TO A FAMILY FRIEND'S HOUSE. I PULLED UP INTO HIS MAIN DRIVEWAY, TURNED TO THE LEFT TO A DIRT DRIVE WAY IT HAD ABOUT A 3% GRADE INCLINE. I PULLED MY E BREAK, PUT INTO 1ST GEAR AND TURNED OFF MY CAR AND GOT OUT, GOT MY DAUGHTER OUT OF THE CAR AND WALKED UP TO THE HOUSE WITH MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER. WITH THE INTENT TO ONLY STAY AT OUR FRIENDS HOUSE FOR ABOUT 15 MINS. WE WERE OUTSIDE CHATTING AT OUR FRIENDS HOUSE ABOUT 15 MINS AND LOOKING TO HEAD OUT WHEN MY WIFE YELLS FOR MY ATTENTION! I TURN AROUND AND SEE MY CAR ROLLING BACKWARDS TOWARDS THE MAIN DRIVEWAY AND DOWN INTO A RAVINE ABOUT 20 FT DOWN. OF COURSE THIS IS A HUGE SHOCK TO MY LIFE! WE ARE VERY LUCKY THAT MY DAUGHTER OR DOG WAS NOT WAITING IN THE CAR, AS WE WERE ONLY PICKING UP AN ITEM FROM OUR FRIENDS HOUSE. THE ISSUE I HAVE IS, WHY DID THE VEHICLE ROLL BACKWARDS WHILE IN GEAR AND WITH THE E BREAK PULLED. THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE MOVED. I NEED TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANOTHER EVENT THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, AND I NEED TO HAVE ALL THE FACTORY RECALLS AND DEFICIENCIES WITH THE E BREAK. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY MOMENT, AND I AM STILL IN SHOCK WITH THIS SITUATION THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

NHTSA ID

10743946

Incident

Jul 26, 2015

Mileage

54,000 mi

BRAKE CALIPERS AND PISTONS WERE DEFECTED AND WOULDN'T RELEASE AFTER YOU RELEASED THE BRAKE. THE WHEELS HAD TO BE MOVING FOR THE BRAKES THE BE RELEASES. CAUSING THE THE BRAKE PADS TO GRIND DOWN TO NOTHING AND HAVE METAL ON METAL CONTACT. IT WAS WORSE IN THE FRONT THEN THE BACK. I RECEIVED ALL NEW BRAKE CALIPERS BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T BE FIXED.

NHTSA ID

10732344

Incident

May 13, 2015

Mileage

45,000 mi

DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AT 15 MPH, THE CAR IN FRONT OF MYSELF HAD SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED AT A LIGHT. WHEN I SEEN SHE WAS STOPPING, I PRESSED DOWN MY BRAKES SO I WOULD STOP BUT THE BRAKE PEDDLE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. MY CAR DIDN'T STOP. FROM THIS I HAD REAR-ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE BRAKES WERE TESTED AGAIN AND RESULTED IN THE PEDDLE STILL BEING PUSHED DOWN TO THE FLOOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10577885

Incident

Apr 5, 2014

Mileage

26,081 mi