2021 Mazda Mazda3 Owner Complaints

Radiator leaking coolant requiring replacement at 60k miles. Mazda updated the part which means they know it's bad, should be fixed for free for all affected owners.

NHTSA ID

11776055

Incident

Sep 29, 2026

While driving to work, the dashboard displayed “Charging system malfunction, pull over.” The driver pulled over safely. The vehicle has electric power steering, so a loss of charging power while driving could reduce steering assist and cause the vehicle to stall in traffic. This happened three days after a Mazda dealer replaced the front passenger-side lower control arm. That part had failed at 111,777 miles, causing clunking under braking and making the car unsafe to drive (previously reported to NHTSA). This is the second safety-related failure on this vehicle in two weeks. The vehicle is again off the road pending dealer diagnosis. Reported to Mazda Customer Experience, case #00503860.

NHTSA ID

11770741

Incident

Oct 12, 2026

Vehicle: 2021 Mazda Mazda3 VIN: [XXX] Mileage at failure: 111,777 Date the problem started: [date you first heard the clunk] Location: [town], [XXX] Crash / fire / injury / death: No Was the vehicle moving? Yes Component: Suspension: Front (Lower Control Arm) Description: The front passenger-side lower control arm on my 2021 Mazda3 failed at 111,777 miles. The car began clunking loudly when braking and while driving. My mechanic inspected the car on a lift, identified the lower control arm as the source, and told me the car was not safe to drive. He suspects a failed or defective part. A bolt hole near the rear control arm mount was also found empty, with rust on the threads. The lower control arm holds the front wheel in place and carries the load under braking and steering. A failure like this could cause loss of steering control. The car has been off the road since the failure. I live in [XXX], where roads are heavily salted in winter. Mazda has issued earlier recalls on other models for corrosion in the front lower control arms that could let the ball joints separate. I’m concerned this may be a similar issue. I reported this to Mazda Customer Experience on October 8, 2026 (case number: [number]). The car is scheduled for diagnosis at Thompson’s, an authorized Mazda dealer in [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11769872

Incident

Oct 7, 2026

Making sharp right turn out of parking lot under hard acceleration, car suddenly made terrible grinding sound that shook the whole car. Continued driving, within another quarter mile the whole car started shaking again with loud noise. Had car towed to Mazda where they discovered that the rear differential had failed. Rear differential replaced under warranty. Noticed faint high pitched sound coming from rear in months leading up to incident. Had differential and transfer case fluid changed less than 1000 miles and 1 month before incident making me wonder if fluid was underfilled/wrong fluid used or the diff was just bad.

NHTSA ID

11767611

Incident

Apr 15, 2025

Low engine oil message appeared on dash. Had car towed to Mazda. Had valve stem seals replaced under warranty.

NHTSA ID

11767608

Incident

Jul 30, 2024

Car made grinding sound with notable vibration when starting to move after shifting into drive. Felt like brakes weren't releasing. Had car towed to dealership where they diagnosed that the front left brake shim was damaged and making contact with the rotor, had to pay to fix it out of pocket.

NHTSA ID

11767607

Incident

Sep 10, 2024

My rear differential case cracked, anytime the four wheel drive system was engaged the entire drivetrain would lock up. Luckily we were only on side roads so going less than 30 mph if we had been on the highway when this happened we could have been in an accident or lost control. The dealer did confirm the problem and it was fixed under an extended warranty. There was no warning just all of a sudden a loud bang and all the wheels locked up. I have a copy of the video inspection done at the dealer if there's anyway to send that. I can get a copy of the repair invoice if needed

NHTSA ID

11713224

Incident

Feb 2, 2025

At 31,000 miles the control arm lower ball joints are torn on both lower. They must be replaced. This is a safety hazard. This should not be an issue with low mileage on this car.

NHTSA ID

11695896

Incident

Oct 25, 2025

I was driving when all the sudden there was a loud bang sound. The differential housing cracked. The when awd is demanded the rear diff was was locking up instead of engaging. Luckily we were just on city streets and not on the highway as this rear wheel locking up could cause a crash. Mazda wasn't very helpful with the replacement. Luckily I had a aftermarket warranty but it only paid for a used replacement, which is also failing. I have read lots of stories of this rear differential failure across all types of Mazda's from this era and really wish they would do the correct thing and resolve the problem.

NHTSA ID

11663288

Incident

Jan 31, 2025

Spontaneous loss of power while driving on highway. Check engine light came on. Speed limited by car. Continues to vibrate especially at idle from cold start. Code P0304 intermittently popping up.

NHTSA ID

11656416

Incident

Apr 21, 2025

During the incident, the vehicle exhibited an uncontrollable malfunction—the steering wheel suddenly jerked sharply to the right while accelerating violently, leaving me unable to steer or brake effectively, the car was looking forward. The car ultimately came to a stop upon colliding with a truck parked diagonally in front of me. After impact, I observed that the front tires remained stuck in a turned-right position, with the steering wheel also locked in that position. This was not an isolated event. Multiple reports from Mazda owners describe similar experiences with their vehicles unexpectedly veering to the right and accelerating without driver input. Given these recurring reports and my own experience, I strongly suspect that a manufacturing defect—whether mechanical, electronic, or software-related—may have contributed to this accident.

NHTSA ID

11645615

Incident

Feb 5, 2025

The driver window, upon attempted to be let up, will start to go up then go all the way down, ignoring the function to go up. This is a safety concern, as harsh temperatures and foreign objects are able to enter the vehicle cabin at any time, including driving. The problem has been reproduced by a dealer, and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. There are no warning indicators for this issue beyond witness the failure occur in real time.

NHTSA ID

11644043

Incident

Mar 13, 2024

When this feature is left on in my vehicle, it will detect curves, vehicles, and objects that are not there, and as a result, will attempt to turn my steering wheel (safety concern). I have had to keep this feature turned off to prevent it wrecking the car, because I could be on a straight road, and it will detect a curve that isn’t there and begin turning the wheel, which could result in a fatal accident if not corrected and disabled by the driver. It is available for inspection upon request. As the dealer has not driven the vehicle, they have not recreated the error, however if anyone were to drive the vehicle, they would be able to observe the malfunction. The dealer has been made aware on many occasions, though they never documented it and only suggested that I turn the feature off, which automatically turns itself on upon ignition. There are no warnings that there is a malfunction; you only know there is an error once an alert pops up thinking you’re missing a curve and attempts to turn your steering wheel though there is no curve. This issue has persisted over the life of the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11644042

Incident

Jan 26, 2021

The thermostat malfunctioned on this vehicle, resulting in the thermostat remaining open and providing excess coolant to the engine, which in turn damaged internal components of the engine (compromises safety), decreased fuel economy, increased emissions (compromised safety), and decreased the life of the engine within the vehicle. It is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle has been inspected by an independent mechanic and will be inspected by the Mazda dealership in 7 days. There were no prior warnings until the engine malfunction notice appeared, the vehicle began to make jolts and stuttering sounds, and the temperature gauge within the vehicle failed to rise to optimal range. As this occurred while the vehicle was in use (safety concern), though I was pushing the gas there would be delayed response due to improper temperature, which increased the risk for an accident to occur.

NHTSA ID

11644041

Incident

Feb 14, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of an unknown Class Action Lawsuit Number however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11631026

Incident

Dec 16, 2024

Radiators are failing 3 years after the warranty period. Its leading to coolant lost and perhaps overheating the engine.

NHTSA ID

11627559

Incident

Nov 26, 2024

My 2021 Mazda 3 was bought used in August 2023 and is about a year old in my possession. it has been at the Mazda dealership for repairs multiple times since August 2023. it dangerously stalls and hesitates when trying to accelerate from a stop position. When the brake pedal is released and I start to accelerate like merging onto highways,the car rumbles or shakes slightly and then shuts off. I Came across a review online that had the exact same problem and it stated a PCM update solved the issue. I have been to the dealer frequently since purchased and they kept my car for over a week and claimed they could not reproduce the customers complaint and there is no diagnostic code generated. There is Frequent parking light malfunction alerts, switch operation not accepted alerts, Brake alerts on desolate roadways I believe this vehicle behavior is dangerous on multiple levels, but the dealer Refused to remedy the complaint or give me copies of the papers that I signed, stating they are only for the dealership. I also received a notice in the mail for a class action settlement for faulty fuel pump used in MAZDA vehicles but not the 2021 Mazda 3 although it displays the same Dangerous behavior. So between the faulty fuel pump or required PCM update the vehicle is questionable to drive safely under certain circumstances. The dealer inferred I should have purchased a used certified Mazda from them instead. Thanks

NHTSA ID

11626518

Incident

Aug 16, 2023

Low oil light - car is burning oil and only has 11,400 miles. Approx 3/4 to 1 quart missing...

NHTSA ID

11615747

Incident

Sep 20, 2024

At red light, close behind car in front of the mazda. After light turns green, start driving the mazda after car in front moves forward. Although the car in front is moving forward at a higher rate of speed, increasing the distance between it and the mazda, the automatic emergency brake kicks on and stops the vehicle abruptly. Luckily the cars behind the mazda reacted in time and did not rear end it.

NHTSA ID

11613907

Incident

Sep 6, 2024

While driving at a normal speed on a clear, sunny day with no other vehicles close by, I heard a loud crash sound and my car's sunroof unexpectedly shattered. The inside glass panel looks like it's shattered and it caused tiny glass shards to fall inside the vehicle onto my right arm and the surrounding area. I closed the cover to prevent more from falling. This occurred without any prior warning, signs, or symptoms such as unusual noises or warning lights from the car. This incident posed a significant safety risk, not only due to the distraction, shock of the sudden noise, glass falling, injury in a potential accident, but also the potential for physical harm from the glass shards. Thankfully, no injuries occurred, but the potential for serious harm was evident. This problem has not yet been inspected by the dealer or confirmed by an independent service center, and there has been no opportunity for an inspection by any manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. However, I've reached out to Mazda, both locally and corporate and am receiving a run-around, no surprise. I will attach photos of the inside and the outside of the glass. The outside photo was taken after the cover was closed. However, the broken sunroof is available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID

11595814

Incident

Jun 21, 2024

Driving on a remote highway in northern WI and low oil light illuminated, 1000 miles before oil change was due with less than 10k miles on the vehicle. Made it to a gas station and oil was a quart low. Vehicle burns over a quart every oil change interval, since this has been occurring since day 1 it is likely going to cause premature engine failure which would be a safety issue.

NHTSA ID

11595336

Incident

Jun 15, 2022

Brakes are underpowered especially when hot. Drove 20-30 minutes in traffic and when decelerating from 60 mph highway in turn lane to turn into neighborhood the brakes felt very soft . Car only has 28k miles on it and pads have plenty of life left. Have seen similar complaints on online forums.

NHTSA ID

11595331

Incident

May 3, 2024

For the past 7 months (since July 2023) the passenger rear tire keeps loosing air pressure about every two weeks requiring more air. It always drops to 10 points below the other tires. The tires have been rotated twice so it is not a problem with the tire. I believe there is a recall for the same or similar issue on Mazda 3s just not including my VIN#. I brought my car to good year a few times unable to stop this from happening.

NHTSA ID

11572875

Incident

Jul 30, 2023

A bolt head underneath the car snapped for the steering mechanism. The problem was indicated by a clanking noise I heard for many 1000s of miles. It's been as long as I remember, but I had no idea what it really meant. It's 2.7 years old with 30,653 miles right now. There were no warnings. The wheel could have come off at any moment I was driving it. The bolt was likely over-torqued or had a manufacturing defect causing it to snap. I have pictures for when the car was propped up at a technician. One side is completely non rusted. The other side is showing rust ONLY from where the bolt was covering, so rust is an unlikely cause.

NHTSA ID

11572078

Incident

Feb 15, 2024

Part easily break away during washing. Fuel door cover lid panel (BDYT-42-411) broke in automatic car wash.

NHTSA ID

11562777

Incident

Dec 30, 2023