2025 Mazda Mazda3

Three times, last time 3 days after expensive rebuild, clutch hydraulic! Llnkage failed, burning out clutch. Clutch master cylinder also controls braking, very bad design. Most have separate master cylinders. Braking impacts clutch! State lemon law should apply.

NHTSA ID

11776571

Incident

Oct 10, 2026

My car started displaying a telematic malfunction. The service paperwork also says U0198:00-03 CMU Communication error with emergency call unit. The Mazda dealerships maintenance department says this is currently unrepairable. According to them if I have an accident the car will not communicate that through the emergency call unit. The car was purchased new and has had no accidents. I have taken it to the dealership 4 separate times to repair this problem.

NHTSA ID

11767456

Incident

May 12, 2026

WHEN TURNING A CORNER IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, AS I GOT AROUND THE CORNER (SLOW SPEED (10 MPH?). THE CAR GRADUALLY SPED UP ON IT'S OWN WITHOUT PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL. NO CRUISE ON AND NO FLOOR MAT PROBLEM. WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL "ON", THE ENGINE "REVED UP. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11741126

Incident

Apr 23, 2026

The vehicle was involved in a rear and side impact collision and the car was totaled on 5/14/2026. The air bags did not deploy. There was a recall on the air bag system immediately after purchase 6/28/2025 and it was taken in July of 2025 to Mazda of Columbia, SC and it was “repaired.” The airbags of the truck that collided with the Mazda did deploy.

NHTSA ID

11739690

Incident

May 14, 2026

I am reporting a catastrophic failure of the rear seatbelt restraint system in my 2025 Mazda 3. The rear seatbelt guide geometry is badly designed, allowing the webbing to bunch and jam during normal operation. This physical obstruction prevents the seatbelt from retracting, leading to three severe safety hazards: 1) Total failure to restrain occupants. 2) Structural damage to the vehicle's safety cell. 3) Public hazard where the obstructed door rebounded open into oncoming traffic. Restraint Failure: On multiple occasions, the rear seatbelt jammed in the guide clip while in use. Due to the lack of retraction, a 200lb adult passenger was able to fully exit the vehicle while the belt remained buckled. Most alarmingly, the vehicle's safety logic failed to trigger any occupancy warning alarms. The system remained "satisfied" because the buckle was engaged, despite providing zero tension or restraint to the occupant. Structural Damage & Public Hazard: Because the belt failed to retract, it remained loose and obstructed the rear door's closing path. The door rebounded off the slack belt into oncoming traffic, resulting in a significant structural dent to the C-pillar (door jamb) immediately adjacent to the striker. This deformation occurred in a critical area for side-impact protection. Efforts to Resolve: The vehicle was inspected by a dealer, who claimed the system was functioning normally despite being shown the jamming. I escalated this to the Mazda North American Operations Executive Office. The executive team issued a final dismissal, refusing to provide technical answers or acknowledge the documented failure points. Crucially, they denied my request for a Regional Technical Manager (RTM) to perform an engineering review of the guide geometry and refused to inspect the damage to the C-pillar. By refusing a corporate inspection, Mazda has ignored a reported life-safety defect and its resulting structural damage. This is documented on a video provided

NHTSA ID

11735932

Incident

Mar 9, 2026

January 10, 2025, at low city speed, I struck a small pothole. The entire car felt like it had been in an accident—a violent jolt—followed by immediate vibration and a pull. Inspection showed one OEM 18" rim was bent. I contacted Mazda after diagnosing and was offered a slight discount on the replacement rim, not a warranty repair or full diagnosis. I have the bent rim in my possession. July 2025, at low speed, I barely contacted another small pothole and immediately felt the same drivability issues. A second rim was found damaged. This was only 4,500 miles after the first incident. I called the dealership manager; he said he would get back to me but never did. I later sent a letter that went unanswered. My subsequent research shows innumerable similar owner complaints for 2020–2025 Mazda 3s experiencing rim deformation from ordinary road irregularities. Why this is a safety issue (technical points): Bead-seat deformation & air loss: A bent alloy rim can distort the bead seat, causing slow leaks or sudden deflation, especially after heat cycles—creating a loss-of-control risk. Dynamic instability: A rim that’s even slightly out-of-round produces high-frequency vibration, steering pull, and reduced traction in turns or under braking; it can trigger ABS/ESC interventions and increase stopping distance. Load path & suspension stress: The 18" low-profile package leaves little sidewall cushion. On normal bumps/potholes, impact energy transfers directly to the wheel. Repeated “bottom-out” events may damage shocks/struts, alignment, and tires, compounding instability. Repeatability & foreseeability: Two events under ordinary use within a short interval indicate a systemic integrity problem, not random abuse. Requested resolution: A no-cost remedy: (1) replace all rims/tires with more durable parts and inspect/repair suspension; or (2) provide comprehensive wheel/tire protection and repair damaged rim; or (3) exchange he vehicle for a comparable model with no issue

NHTSA ID

11681156

Incident

Jul 6, 2025

I found out about this recall today. Mazda doesn’t have a fix to this recall yet. I am scared to drive my car in the event of a crash, due to the fact that my airbags won’t go off due to the recall. Mazda said to just “be aware until we have a fix” I cannot just “be aware” if I get into an accident and my airbags don’t go off.

NHTSA ID

11665067

Incident

Jun 5, 2025

Car was turning left in front of me. I was going about 30 mph. I started to steer to the right of the car into a passing lane. The AEB stopped me and the guy behind me rear-ended me. The system did not need to react, I was not going to hit the car in front of me, but I could not steer to the right until I came to the passing lane.

NHTSA ID

11640657

Incident

Oct 15, 2024

Subject: Update – Campaign Warranty Claim Response Enhancements – Modules Not Repaired for Certain Campaigns Dear Mazda Dealer Colleagues, On October 28, 2026, a change was implemented in the warranty claim response screen to provide precise information for all campaigns requiring module programming or module replacement subject to the LECS system software checks. As previously announced, some claims were automatically rejected with the Edit code JN1 – One or More Modules Are Not Updated when submitting a campaign warranty claim. This response was based on the session file received from MDARS or MDARS II at the dealership and the VIN on the claim submitted. This change provides additional Related Information which enhances the edit code information. This information allows the dealer to correct the error without contacting Warranty or Hotline. Edit code JN1 now contains the actual module name and the software version that was collected from the car and what the minimum required software needed to be for the claim. Using this information, the technician can now identify the exact error or errors and correct the concern.

Some customers may complain about any of the following 1. Infotainment Center Display does not provide the Authorization Code (OTP) during the MyMazda App Connected Vehicle enrollment. 2. Remote function(s) inoperative.

NOTE: This service information only applies to vehicles with PYUKD engine and EGR. DESCRIPTION DTC P0402 EGR malfunctions may be falsely detected due to an internal malfunction of the MAP sensor. REPAIR PROCEDURE 1. Using MDARS, verify DTC P0402 is set in current or past history.

DESCRIPTION Some customers may experience a message "TCU Malfunction. Have the Vehicle Inspected" in the instrument cluster. Additional symptoms that may occur: Connected Vehicle One Time Passcode (OTP) may fail. Connected Vehicle Remote functions may fail. The following DTC's may be stored: B1252:87-8B:TCU - COMMUNICATION ERROR WITH CONNECTIVITY MASTER UNIT (CMU) U0198:00-03:CMU - COMMUNICATION ERROR WITH EMERGENCY CALL UNIT/TELEMATICS COMMUNICATION UNIT REPAIR PROCEDURE 1. Verify the concern. 2. Check if any of the following DTCs are stored: B1252:87-8B:TCU - COMMUNICATION ERROR WITH CONNECTIVITY MASTER UNIT (CMU) U0198:00-03:CMU - COMMUNICATION ERROR WITH EMERGENCY CALL UNIT/TELEMATICS COMMUNICATION UNIT Are the following DTCs stored? YES: Proceed to next step. NO: This service information does not apply. Continue troubleshooting using MGSS.

Mazda Connected Services - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SAs listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-042/26 06/30/26 DESCRIPTION Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Index General Questions MAZDA CONNECT Indication Setup and Getting Started Dealer Processes Registration / Enrollment / Take-Over Customer Subscription Status WI-FI General Informatio Opening the TCU Communication Line WI-FI How-To Conditions for Remote Engine Start Will Not Function WI-FI Trial Period Conditions for Remote Engine Start Function Will turn engine OFF Interacting With The App TCU Communication Line Status Service Issues Educational Videos Troubleshooting Resources MyMazda App Error Codes Customer Opt-Out

DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. Examples: 1. Devices connected to the DLC-2 (battery discharge/DTC stored) 2. Devices plugged into the 12V outlet 3. GPS tracking device (engine no start/battery discharge) 4. Dash cam (DTC stored) 5. Non-certified USB cable (Apple Carplay™/ Android Auto™ will not connect) 6. Over-sized wheels/tires (incorrect GPS location) 7. DTC C0023:14 8. Decorative trim and/or cover on the START/STOP ENGINE button