2013 Mazda Mazdaspeed3 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2013 Mazda Mazdaspeed3, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Interior & seats266.7%
- Body & structure133.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE SWING ARM THAT ATTACHES THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO THE LEFT-SIDE SEAT RUNNER UNEXPECTEDLY DETACHED. CLOSE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY A WELD FAILURE / METAL FATIGUE AT THE POINT WHERE THE ARM WAS WELDED TO THE ROD THAT RUNS BELOW THE CUSHION. THE SEAT IS NOW UNSTABLE AND ROCKS IN AN ALARMING WAY, BOTH WHEN ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING. COPIED FROM AN EXISTING COMPLAINT FOR THE 2010 MODEL YEAR BECAUSE IT IS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM
DRIVER SEAT COLLAPSES BACKWARDS WHEN REAR-ENDED WHILE STATIONARY ON INTERSTATE AND REMAINS FULLY RECLINED AFTER COLLISION. ATTEMPTS TO RETRACT THE SEAT INTO NORMAL DRIVING POSITION IS UNSUCCESSFUL AS THE SEAT NO LONGER LOCKS INTO POSITION. THE ONLY POSITION WHERE THE SEAT LOCKS INTO PLACE IS IN THE FULLY RECLINED POSITION.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
SUMMARY: INSUFFICIENT CORROSION PROTECTIVE COATING WAS APPLIED TO THE ENDS OF THE EXTERNAL CYLINDERS OF THE REAR HATCH/LIFT GATE GAS STAY DAMPERS (LIFT SUPPORTS). IF WATER CONTAINING ROAD SALT ENTERS, IT CAN CAUSE CORROSION. OVER TIME, INCREASED CORROSION MAY EVENTUALLY CAUSE IT TO BREAK AS THE REAR HATCH OR LIFT GATE IS OPENED. SAFETY RISK: THE REAR HATCH OR LIFT GATE MAY DROP SUDDENLY, AND/OR THE BROKEN PARTS MAY HIT THE CUSTOMER, CAUSING INJURY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .