2008 Mazda MAZDA3: check engine light

Filed Aug 6, 2020 · Engine · 176 miles · NC

My mazda3 dies while I am driving without any indication of what is going on (no check engine light). When it does, I wait for a while and it will start back up again! My shop and I have tried everything we can, but we can't figure out why it is doing that! I called the manufacture and they said it was recalled for power steering assist failure and fixed in 2010 but to us it sounds it is that issue causing it to stop while in motion! This car is unsafe!! No car should stop in motion from nowhere! The manufacture should be responsible for that!

Filed Jul 14, 2020 · Transmission · 95,700 miles · PA

At and yellow check engine light came on and car was in limp mode first thing in morning after having no issues with my mazda previously. Codes came back with solenoids a, b, c, d, e all have electrical failure, and issues with the oxygen sensor. My car has had regular maintenance done on it. No signs or symptoms of transmission failure beforehand. Happened instantly overnight. Tcm is not in stock anywhere and I suspect that is the culprit due to other mazda owners similar situations. 95k miles.

Filed Apr 18, 2019 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · FL

While driving the speed goes up and down on its own the automatic transmission of my 2008 mazda 3 shifts down from the 5th to the 3rd gear. This causes the car to jerk violently and the controls to illuminate including check engine, no traction and at. My mechanic could not find a cause of this, and he serviced the transmission by changing the filter and transmission fluid but the problem persists. One mechanic said it is the speed sensor another the transmissions computer I have spend about 1,800 and I still have the same problems. It is very scary for my kids and myself while driving and I can't afford to get another car. What is the problems with mazda with my car? Can someone please help?! Also all the electrical stop working about two years ago, another thing is the steering wheels problems when making a turn it really time forever and it is really slow and heavy.

Filed Apr 3, 2019 · Electrical, Engine · 66,400 miles · DC

This vehicle has had 3 repeated major service repair attempts related to the TCM, PCM at light, check engine/transmission light trying to resolve this issue permanently. This vehicle was in motion and stationary on a city street when experiencing all of these problems. This vehicle has only approximately 68,000 miles. This is a major safety issue that needs to be addressed by mazda or buy back this vehicle. No one should have to be faced with these kinds of concerns. These systemic issues has not been favorable in my view and will having a major determing effect in future car purchase. Brand loyalty. [blah, blah, blah...] 4-3-2019 at 9:27am

Filed Sep 8, 2017 · Electrical, Engine · 79,000 miles · CA

At light and check engine light come on. While driving on freeway hard shifts automatically from 5th gear down to a harsh 3rd gear. Cannot get at light to shut off, replaced solinoids, TCM, PCM and still cannot locate the issue. Car will not go past 3rd gear. Car is still under 80k miles.

Filed Mar 25, 2017 · 88,560 miles · TX

I was driving on the tollway to work yesterday morning, 3/24/2017, I lightly tapped my breaks, and my mazda 3 jumped, hard breaking sensation, and made me swerve due to the car malfunctioning. The automatic transmission light illuminated and went off. Yesterday evening, I started my mazda 3 to reverse out of a parking lot and both the check engine light and the automatic transmission light immediately illuminated and never went off. The gear lights would not illuminate on my panel. My mazda 3 would reverse, but it took a few minutes to get the car to go into drive. I took my car to a mechanic first thing this morning, 3/25/2017, and the transmission needs to be replaced. With no warning and no previous transmission problems, all the electrical components of the transmission are gone and the transmission has failed. Additionally, I took my car to the dealership on 3/14/2017, and no one in the service department said my transmission was in bad shape or about to completely fail. I am not the only mazda owner with this problem, it seems to be a very common theme with mazdas. My car has 88,578 miles on it.

Filed Mar 22, 2017 · Engine · 85,000 miles · CO

10 minutes after my check engine light went on my car lost power to accelerate. I pulled over as soon as this started and by the time I was able to get off the highway my car died at the top of the off ramp. At this point it began billowing white smoke out from under the hood, out the tailpipe, and into the cabin of the car. It was not blue nor did it have an oil smell. I was originally travelling approximately 70 miles an hour when I started to lose power and in the minute or two it took me to get to the off ramp and at the time the car died I was going less than 5mph. When taken to the shop they said that 3 of the 4 cylinders had 0 remaining power and the fourth only had around 1/8th of the power that it should have had. They said that oil and coolant remained in the car at proper levels. My car has been well maintained and, again, the fluid levels were appropriate. I had between 10 and 15 minutes between when the check engine light first went on and catastrophic, irreparable engine failure. The car itself had only 85,000 miles on it. Looking online I see many others, not just one or two hut hundreds, who have had nearly identical experiences with this exact make, model, and engine size. Yet mazda, when called, stated that there was no recall and he hadn't heard anything about it, though others have expressed that they, too, contacted mazda after this type of complete engine failure. Mazda's response was that it was out of the power-train warranty period and that there was nothing that they would be willing to do.

Filed Jan 27, 2016 · Engine, Steering · 79,352 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 mazda mazda3. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle started to sputter. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed where it was diagnosed that the oxygen sensor was seized into the catalytic converter and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact also stated that the steering had excessive movement, while driving. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,352.

Filed May 29, 2015 · Acceleration, Engine · 127,000 miles · KY

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 mazda 3. While driving at various speeds, the atv and check engine lights illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the highway to restart the vehicle, but the warning lights were still illuminated. In addition, the vehicle jerked while driving and accelerated on its own. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the housing rod was cracked. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was 127,000.

Filed Apr 14, 2015 · Electrical, Transmission · 82,360 miles · OH

On 04/01/2015 while driving in the city at about 25 MPH the transmission went from 4 to 1, and the car jerked really hard. At light and check engine light came on. After pulling over and turning the car off and waiting a couple of minutes, at light went away, check engine light was still on. The same happened in two days, then in 5 days while driving on a freeway with speed 65 MPH - the car jerked and bucked at full speed, at light and check engine light on, transmission went from 5 to 1 to 3, tachometer went from 2500 RPM to over 4000 RPM - thankfully I did not hit anyone and I wasn't hit by other cars when that happened (I was very scared!). I got the car towed to the dealership, and after two days of diagnostics the answer - transmission control module (TCM) is bad. I did research online - very common problem with cars of this make, model and year. Dealer can not fix it because TCM is on nationwide back order! I have no car for a week now and it could be a month when the part will be available. This kind of problem worth of a recall due to the safety concerns and the cost of the replacement - over $1000 including diagnostics.

Filed Dec 16, 2014 · Acceleration, Engine · 87,637 miles · WA

Check engine light came on 12/13/14, car wouldn't start 12/14/14, had towed to repair shop 12/15/14 and was told engine was flooded because the car couldn't meter air correctly and over fueled the car. Spark plugs, air filter and throttle body were all gummed up and dirty due to this. Repair shop checked the technical service bulletin relating to the check engine light and found that this is a a known issue. They had to modify a bracket and splice in new wire where it was rubbed through because of this defect. If this is truly a common defect mazda should issue a recall on it and reimburse owners who have already had to have it fixed.

Filed Aug 5, 2014 · Engine · 75,057 miles · CA

Complete engine failure on well maintained mazda 3i at 75000 miles. Traveling on freeway in slowest lane of traffic, first heard a clicking noise and engine light went on. Car seemed to be losing power. Called aaa roadside help, who checked the car and determined it was ok and could be driven home, about 10 miles away. Proceeded to drive home, 5 miles into trip began losing power, clicking noise returned so I pulled over to shoulder as car completely lost power, engine overheated. Prognosis: timing chain broke, engine overheated and this car is a total loss. Finding now there are thousands of consumers that have experienced this issue with mazda engines. This company is a fraud, and people's lives are in danger as the result. Never again will I have anything to do with mazda cars.