Check a VIN

2020 Mazda MAZDA3 problems

The most common problem on the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 is driver assistance and stability. It has fewer complaints than a typical MAZDA3 model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Year score
91/100
Owner complaints
32
Recalls
2
Service bulletins
72922 warranty
Worst area
Driver assistance

The worst 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Driver assistance
    17
  • Brakes
    3
  • Electrical
    3
  • Steering
    3
  • Fuel system
    2
  • Suspension
    2
  • Body
    1
  • Engine
    1
  • Lights
    1
  • Seat belts
    1
  • Tires
    1
  • Transmission
    1
  • Visibility
    1

Recalls 2

Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliperReported June 12, 2020 · 24,037 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2020 CX-30 and Mazda3 vehicles. The front brake caliper mounting bolts may not have been tightened properly during assembly, possibly allowing the calipers to loosen.
Risk
Loose brake calipers can reduce braking performance or interfere with wheel rotation, affecting vehicle handling. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake caliper bolts, tightening them as necessary. If bolts are missing, the affected brake caliper will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 24, 2020. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1‑800‑222‑5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4420F.

Recall number 20V346000 · Recall details

Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency brakingReported December 19, 2019 · 35,390 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Mazda3 vehicles. The Smart Brake System (SBS) can falsely detect an obstacle while driving, activating the automatic emergency braking system and suddenly stopping the vehicle.
Risk
Stopping the vehicle unexpectedly increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will update the SBS software. In addition, vehicles with certain production dates will receive an instrument cluster software update or replacement and a replacement owner's manual. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2020. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1‑800‑222‑5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4219L.

Recall number 19V907000 · Recall details

See all 2 recalls for the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3

Technical service bulletins for the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 729

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 729 bulletins for the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3

What 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Jul 2, 2026 · Fuel system · TX

Low pressure fuel pump failure with 75,575 miles on odometer. Fuel pump completely seized. Car was parked at a retail location and would not start. Upon troubleshooting, mechanic was able to determine the low pressure pump was not delivering fuel. Pump was replaced. Faulty fuel pumps could lead to hazardous conditions as they are mounted within the fuel tank. I feel this is too early in the vehicles life for this component to have completely failed.

Filed Mar 13, 2026 · Tires · NV

size 21545ZR18 93Y. replaced these oem tires with these from costco on feb 27 2025. in dec 5 2025 the tire developed a large bubble. miles bought was 27790. current miles 31212. per tire center steal belting was broken no signs of road hazard or other damage. the belt broke and rubber was stressed with " maybe a 1000 miles regaining before catastrophic failure." wear instrument showed they were literally showing new tires. states they were the 3rd michellin tires with dude wall bubbling that week. states could have caused severe accident. no warnings damage leaks or idicators. all maintenance and pressure follwed per manufacturing specs. tires are a danger to drivers even low miles to failure to cause accident.

Filed Feb 19, 2026 · Transmission · VA

My Mazda3 began producing a chirp when shifting from 3rd to 4th gear (automatic transmission). The dealer stated that the car needed a new torque converter. At the time the car only 37,000 miles on it, quite low mileage for a torque converter to fail. Mazda has previously admitted to producing cars with faulty torque converters, as specified in Mazda TXXXXXX] ). While my car fit the description of both the problem and proposed fix, and also fell within the applicable models/VINs listed on the TSB, Mazda corporate HQ stated that my specific VIN was not covered by the TSB, and therefore the repair cost was my responsibility. Since the problem, solution, and general vehicle type are entirely as described in the TSB, it appears possible that the TSB was too narrowly scoped and omitted impacted vehicles, to the detriment of owners. This would also cause potential safety concerns, since an unrepaired torque converter could produce unexpected shifting problems. Therefore I suggest that the federal safety agency investigate to determine if additional vehicles are impacted by Mazda's faulty torque converters. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Nov 18, 2025 · Suspension · PA

I pulled into the driveway (at about 5 mph) of my passenger's home, when a very loud, metallic pop occurred somewhere inside my vehicle. I could not discern the problem by visually inspecting the car. Upon returning to my home, I arranged for the dealership to inspect the car's suspension. They found that both rear springs had snapped off from their lower vehicle attachment points. At the time of the incident, my car was less than 6 years old and had approximately 62500 total miles. I had the dealership replace both rear springs and associated attachment hardware. Prior to this failure, the dealership had routinely inspected the suspension of my vehicle as part of PA annual inspections. I experienced NO warning symptoms prior to the suspension failure.

Filed Nov 16, 2025 · Steering, Suspension · TX

TSB 02-003/24 Car front suspension bolts corroded and making metal on metal sounds during turning and braking

Filed Jul 8, 2025 · FL

See attached document for complaint.

Filed Jul 17, 2024 · Seat belts · CA

Passenger seat belt won’t retract and remains in a locked state.

Filed Jun 16, 2024 · Driver assistance, Electrical · AZ

Google search shows Mazda has common problem with their front sensing camera, people are reporting the issue for different Mazda models across the board for the last few years including newer models as well. My car display shows few malfunction warning messages. Following captured from MyMazda app. 1. Forward sensing camera malfunction. i-ACTIVESENSE advanced safety and driver support systems may not operate correctly. 2. High Beam Control System is disabled. Automatic switching between high and low beams is unavailable.

Filed Sep 26, 2023 · Driver assistance · MA

While driving on a residential street the automatic emergency braking system activated and brought the car to a very abrupt stop but there was nothing in the front of the car to activate the system. There were no cars in the on-coming lane and no cars in the lane beside my car. When the car stopped the Brake warning appeared in the windshield and a warning tone sounded. It was in the early evening and it was raining. Fortunately there were no cars behind me so there were no injuries. I took the car to the Mazda dealership and upon inspection they noted that the radar system associated with the automatic emergency braking system was malfunctioning and not correctly calculating the distance between the car and other objects. They are in the process of replacing the radar. If this had happened on the highway at higher speeds or if there had been a car behind me I would have been injured.

Filed Aug 18, 2023 · Brakes, Driver assistance · CO

My car's automatic emergency brake is deploying without warning, during driving, when there are no other cars in my forward proximity. I took it to the dealership to have it fixed, and on the drive home, it did it again. There is a recall for similar makes and models for this year, but my car has not been included.

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 before you buy

Compare the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3

MAZDA3 vs Ford FocusMAZDA3 vs Honda CivicMAZDA3 vs Toyota CorollaMAZDA3 vs Volkswagen JettaMAZDA3 vs Hyundai ElantraMAZDA3 vs Nissan SentraMAZDA3 vs Chevrolet CruzeMAZDA3 vs Subaru Impreza

Other model years

20042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026

Questions about the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3

Is the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 reliable?

Owners have filed 32 complaints about the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3, fewer than a typical MAZDA3 model year.

What is the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 year score?

The 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 scores 91 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Mazda MAZDA3: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3?

Driver assistance and stability, with 17 complaints. Next is brakes (3).

How many recalls does the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 have?

2 recalls, covering service brakes, hydraulic and forward collision avoidance.

Was there a recall on the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 driver assistance?

Yes, 1 recall: 19V907000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.

What year does the Mazda MAZDA3 have the most driver assistance problems?

The Mazda MAZDA3 model years with the most driver assistance complaints are 2018 (21 complaints), 2012 (19 complaints) and 2020 (17 complaints).

Share your experience with the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3

Tell other buyers what went wrong and what it cost. We review every report before it appears, and we never publish names, emails or VINs.

No names, contact details or links. Reports about a dealer or a person are not published.

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 2020 Mazda MAZDA3?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history
Is this car on a recall?Check VIN