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.
Mazda MAZDA3 engine failure problems
41 of the 2,993 owner complaints about the Mazda MAZDA3 describe engine failure, most of them for the 2005 model year.
- owner complaints
- 41
- worst model year
- 2005
- typical mileage
- 79,352
By model year
Often reported together
Steering lock-up 13Check engine light 5Overheating 3Loss of power 3Stalling 2Oil consumption 2Won't start 1Transmission failure 1
What owners say
The contact owns a 2007 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH and making a turn, the steering wheel was difficult to turn to the left or the right. The check engine warning light was illuminated and flashing. The contact stated that the steering then seized. While checking the website, the contact associated the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 10V374000 (Steering). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed there was no recall coverage on the VIN related to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case, and confirmed there was no recall coverage for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 195,081.
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.
I have a 2017 Mazda 3 with exactly 59,454 miles. I was driving my car into work and a warning came on saying coolant temperatures high pull over immediately. I feel my safety was at risk since I was on a highway and my car lost power and would not allow me to accelerate. Loaded the car on a flatbed to bring into a Mazda dealership. I had oil leaking into my coolant. They diagnosed it as a cracked cylinder head or engine block. Only solution I was given was to replace the engine with a factory new engine. I spoke to Mazda customer service and they admitted it is a known issue.
Defective Driver's seat construction made by Mazda Mfg Corp. I was the first person to report this cheaply made driver's seat failure to Mazda Corp in Irvine, CA in early 2015 or 2016. Recall was finally issued a year afterwards because Mazda dragged their feet, and only after I threatened to sue them if I was ever in an accident, and the seat was to totally fall apart, and maim me for life did they finally take action. The Recall fix (cheap bandaid clamp that again failed because seat frame welds had failed as well) was never done right, and as a result the seat totally fell apart, and Ed Howard Lincoln Mazda of Sarasota, FL didn't want to do anything further at that point (cost out of pocket wise). I was told by a different Mazda Dealership in Ft Myers, FL that that defective seat should have been totally replaced if they would've handled it correctly. So Ed Howard Lincoln Mazda really screwed me on that one! As related to the 2.5L Mazda engine, I also had/have a engine failure part there as well. It's called the ENGINE COOLANT (WATER) OUTLET FLANGE, and the bottom left hand bolt (1 of 4 bolts total) that's suppose to hold this cheap plastic part in place was stripped (over-torqued) at the production assembly line time that the engine was made (put together). Now the cheap plastic replacement part is leaking again from the same lower left hand corner, and this is a well Known Ford & Mazda 2.5L engine failure design as stated in many a Mazda online forum! This also should have been recalled, as now my 2011 Mazda 3 is down again. Engine overheated again on Oct 13, 2023. Prior repair to replace this defective Flange was done in Feb or Mar of 2022. Cheap Plastic parts put on a Metal engine just don't work well at all. Common Physics would tell you that! I have documents in my storage unit if you need them.
The contact owns a 2007 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 55 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to continue driving to her destination. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 10V374000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000. The VIN was not available.
Engine is consuming excessive oil. Dealership states there is a TSB out but the fix is to keep topping the oil off. I would like an investigation to determine the root cause of the oil consumption on a new engine.
Motor cylinder #1 low compression took it to mazda they couldnt figure it out and less than 20 miles after the motor threw a rod at 70,001 miles total. Cylinder 1 walls where not made correctly
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 mazda mazda3. While the contact's daughter was driving 60 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The contact was unaware if any indicators were illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to mazda of arlington (1400 tech centre pkwy, arlington, tx 76014, (817) 575-6000) where it was diagnosed that the power steering assist failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Engine failed entirely during routine highway driving, vehicle lost forward propulsion, eventually coming to complete stop on the road. There were zero warning or any notice at all that the engine was dying. I was stranded on the side of the road for over 1 hour, while help arrived.
Related recalls
Engine
- What is wrong
- Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
- Risk
- An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1‑800‑222‑5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
Recall number 19V497000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system
- What is wrong
- Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3 vehicles, equipped with an incorrect exhaust valve spring. The incorrect exhaust valve spring may fail while driving, potentially causing an engine stall.
- Risk
- An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engines and replace any incorrect exhaust valve springs, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 20, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1‑800‑222‑5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1717K.
Recall number 17V745000 · Recall details
Questions about the Mazda MAZDA3 engine failure
Which Mazda MAZDA3 years have engine failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2005 (6 complaints), 2007 (6 complaints) and 2008 (6 complaints).
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