Owners have filed 107 complaints on the Mazda CX-3, covering 2016–2021. The system named most often is Electrical System (23 reports). Worst years by volume: 2016, 2019, 2017; cleanest: 2020, 2021, 2018. 9 reports describe a crash. On average the car was 4.0 years old when the problem happened.
What breaks on Mazda CX-3
Grouped by the system owners named — percentages are shares of all 107 CX-3 complaints. Open any row for the full reports in owners' own words.
Electrical System 23 Read
The instrument cluster in my 2021 Mazda CX-3 failed at approximately 50,000 miles. While driving, the vehicle displayed multiple warning lights, including Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Smart City Brake Support (SCBS), traction control, and front camera/safety system warnings. These safety systems became unavailable…
Key fob disconnects while driving. Lock/unlock does not work. Car does not start when keyfob is in vehicle. This has happened three times now, the dealership has changed my keyfobs, flashed the memory, and replaced the batteries. I've spoken to corporate customer service and was told "sometimes key fobs just…
I purchased my 2019 cx 3 november 2018. April 17 2019 with 1840 miles I needed a new battery. I was told I didn't drive the care enough! I drive my car every day but it is local driving. February 25 2020 my car was serviced at 5000 miles including oil change and engine check. Paperwork showed battery at 100%. March 2…
Fuel/propulsion System 10 Read
I was told I have a recall on my fuel pump it can die at any time! Then they tell you they have no solution for fixing it so you're taking your life in your own hands going out of town having a car break down on you! How is that right I buy a new car thinking I can drive it safely and now I'm afraid to go anywhere and…
I have two issues. The front crash warning light goes on and off intermittently even when alone on the highway. This happens about once a month. The second issue is more serious. My car showed 40 miles of gas left in the tank, and ran out of gas. Fortunately I was in the right hand lane and there was a shoulder. Had…
Where the plastic center console meets the carpeting on the right side of the gas pedal, there is a gap. No less than three times in only two months while in motion have I gotten my shoe stuck in the plastic of center console when trying to take it off the gas pedal, leaving me unable to take my foot off of the gas…
Steering 9 Read
Dec 7, 2023, I was driving on [XXX] in Gaston County and someone slammed my vehicle as I was driving safely and not fast. I was in the middle lane and barely saw the vehicle that slammed me pushing me to the left of the interstate. Officer Talley, J was there to help me: The report number is [XXX]. The vehicle was…
Having the exact same issue as was outlined and allegedly repaired in the prior service bulletin 06-001/20. Obviously this bulletin only applies to vehicles up to model year 2020. I have checked the model number on the steering motor to determine that it is the "updated" design. Obviously, the issue has not been…
The Mazda CX-30 2021 I purchased from Mastria Mazda in Raynham, Massachusetts has a steering problem that is a significant safety concern. The steering wheel has resistance that can most notably be felt at highway speeds (around 65 mph). When making small corrections to the steering wheel to stay in the lane the…
Back Over Prevention 9 Read
The contact owns a 2019 Mazda CX-3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was…
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made…
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the…
Exterior Lighting 7 Read
Heavy condensation is occurring inside the driver side headlamp. A quick google search shows this is a common problem among Mazda owners and Mazda will not cover the repair. I am unable to get a Massachusetts state inspection sticker due to this
Both headlamp lights have water on it (Condensation ocurring on both headlamps) Please verify if this situation could be considered a safety hazard
The seals around headlights are failing and causing moisture infiltration. Limiting distance of visibility during night driving. I have found through forums that this is a common occurrence
Visibility/wiper 6 Read
Front windshield cracked from top of car nothing hit it looks like stress crack. Mazda says no and no problems with there windows. 5 weeks later and no one can get me windshield because 400 backorderd and mazda has hold on them.so I have a broken window on a new car that I cannot get fixed lucky som far no tickets.…
In early November 2022, a stress crack appeared on the left side of the front windshield. The crack was about 20 inches long, about halfway down the windshield, and impaired my view of the road. I took it to the dealership (Jeff Haas Mazda at 16711 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas) for inspection and they confirmed it was…
Windshield wiper fluid tank leaks when you pour fluid in empty within about an hour
Engine 6 Read
Fuel injector failed without warning. A lot of fuel leaked into the engine destroying a spark plug in one cylinder and ultimately ruining the catalytic converter when fuel got into it. Independent mechanic and Mazda dealership diagnosed. Car cannot be driven
While driving 70 mph on the interstate, vehicle stalled and started jerking, unable to accelerate, losing speed quickly. Fortunately I was able to move onto the shoulder, avoiding a semi truck approaching quickly behind, and another semi trucked parked along the interstate blocking access to the shoulder
On November 4, 2022 I was driving in the middle lane of I 87 north of Saratoga Springs. The car stalled and died. I was able to get to the break down lane. After sitting for 5 - 10 minutes, completely frazzled, I tried the ignition and the car started. The gas gauge said I had approximately ¼ tank left. I filled the…
Vehicle Speed Control 5 Read
I was in a parking ramp, I rounded the corner going up and was pulling into a parking spot, my foot was on the break, and the car accelerated. I lurched forward into a wall of the ramp. It wasn't raining so pavement and ramp were not wet. The dealer has looked at the car, said they saw break and gas pedal active at…
I turned into a parking spot and was slowing down .everything seemed normal when suddenly the car sped up into a wooded area. The car shot into the trees. With my foot on the brake I tried to stop it but it just kept going. The car stopped when it hit a tree. I turned off the ignition and realized that my foot was on…
Rough starting, stalling while going to switch gears, hesitating when pressing gas
CX-3 years to avoid — and the clean ones
Complaints per model year. More reports usually means more cars on the road as well as more trouble, so read the crash and fire columns alongside the count.
| Model year | Complaints | Top system | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Electrical System,service Brakes,forward Collision Avoidance | — | — | |
| 2020 | Air Bags | 1 | — | |
| 2019 | Air Bags,latches/locks/linkages | 1 | — | |
| 2018 | Back Over Prevention | 1 | — | |
| 2017 | Air Bags,vehicle Speed Control,service Brakes | 2 | — | |
| 2016 | Air Bags,seat Belts,lane Departure | 4 | — |
The same model year, different builds
Every complaint carries the first 11 characters of the VIN — plant, year, body and engine. That is a production series, and complaints are spread across them very unevenly.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Distinct production series | 79 |
| Average complaints per series | 1.4 |
| Worst single series | 5 complaints |
| Average age at failure | 4.0 years |
A model average of 1.4 hides a worst series at 5. Enter a VIN above to see the numbers for that exact build instead of the model as a whole.
Owners reported these. Find out if yours is one of them.
- Complaints matched to the exact production run, not just the model
- What the car is worth given what tends to fail on it
- The original window sticker and factory options
- Full research report as a PDF for the pre-purchase inspection
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
How we count
Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,100,006 of them, covering 1,982 models built between 1981 and 2026.
A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.
Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the CX-3?
By complaint volume, 2016, 2019, 2017 drew the most owner reports. Bear in mind that popular years put more cars on the road, so check the crash and fire columns too.
Which CX-3 years are the cleanest?
2020, 2021, 2018 have the fewest complaints on file. For recent years that can simply mean the cars are young.
How many complaints does the Mazda CX-3 have?
107 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, covering 2016–2021. Of those, 9 describe a crash and 0 a fire.
Are these complaints verified?
No. They are unverified reports from owners. NHTSA publishes them as filed and investigates only a fraction. The value is in the pattern, not in any single report.
Can I check complaints for one specific car?
Yes — enter its VIN above. We match the first 11 characters, which identify the plant, year, body and engine, so you get complaints on that exact production series rather than the whole model.