KnownCarProblems2016 Mazda Mazda3 Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 104 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Mazda Mazda3, most often about the electrical (21% of complaints, typically around 28,500 miles). It is 13th of 23 Mazda3 model years by number of complaints and has 6 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory1 recall for this car came with a do-not-drive warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2016 Mazda Mazda3 problems
Electrical
22 complaints · 21%Half of these problems showed up before 28,500 miles.
My car has 28330 miles. I bought the car two years ago. Last week I was park in from of my house. In the morning, I got in the car and my steering wheel doesn't turn. I took it to Mazda and they want to charge me $3200 to fix this. They won't tell my what happen other than I need a new steering racks. I barely drive…
The infotainment system computer is on constant reboot loop. At first it would only occur when weather was very cold or hot. Then it started happening at least 75% of the time no matter the weather. I had Mazda dealership look at it prior to full warranty running out, they couldn't find an origin of issue and simply…
Other or unspecified
21 complaints · 20%Half of these problems showed up before 56,500 miles.
Temperature control stops working. The knob for temperature control will not move, the temp control link under dash disconnects. Windshield becomes fogged and cannot see out. This happens when car is both moving and stationary. Very difficult to deal with when travelling on freeways.
The infotaminment system computer is on constant reboot loop,making it along with all its features unusable. This is dangerous since the backup camera blacks out and also the hands free driving is unable to be used. The system was working fine in the morning and when I went to drive home it crashed after starting the…
Brakes
18 complaints · 17%Half of these problems showed up before 31,500 miles.
The contact owns a 2016 Mazda 3. While the vehicle was stationary and unoccupied, the emergency brake disengaged and the contact's vehicle rolled back and struck another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was not filed. There were no injuries. A dealer was not made aware of the failure. The…
I parked at the top of my driveway at a slight incline position with the emergency brake engaged and the car was in second gear (manual transmission). It was in a stationary position at that time. My family exited the vehicle and we went inside our home. Approximately a half our later I notice my car rolled down my…
Backup camera
12 complaints · 12%Parts named most often: warnings, rearview system braking, sensing system.
The contact owns a 2016 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while reversing, the back-over prevention camera, began to flicker, flashed, and became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v487000 (back over prevention) however, the part to do the…
The contact owns a 2016 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that the digital screen went blank and was repaired previously under an extended warranty. The contact then received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v487000 (back over prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The…
Transmission
9 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 40,000 miles.
I was driving home from work on 2-16-2021, all of a sudden with out warning, every warning and information light light up like a xmas tree, the power steering went away making it hard to drive, the engine ran in limp mode., I manage to get it pulled off to a safe spot , turn off the car, and then try to restart . No…
My car twice in one day shifted out of gear and became unresponsive when I tried to use the accelerator. I was on a surface street making a u turn the first time, and had made a right turn the second time. I took it to my mechanic after the first time it happened. He told me it was the module in my automatic…
Visibility and wipers
7 complaints · 7%When driving any time the sun is out, reflections from the dash against the inside of the windshield are very pronounced and can significantly effect visibility. I have been driving for more than 50 years and I know all cars have the phenomenon on occasion. Unfortunately this Mazda 3 restricts vision as I have…
Front control module whch apparently controls my wipers stopped working and I cannot drive in certain weather conditions. I was driving home after work I work nights it was around 3 am and it was pouring ran outside when my wipers stopped working and I was stuck on the side of the road for over 2 hours . It happened…
Engine
7 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 28,000 miles.
6/18/19 6:45 am: my car 'stalled' or lost power as I was accelerating and turning left across a boulevard (US 51 hwy in mcfarland, wi). Luckily, I was able to pull over and came to a complete stop, put the car in park, turned off the car (even though I had no power), waited a few seconds and restarted it. There were a…
Rattling/fluttering noise everytime I initially turn the car on with AC. Whenever the A/C was is on and I step on the accelerator. Now, it does it everytime I push on the accelerator without the A/C being on.
Air bags
6 complaints · 6%Air bags and bad tires - I hydroplaned on an interstate and totaled my car and another vehicle. I lost control and hit the other vehicle with the front of my car and continued to go up a 30ft embankment. On the way back down I took out a very large metal light pole with the front of my car and the air bags never…
The vehicle was in motion, going west, another vehicle in motion hit me, by the time it was over I was facing east and went up a curb and into a wall of a homeowners yard
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2016 Mazda Mazda3 recalls
Backup camera: camera
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display properly can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera, as necessary. In addition, dealers will install a wiring harness fastening seal. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed september 13, 2023. Final owner letters for affected models and model years in the states of ct, ma, md, nj, ny, pa and va were mailed august 14, 2024. The remaining owner notification letters will be mailed at a future date, anticipated on or before may 1, 2025. Owners may contact mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 6. Mazda
Full defect summary
Mazda north american operations (mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2018 mazda3 and 2016-2021 cx-3 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display properly by showing a flickering or distorted image.
Visibility and wipers: windshield wiper/washer
Risk: Reduced visibility while driving can increase the risk of crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front body control module with a new module which uses an improved wiper relay design, free of charge. The recall began may 7, 2019. Owners may contact mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3219d.
Full defect summary
Mazda north american operations (mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2018 mazda3 vehicles. A defective windshield wiper relay may cause the windshield wipers to become inoperative, reducing the driver's visibility.
Brakes: parking brake
Risk: If the parking brake actuator shaft binds, the parking brake may not engage or disengage fully. If the parking brake does not engage properly, the vehicle may move unexpectedly if it is parked on a slope, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will check the parking brake actuator shafts, replacing any that are corroded, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed august 24, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1217f.
Full defect summary
Mazda north american operations (mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2015 mazda6 and 2014-2016 mazda3 vehicles. Water could possibly enter the brake caliper causing the parking brake actuator shaft to corrode and possibly bind.
Fuel system: storage
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and depending on the tank lot number, dealers will inspect the recirculation pipe weld, replacing the fuel tank, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began november 1, 2016. Owners may contact mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0216i.
Full defect summary
Mazda north american operations (mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 mazda3 vehicles manufactured september 24, 2015, to october 16, 2015. During manufacturing, the fuel tanks for the affected vehicles may have deformed, resulting in a fuel leak from the recirculation pipe welded connection.
Fuel system: tank assembly
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and depending on the tank lot number, dealers will inspect the icv weld, replacing the fuel tank, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began november 1, 2016. Owners may contact mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0116i.
Full defect summary
Mazda motors north american operations (mazda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 mazda3 vehicles manufactured january 4, 2014, to september 18, 2015. The fuel tank of the affected vehicles may have been improperly handled during manufacturing and, as a result, the welded attachment of the inlet check valve (icv) may fail and allow fuel to leak.
Fuel system: tank assembly
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. An engine that stalls increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle's fuel shut-off valve. As needed, the fuel shut-off valve and the affected fuel tank emissions system components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on october 20, 2015. Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the repairs have been completed. Mazda will provide rental cars until that time. Owners may contact the mazda customer experience center at 1-800- 222-5500, option #6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8615j.
Full defect summary
Mazda north american operations (mazda) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 mazda3 vehicles manufactured may 21, 2015, to august 25, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with a fuel tank with a shut-off valve that can allow fuel to enter into the fuel tank emissions systems. If enough fuel enters the emission system it may leak out onto the ground or result in an engine stall.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2016 Mazda Mazda3
- What are the most common problems with the 2016 Mazda Mazda3?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (22 complaints, typically around 28,500 miles); other or unspecified (21 complaints, typically around 56,500 miles); brakes (18 complaints, typically around 31,500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2016 Mazda Mazda3 have?
- 6 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from July 14, 2023 (backup camera). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2016 a bad year for the Mazda Mazda3?
- It is 13th of 23 Mazda3 model years by number of complaints, with 104 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.