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NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 2018 Mazda Mazda3.
| Overall Rating | |
| Frontal Crash | |
| Side Crash | |
| Rollover |
| Overall Rating | |
| Frontal Crash |
Component: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
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.
Consequence: Reduced visibility while driving can increase the risk of crash.
Remedy: 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.
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
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.
Consequence: 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.
While I was driving on the highway, I went to use my front wipers and there was no response when trying to active them. The rear wiper, front and rear washer fluid sprayers all worked. No warning lights or other signs of failure were present. I took the car to a local repair shop and they diagnosed it as a bad Body Control Module. Once the module was replaced and reprogrammed, the wipers worked as intended. Safety Recall 3219D describes the issue I had perfecly. My VIN is out of the range of this recall but if I had the same issue as this recall, there might be other bad parts out there and that range might need to be increased.
The center dashboard information screen developed "spider cracks" and got opaque in the corners of the screen. The screen would change functions / jump around commands without being touched while driving ( from NAV to radio, change radio stations etc) - apparently called 'Ghost Touch". Mazda has been aware of the defect for some time and issued a TSB ( and settled a class action lawsuit) but we never received any notification. The dealer offered no assistance as the car was out of warranty . We paid several hundred dollars to replace the screen as the car was becoming undriveable.
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware of a strong fuel odor around the exterior of the vehicle and inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had occurred after refueling. No warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure, and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The dealer had to reschedule the appointment due to a scheduling issue. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a crack in the top of the fuel pump. The contact was informed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced, and the vehicle was being repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure; however, the VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the vehicle needed to be taken to a dealer for a diagnostic test. The repair coverage was denied because the vehicle was not repaired by a dealer. The failure mileage was 179,550.
The 2018 Mazda Mazda3 has 4 NHTSA recalls and 106 consumer complaints on file. It received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA crash testing. The high number of complaints suggests potential reliability concerns — review the complaint details above before purchasing. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
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| Side Crash |
| Rollover |
Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
Consequence: Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
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.
Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display properly can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: 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's number for this recall is 6023G.
My 2018 Mazda 3 has an intermittent electrical failure on the high-speed CAN network that causes multiple safety-critical systems to fail while driving. When the fault occurs, the dash lights up with warnings for powertrain, ABS/traction, lane departure, collision-avoidance, TPMS, immobilizer, and the check-engine light. The car also hesitates or “lurches” between 15–30 mph during these events. At one point in 2024, the vehicle went into limp mode on the freeway, creating a safety hazard. These failures are intermittent but repeatable. Diagnostic scans from 2023–2025 show multiple U-codes for lost communication between control modules; two later became permanent. The issue appears unrelated to any one component and affects many systems at once. The vehicle has been to every Mazda dealership in the North Texas region (Mesquite, Freeman, Hiley, Norm Reeves, Town North). All performed only basic scans; none completed a full CAN-bus or wiring-harness diagnostic. Town North kept the vehicle for six weeks (Sept–Oct 2025), replaced a coil and spark plugs, performed a camera calibration and a TCM update, but the network failures returned within 38 miles. We sought independent inspection only after dealerships repeatedly refused diagnosis whenever the warning lights were not on at the moment of arrival. In November 2025, a technician found significant internal corrosion inside the negative battery cable; touching the cable reproduced the full failure immediately. The corrosion extends deep into the wire sheathing. This appears to be an electrical defect affecting CAN communication and power/ground integrity. When the fault occurs, multiple safety systems disable at once and the vehicle behaves unpredictably. Mazda Corporate has declined further assistance, and the defect remains unresolved. I am filing this report because this is a recurring safety issue that may affect other vehicles of the same model and year.
The Infotainment system is cracking uncontrollably and will make the rear view camera unusable and a safety issue. It keeps resetting every minute. Mazda corporation wont pay for the repair that they are charging about 1,000 to fix it.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The high-pressure fuel pump failed. This component failure prevents the car from starting or staying running. The check engine code confirmed the high-pressure fuel pump failure. The failed component is currently at the Mazda dealership and is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk The car suddenly stalled while driving on the roadway, creating a dangerous situation. If this had happened on the freeway or in fast-moving traffic, it could have led to a serious accident. Losing power and control of the vehicle at higher speeds poses a major safety risk to both the driver and surrounding vehicles. I was fortunate that the failure occurred on a city street rather than on the freeway. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The Mazda dealership inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the high-pressure fuel pump had failed, which was also verified by the check engine code. This failure caused the stalling and starting issues. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle was inspected by an authorized Mazda dealership, which diagnosed and confirmed the high-pressure fuel pump failure. It has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Before the final failure, the car was hesitant to start, and after it stalled, the check engine light appeared. There were no prior warning messages or signs before the car suddenly stalled while driving. Additional details: The car is only seven years old with approximately 52,000 miles, and it is concerning that such a critical component would fail this early.
The touch screen in my car has developed a malfunction known as “ghost touch,” where the screen glitches and registers inputs I am not making. This failure involves the infotainment system, and the component is still available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because the screen can suddenly change settings, including navigation, phone, and climate controls, while I am driving, which is distracting and dangerous. The problem has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, nor has the vehicle been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms before the failure—it began suddenly and recently without prior indication.
There is a infotainment display that sits on the center part of the dash that has touch screen capability that over time starts to fail and results in what is known as "ghost touch", where random screen settings change as though someone is using the touch screen on the infotainment screen. I had issues to where settings for screen brightness have changed causing my ability to see the controls being hindered and the radio sometimes turning up loudly and then off causing a scare distraction while driving. This screen is also used for the back up camera. There is currently a class action lawsuit for this.
I got into my car and the infotainment screen was cracked. It had been parked in moderate weather (no extreme heat or cold) and just randomly had multiple small cracks across the screen. This makes the back up camera difficult to see which is a safety concern.
My screen ghost taps (goes into apps without me touching it) plus there is screen damage. I got into my car one day and it looked like the screen was cracked. But it’s on the inside. I never been into the car crash or had any accidents happen to my car or the display. It affects my driving when I am using my back camera
Wiper stopped functioning, in the rain. Started with the wipers making 2 wipes rapidly, then not functioning. Next day, wipers partially functioned erratically before being stuck in the up position.
The Infotainment system is cracking uncontrollably and will make the rear view camera unusable and a safety issue. Mazda corporation wont pay for the repair that they are charging close to 2k to do.
Touchscreen has the "ghost screen" problem. It has gotten progressively worse over the last year. The Mazda dealership did a firmware update about 2 years ago and that didn't help. Now the screen thinks it's being pressed constantly in the same spot so it just beeps over and over again. If I'm not on my radio, it will hit things like safety settings, emergency contacts, etc. so I have to leave my radio on all the time. I've researched this issue and it's well-known. A recall was issued for 2014-2016 models but not for anything after that.
Mazda infotainment system center display screen with spider cracking. Cracking makes part of display unreadable.
Showing 15 of 106 complaints