46 of the
155 complaints filed about the Mazda MAZDASPEED3
are about the transmission —
30% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2008.
46
Complaints
30%
Share of all complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
BLINKING AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT SHORTLY AFTER MAZDA SERVICE RECALL FOR SEAT REPLACEMENT. MAZDA DEALER REFUSED TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE WHICH LATER FOUND TO BE LOOSE CONNECTOR UNDER THE SEAT. CONNECTOR WAS UNCLIPPED DURING ASSEMBLY OF NEW VEHICLE BRACKET AND NOT REINSTALLED PROPERLY. OWNER ALSO HAD U0100 CODE PENDING NO PCM COMM. REFERRED TO WS MANUAL FOUND OUT LOOSE WIRE FROM AIR BAG COULD'VE BEEN THE PROBLEM, BUT LATER FOUND MOISTURE UNDER STEERING COLUMN. LED TO FINDING LEAKING BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER ONTO ENGINE FIREWALL PCM MAIN HARNESS CONNECTION/PLUG. THIS CAUSED CORROSION, POOR CONTACT WITH GROUND WIRING, AND VEHICLE ELECTRICAL "GREMLINS". SUCH AS HATCHBACK DOOR INDICATING 'OPEN' ON DISPLAY UPON START WITH NO CAUSE. RESTARTING VEHICLE SOLVED THAT.. INTERMITTENT TCS/DSC FLASHLIGHT LIGHT DRIVING UNDER 10MPH IN PARKING LOT. OWNER ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS @ 400 MILES. 1ST AND 2ND GEAR SYNCHRO REPLACED. LATER TURBO @ 15K MILES AND AGAIN AT 40K. DEALERSHIPS INEXPERIENCED WITH HANDLING MS3. MIGHT AS WELL HAVE GONE TO FORD SINCE MAZDA DEALERS WERE OF NO HELP GIVEN "CONVENIENCE" IN MILEAGE. BAD STRUT BEARINGS AT 50K, NEW STRUTS AND SHOCKS AT 35K. ENGINE MOUNT REAR AT 10K MILES. THE OTHER 2 MOUNTS FAILED, DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER. PASSENGER MOUNT LEAKED HYDRAULIC OIL ON TO SERPENTINE BELT AND PULLEY TENSIONER. COME ON! WHEN THE ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED, THE ENGINE TILTED BACKWARDS, CRACKING EXHAUST, CAUSING MISFIRE AND BURNING UP AT LEAST 1 IGNITION COIL. I COULD KEEP GOING..
NHTSA complaint #11196097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY ROAD DOING 35-40MPH IN 4TH GEAR. I LET OFF THE GAS WHILE IN 4TH AND COASTED TO ABOUT 20MPH THEN SHIFTED TO N AND STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I TRIED TO SHIFT TO 1ST AN THE SHIFTER WENT HALF WAY IN BETWEEN R AND 1ST, SO I SHIFTED BACK TO N AND TRIED 1ST AGAIN. THEN THE WHOLE SHIFTER BROKE OFF AND WAS JUST LAYING THERE. NOW MY CAR IS STUCK IN 3RD GEAR.
NHTSA complaint #11084999 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND MY ENGINE SHUT OFF ABRUPTLY. I CHECKED THE ENGINE AND FOUND A HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. OIL TRAILS OUT OF THE HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE BAY.
NHTSA complaint #10816475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR AT LOW SPEED, THE SHIFTER FOR MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION BROKE OFF IN MY HAND. AFTER COASTING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND REMOVING THE CONSOLE, I DISCOVERED IT SNAPPED IN HALF AT THE LOCATION OF THE RETENTION PIN.
NHTSA complaint #10743456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
END OF 2013, THE VEHICLE BEGAN RANDOMLY POPPING OUT OF 2ND GEAR AND BACK INTO NEUTRAL. DEALER REBUILT TRANS UNDER WARRANTY AND ALL WAS OKAY UNTIL OCTOBER 2014 WHEN THE SAME ISSUE BEGAN AGAIN. DEALER REPLACED TRANS UNDER WARRANTY BUT ADVISED TRANSMISSION WARRANTY WAS NO LONGER VALID. CURRENTLY, JULY 2015, THE SAME ISSUE IS HAPPENING AGAIN. VEHICLE WILL BE IN GEAR THEN OUT OF GEAR CAUSING ME TO BE UNABLE TO ACCELERATE, AND CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT RISK.
NHTSA complaint #10735033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN I PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. AFTER MAKING THE TURN AND GOING TO PUT THE CAR BACK IN GEAR THE SHIFTER BREAKS AT THE POINT WHERE THE PIN GOES IN ABOVE THE BALL. I DO NOT TRACK MY CAR NOR SHIFT HARD EVER.
NHTSA complaint #10650101 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE SHIFT LEVER COMPLETE BROKE OFF AND NO LONGER HAD ANY AFFECT ON ENGAGING ANY OF THE GEARS. I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND IT BROKE WHEN I TRIED TO ENGAGE 1ST GEAR OUT OF NEUTRAL. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO FEEL FOR THE SHIFT CABLE MECHANISM THROUGH THE LEATHER SHIFTER BOOT AND ENGAGE 3RD GEAR. LIMPED HOME IN 3RD.
NHTSA complaint #10641487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE A 2008 MAZDASPEED 3 WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON 9/9/2014, THE STEEL ROD THAT THE SHIFTER KNOB IS ATTACHED TO SHEARED OFF SUDDENLY WHILE I WAS SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND. THIS LEFT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND I HAD NO POWER SINCE I COULDN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE I WAS TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. LUCKILY, I AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT AND COASTED TO A STOP. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED HOME. THE STEEL SHAFT SEPARATED COMPLETELY IN TWO WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE BREAK OCCURRED RIGHT WHERE THE SHAFT HAS A HOLE DRILLED THROUGH IT FOR THE METAL PIN THAT LOCKS IT INTO THE LOWER PART OF THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY. I HAVE SAVED THE BROKEN PART AND I ALSO TOOK PHOTOS OF IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS PART, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SERIOUS DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS OF SIMILAR SHIFTER FAILURES FOR THIS YEAR/MODEL CAR ON INTERNET FORUMS. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO A MAZDA CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE VIA MAZDA'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE HOTLINE ON 9/9. I EMAILED THEM A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM AND SENT PHOTOS OF THE PART. I ALSO SHOWED THE PART TO MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP, LEE JOHNSON MAZDA IN KIRKLAND, WA AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE PART SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED IN THIS FASHION. I HAVE MADE REPEATED FOLLOW UP CALLS TO THE MAZDA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE HOTLINE AND ON 9/26 THEY HAVE INFORMED ME THAT MAZDA WILL NOT INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE AND IS NOT INTERESTED IN EXAMINING THE FAILED PART. THE CASE FILE NUMBER THEY GAVE ME IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10639364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON SATURDAY 19 JULY 2014, MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING NORTH ON HIGHWAY 131, 18 MILES SOUTH OF GRAND RAPIDS, MI WHEN WITHOUT NOTICE THE ENGINE'S NUMBER 1 CYLINDER BLOW A HOLE THROUGH THE CASTING AND DAMAGING THE INNER AXLE SHAFT CARRIER BEARING. WHEN THE ENGINE BLEW, IT CAUSED THE CAR TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY CAUSING ME, THE DRIVER, TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE CAR SWERVED INTO AN ADJACENT LANE. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD RUNNING CONDITION AND HAD JUST PASSED THE VIRGINIA STATE INSPECTION A FEW MONTHS PRIOR. ALL OF THE REGULAR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE WAS COMPLETED ACCORDING TO THE VEHICLES MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. EACH SERVICING THAT WAS COMPLETED WAS DOCUMENTED IN MY OWN PERSONAL RECORDS FOR REFERENCE. THIS BEING SAID, THIS VEHICLE CAUSED A MAJOR SAFETY INCIDENT WITHOUT NOTICE, WHICH UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE OR EVEN A FATALITY. THERE ARE SEVERAL CASES OF THESE MAZDA 2.3 LITER TURBO MRZ ENGINES BLOWING UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. THERE IS A MAJOR DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH MAZDA NEEDS TO ADDRESS.
NHTSA complaint #10625871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON SATURDAY 19 JULY 2014, MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING NORTH ON HIGHWAY 131, 18 MILES SOUTH OF GRAND RAPIDS, MI WHEN WITHOUT NOTICE THE ENGINE'S NUMBER 1 CYLINDER BLOW A HOLE THROUGH THE CASTING AND DAMAGING THE INNER AXLE SHAFT CARRIER BEARING. WHEN THE ENGINE BLEW, IT CAUSED THE CAR TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY CAUSING ME, THE DRIVER, TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE CAR SWERVED INTO AN ADJACENT LANE. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD RUNNING CONDITION AND HAD JUST PASSED THE VIRGINIA STATE INSPECTION A FEW MONTHS PRIOR. ALL OF THE REGULAR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE WAS COMPLETED ACCORDING TO THE VEHICLES MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. EACH SERVICING THAT WAS COMPLETED WAS DOCUMENTED IN MY OWN PERSONAL RECORDS FOR REFERENCE. THIS BEING SAID, THIS VEHICLE CAUSED A MAJOR SAFETY INCIDENT WITHOUT NOTICE, WHICH UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE OR EVEN A FATALITY. THERE ARE SEVERAL CASES OF THESE MAZDA 2.3 LITER TURBO MRZ ENGINES BLOWING UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. THERE IS A MAJOR DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH MAZDA NEEDS TO ADDRESS.
NHTSA complaint #10621872 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT, I ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT IN TO FIRST GEAR. WHILE SHIFTING, THE TRANSMISSION SELECT LEVER SHEERED AT THE INSERTION POINT TO THE TRANSMISSION AT THE RETENTION PIN. I WAS LEFT WITH A STICK SHIFT THAT WAS COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE CAR AND IMMOBILE.
NHTSA complaint #10577559 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DEFECTIVE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION MOUNT. DRIVING HOME AT 45MPH I SUDDENLY FELT A HUGE THUNK AND THEN METAL POUNDING AGAINST METAL AS THE CAR ROLLED. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE OF A 2 LANE ROAD AND WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO PULL TO THE SIDE SAFELY ALL I COULD HEAR WAS A TERRIBLE THUMPING NOISE AND THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. I HAD TO STOP IN THE LEFT HAND TURN LANE BLOCKING A BUSY INTERSECTION. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED HOME I COULD FINALLY POP THE HOOD TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE. THE #4 (DRIVER SIDE) ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION MOUNT HAD COMPLETELY FAILED, BREAKING THE REAR ENGINE MOUNT (#1) AND SEVERELY DAMAGING THE #3 (PASSENGER SIDE) ENGINE MOUNT. THE ONLY THING KEEPING THE ENGINE FROM FALLING TO THE GROUND WAS THE SEVERELY DAMAGED #3 MOUNT AND THE REST OF THE ENGINE HAD LANDED ON THE CHASSIS! PICTURE OF BROKEN ENGINE/TRANSMISSION MOUNT - HTTP://I.IMGUR.COM/MWTNUBD.JPG EXPLANATION OF REPAIRS AT MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP: "CUSTOMER STATES MOTOR MOUNT IS BROKEN, ENGINE HAS SHIFTED. CHECK AND ADVISE. TOW IN. VERIFIED CUSTOMER CONCERN, FOUND TRANSMISSION MOUNT HAS FAILED CAUSING ENGINE TO DROP AND BREAK LEFT AXLE. ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO ENGINE MOUNTS #3 AND #1. REPLACED LEFT FRONT AXLE. TRANSMISSION MOTOR MOUNT #3, AND #1. TEST DROVE VEHICLE, REPAIR VERIFIED" MAZDA HAS A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE FOR ALL MAZDASPEED3S MANUFACTURED JUNE 2006 THROUGH MAY 2007. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007, 4 MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL EXPIRED... NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V295000. MAZDA RECALL NUMBER: 4607F. $1500 AND 2 WEEKS LATER I HAVE MY CAR BACK. I CALLED MAZDA USA AND FILED A COMPLAINT AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD DO NOTHING TO HELP. MAZDA KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE DEFECTIVE ENGINE MOUNTS IN MAZDASPEED3 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED AFTER THEIR RECALL EXPIRED. THERE ARE MANY ADDITIONAL COMPLAINTS ALL OVER THE WEB AND IN THE NHTSA DATABASE YET MAZDA HAS DONE NOTHING. MAZDA COMPLAINT NUMBER: 149448083.
NHTSA complaint #10555852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA, MAZDASPEED3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE, THE GEAR LEVER BECAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO A SAFE LOCATION WHERE A TEMPORARY REPAIR WAS PERFORMED BY THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE PART WAS ORDERED FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10519519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WAS STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED, I WENT TO PUT THE CAR IN FIRST GEAR AND THE STICK SHIFT LEVER BROKE IN HALF. DISASSEMBLING THE SHIFTER CONSOLE FOR EXAMINATION, IT APPEARS THAT THE SHAFT HAS BROKEN CLEANLY IN HALF AT THE POINT WHERE IT IS DRILLED FOR THE REVERSE LOCKOUT PIN.
NHTSA complaint #10512720 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRIVING ON MANUAL FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND THE ENGINE SPEEDS UP AND CAR TAKES OVER. THE GEARS DON'T SHIFT AND HOLDS BACK FROM CHANGING TO AUTOMATIC, BRAKING OR SLOWING DOWN. CARS COMING BEHIND SEVERAL TIMES ALMOST REAR ENDED US WITH OUR KIDS IN THE BACK SEAT. ANOTHER INCIDENT DRIVING ON HIGHWAY GOING 45-50 THE GEARS GOT STUCK ON DOWN SHIFT AND ENGINE SPEED UP, ALMOST HITTING THE MEDIAN STRIP. THIRD TIME IN FEBRUARY RAINING THE SAME OCCURRENCE, THE CAR TAKES OVER.
NHTSA complaint #10496248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THEN A FLOPPING NOISE. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED THERE WAS OIL LEAKING FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND WHITE SMOKE. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DESTROYED. AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS REMOVED, THE REPAIR TECHNICIAN SHOWED ME THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH WAS LITERALLY BREAKING IN PIECES. HE SAID THAT I WOULD ALSO NEED A NEW CLUTCH ASSEMBLY AND FLYWHEEL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. I DO NOT ABUSE THE CAR AND MAINTAIN IT WELL. I WASN'T EVEN SHIFTING GEARS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. JUST DRIVING ALONG IN 6TH GEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS HAPPENED LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED (OF COURSE) AND MAZDA WOULD NOT HELP COVER ANY COSTS FOR THE REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #10496141 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.