Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2004 Mazda Mazda3, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags25
- Service brakes, hydraulic25
- Power train24
- Steering19
- Engine and engine cooling17
- Tires9
- Electrical system8
- Structure8
- Exterior lighting8
- Equipment5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 14 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 25 2004 Mazda3 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 21 people died inside them, and 4 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
Engines
The most common engines in 2004 Mazda Mazda3 cars on Dutch roads are the 1.6 petrol (77 kW, 103 hp), 2.0 petrol (110 kW, 148 hp) and 1.3 petrol (62 kW, 83 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6 petrol | 77 kW 103 hp | 674 |
| 2.0 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 144 |
| 1.3 petrol | 62 kW 83 hp | 69 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
892 first registered in 2004 are on Dutch roads; 5% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde474
- Band onvoldoende profiel363
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt290
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)286
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen285
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm245
- Licht- donkerscheiding dimlicht onduidelijk240
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect218
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
451 cars built in 2004 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 527 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 987 of these cars first registered in 2004 took their annual MOT test. 48% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2004 the figure was 56%.
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
423 of these cars first registered in 2004 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 218,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
612 2004 cars are on the New Zealand register; 4% arrived as used imports, 93% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 8.7–10.2 L/100 km (about 23–27 mpg US), CO₂ 200–235 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda3 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.8 | 7.4 | 8.7 |
| Mazda3 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.4 | 7.6 | 9.2 |
| Mazda3 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 8.0 | 9.4 |
| Mazda3 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.2 | 8.9 | 10.2 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2004 Mazda Mazda3.
| 2021412 2 Jul 2021 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, the plastic logo on the steering wheel airbag cover could become brittle over time. If this happens, the logo could shatter and co… |
| 2004360 30 Sept 2004 | Airbag On certain vehicles, a crack in the housing of the airbag crash zone sensor may allow water to enter the sensor and cause a short circuit. This will illuminate… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004-2007 Mazda3 vehicles. During air bag deployment, the plastic emblem on the steering wheel air bag module cover may shatter, and project plastic fragments into the vehicle.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A CRACK IN THE AIR BAG CRASH ZONE SENSOR HOUSING CAN ALLOW WATER TO ENTER THE SENSOR, CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT AND ILLUMINATING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mazda told its dealers about the 2004 Mazda Mazda3: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11007022 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage such (melted, separating, etc.) when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 11006987 | In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealers responsibility to comply with Federal, State, and local laws concerning odometer and related documentation requirements when providing a repair or replacement. Mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers. When a speedometer is replaced, the new speedometer will read zero (0) miles. This procedure is extremely important to accurately represent actual vehicle mi |
| 11005671 | Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. |
| 11003398 | Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. |
| 10251387 | Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. |
| 10243569 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 10240496 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 10232299 | Speedometer replacement procedure |
| 10226814 | Some customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. In most cases the oil that is present is normal, and a result of the oil that remains on the shaft during the normal sweeping process of the shaft seal. Follow the inspection guidelines below to determine if the condition is a result of the normal sweeping process or a failure of the shaft seal. |
| 10225724 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 10217209 | In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. |
| 10215274 | This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery replacement cost. For new vehicles in stock at the dealer, inspect and maintain the battery periodically according to the repair procedure. |
| 10213429 | Paint damage Mazda pocket paint guide |
| 10213425 | Speedometer replacement procedure |
| 10213422 | PROPER USAGE OF DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT. |
| 10213421 | Condensation/Fog in front and rear combination lights |
| 10213417 | Passenger fAirbag deactivation (PAD) indicator light illumination |
| 10213399 | Brake noise, judder and dragging diagnosis and servicing |
| 10213387 | SHOCK ABSORBER REPLACEMENT GUIDELINES |
| 10213385 | STAINS APPEAR ON WHEELS |
| 10213333 | Battery test procedure requirements using the GR81291 |
| 10213332 | Battery Maintenance |
| 10213326 | Mazda guidelines for factory scheduled maintenance |
| 10213185 | Some customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. In most cases the oil that is present is normal, and a result of the oil that remains on the shaft during the normal sweeping process of the shaft seal. Follow the inspection guidelines below to determine if the condition is a result of the normal sweeping process or a failure of the shaft seal. |
| 10209778 | The Mazda DCA-8000 is required for all warranty battery testing. If the Mazda DCA-8000 is not used, incorrect battery testing may result in unnecessary battery replacement. Use the following test procedures in this Service Bulletin to test Mazda vehicle batteries and to generate a Warranty Code. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)