Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2008 Mazda Mazda3, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Steering117
- Tires41
- Wheels33
- Air bags22
- Exterior lighting17
- Electrical system17
- Engine16
- Power train15
- Suspension15
- Visibility14
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 20 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 83 2008 Mazda3 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 65 people died inside them, and 18 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 2008 Mazda Mazda3 cars on Dutch roads are the 1.6 petrol (77 kW, 103 hp), 2.0 petrol (110 kW, 148 hp) and 2.3 petrol (191 kW, 256 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6 petrol | 77 kW 103 hp | 556 |
| 2.0 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 54 |
| 2.3 petrol | 191 kW 256 hp | 25 |
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
667 first registered in 2008 are on Dutch roads; 19% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €23,888.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde428
- Band onvoldoende profiel326
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)243
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt241
- Licht- donkerscheiding dimlicht onduidelijk163
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld155
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm154
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling128
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
4,701 cars built in 2008 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 607 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, 6,979 of these cars first registered in 2008 took their annual MOT test. 51% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2008 the figure was 57%.
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
567 of these cars first registered in 2008 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
1,539 2008 cars are on the New Zealand register; 3% arrived as used imports, 95% 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 8.6–9.6 L/100 km (about 25–27 mpg US), CO₂ 198–221 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda3 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.7 | 7.3 | 8.6 |
| Mazda3 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.4 | 7.6 | 9.2 |
| Mazda3 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 8.0 | 9.4 |
| Mazda3 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.8 | 8.2 | 9.6 |
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 2008 Mazda Mazda3.
| 2011229 15 Jun 2011 | Visual System On certain vehicles, the ground terminal of the windshield wiper motor may have been inadvertently bent during vehicle assembly. Over time, the electrical resi… |
| 2010274 13 Aug 2010 | Steering On certain vehicles with Electro-Hydraulic Power Assist Steering (EHPAS), rust had formed inside the high-pressure pipe on the power steering system during manu… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
MAZDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 MAZDA3 AND MAZDASPEED3 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 7, 2008, THROUGH NOVEMBER 28, 2008. THE GROUND TERMINAL OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN INADVERTENTLY BENT DURING ASSEMBLY. IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS THEN OVER TIME THE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF THE MOTOR CIRCUIT MAY INCREASE UP TO A POINT THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK.
MAZDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 MAZDA3 AND MAZDA5 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 2, 2007 THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2008. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE.
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 2008 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. |
| 11007019 | If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. |
| 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. |
| 10244679 | If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. |
| 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. |
| 10237216 | If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. |
| 10232299 | Speedometer replacement procedure |
| 10226924 | If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. Examples: 1. Devices connected to the DLC-2 (battery discharge/DTC stored) 2. Cell phone charger/accessory in 12V socket (engine no start or unable to turn off) 3. GPS tracking device (engine no start/battery discha |
| 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. |
| 10213430 | Excessive condensation or water within the headlamp assembly caustion |
| 10213429 | Paint damage Mazda pocket paint guide |
| 10213427 | HandsFree bluetooth module and/or text messaging troubleshooting procedure |
| 10213425 | Speedometer replacement procedure |
| 10213423 | Siriusxm satellite radio registration transfer after unit replacement |
| 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 |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Loss of Electric Power Steering Assist
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation