Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 Mazda Mazda3, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Structure169
- Unknown or other133
- Seats106
- Visibility/wiper100
- Wheels54
- Electrical system50
- Tires48
- Power train40
- Service brakes31
- Steering31
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 13 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 91 2010 Mazda3 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 63 people died inside them, and 15 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)
Registered new in Europe in 2010
43,551 new Mazda Mazda3 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2010; the largest markets were Germany (12,632), the United Kingdom (11,138), Austria (3,171).
- Average mass
- 1,330 kg
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 68% · Diesel 32%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Engines
The most common engines in 2010 Mazda Mazda3 cars on Dutch roads are the 1.6 petrol (77 kW, 103 hp), 2.0 petrol (111 kW, 149 hp) and 2.0 petrol (110 kW, 148 hp), out of 4 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.6 petrol | 77 kW 103 hp | 809 |
| 2.0 petrol | 111 kW 149 hp | 204 |
| 2.0 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 121 |
| 2.3 petrol | 191 kW 256 hp | 37 |
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
1,193 first registered in 2010 are on Dutch roads; 30% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €23,644.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde840
- Band onvoldoende profiel386
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt369
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)344
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld271
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm243
- Fusee(kogel) te veel speling227
- Band beschadigd177
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
7,147 cars built in 2010 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 483 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, 8,743 of these cars first registered in 2010 took their annual MOT test. 60% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2010 the figure was 60%.
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
633 of these cars first registered in 2010 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 197,000 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
1,980 2010 cars are on the New Zealand register; 4% arrived as used imports, 94% 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 8.3–10.0 L/100 km (about 24–28 mpg US), CO₂ 191–230 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda3 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.4 | 7.1 | 8.3 |
| Mazda3 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.0 | 7.2 | 8.7 |
| Mazda3 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 8.1 | 9.4 |
| Mazda3 · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.5 | 8.2 | 10.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2010 Mazda Mazda3.
| 2017073 13 Feb 2017 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the push nuts and/or the lifter link which adjusts the height of the driver seat could be of insufficient strength and could become broken … |
| 2016431 6 Sept 2016 | Structure On certain vehicles, the anti-corrosion treatment of the outer tube of the rear lift gate stay may be insufficient. Over time, the outer tube of the rear lift g… |
| 2009232 10 Aug 2009 | Lights And Instruments On certain vehicles, a part of the headlight housing where the Daytime Running Light (DRL) bulb is attached may be damage by heat from the bulb when the vehicle… |
| 2009113 16 Apr 2009 | Electrical On certain vehicles, clearance between the engine harness and the housing of the starter motor may be insufficient. As a result, the covering of the harness ma… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2011 Mazda2 and 2010-2011 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles equipped with a manual seat lifter. In the affected vehicles, the seat height adjustment lifter links may break or detach from the seat frame and the seat angle may incline causing the driver to not be able to maintain an appropriate driving position.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015. On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.
MAZDA IS RECALLING 25,400 MY 2010 MAZDA3 VEHICLES. A CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE ENGINE HARNESS AND THE HOUSING OF STARTER MOTOR MAY BE INSUFFICIENT. DUE TO THIS, THE COVERING OF THE HARNESS MAY BE DAMAGED THROUGH VIBRATION DURING OPERATION POSSIBLY CAUSING A SHORT-CIRCUIT BETWEEN CERTAIN HARNESS WIRES AND THE STARTER HOUSING. A SHORT-CIRCUIT CAN RESULT IN ENGINE CONTROL MALFUNCTION AND/OR POOR SHIFT QUALITY.
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 2010 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
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation