Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Mazda Mazda3, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Forward collision avoidance15
- Unknown or other3
- Steering3
- Electrical system3
- Service brakes2
- Fuel/propulsion system2
- Lane departure2
- Suspension2
- Structure1
- Tires1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 11 2020 Mazda3 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 6 people died inside them, and 1 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 2020
25,409 new Mazda Mazda3 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2020; the largest markets were Germany (6,294), the United Kingdom (4,342), Spain (3,456).
- Average mass
- 1,379 kg
- Average CO₂
- 138 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 108 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 97% · Diesel 3.3%
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 2020 Mazda Mazda3 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 hybrid (132 kW, 177 hp), 2.0 hybrid (90 kW, 121 hp) and 2.0 petrol (132 kW, 177 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 hybrid | 132 kW 177 hp | 819 |
| 2.0 hybrid | 90 kW 121 hp | 282 |
| 2.0 petrol | 132 kW 177 hp | 26 |
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
1,153 first registered in 2020 are on Dutch roads; 20% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €33,723.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde442
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld165
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht115
- Band beschadigd86
- Band onvoldoende profiel65
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm51
- Remschijf ernstig gecorrodeerd24
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage20
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
4,194 cars built in 2020 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 22 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, 4,334 of these cars first registered in 2020 took their annual MOT test. 90% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2020 the figure was 88%.
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
348 of these cars first registered in 2020 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 72,000 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
921 2020 cars are on the New Zealand register; 36% arrived as used imports, 63% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 4 variants; 4 of 4 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Mazda Mazda3 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | 10.1 % |
| 2020 Mazda Mazda3 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | 10.1 % |
| 2020 Mazda Mazda3 5 HB AWD | ★★★★★ | 10.1 % |
| 2020 Mazda Mazda3 5 HB FWD | ★★★★★ | 10.1 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 10 variants: combined 7.6–8.7 L/100 km (about 27–31 mpg US), CO₂ 178–204 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda3 4-Door · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.4 | 6.6 | 7.6 |
| Mazda3 4-Door · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.8 | 6.4 | 7.7 |
| Mazda3 4-Door (SIL) · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.7 | 6.4 | 7.7 |
| Mazda3 5-Door · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 8.6 | 6.7 | 7.7 |
| Mazda3 4-Door (Cylinder Deactivation) · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.8 | 6.6 | 7.8 |
| Mazda3 5-Door (SIL) · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 8.7 | 6.6 | 7.8 |
| Mazda3 5-Door · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 9.0 | 6.8 | 8.0 |
| Mazda3 5-Door (SIL) · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 9.2 | 6.6 | 8.1 |
| Mazda3 4-Door 4WD · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.2 | 7.0 | 8.2 |
| Mazda3 5-Door 4WD · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 9.8 | 7.4 | 8.7 |
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 2020 Mazda Mazda3.
| 2020264 12 Jun 2020 | Brakes Issue: On certain vehicles, the front brake caliper mounting bolts may not be properly tightened. This could cause the bolts to loosen, which may result in re… |
| 2019649 19 Dec 2019 | Brakes Issue: On certain cars, the automatic emergency braking system (called Smart Brake Support or SBS) may falsely detect an obstacle in front of the car while dr… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2020 CX-30 and Mazda3 vehicles. The front brake caliper mounting bolts may not have been tightened properly during assembly, possibly allowing the calipers to loosen.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Mazda3 vehicles. The Smart Brake System (SBS) can falsely detect an obstacle while driving, activating the automatic emergency braking system and suddenly stopping 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 2020 Mazda Mazda3: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011345 | CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM CSP12 - DENSO LOW-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM WARRANTY EXTENSION: Attention ALL Mazda Dealers: This is a Warranty Extension and not a recall campaign. Repairs are not to be made unless there is a confirmed low-pressure fuel pump failure within the coverage period. As of November 18, 2024 Repair Procedures and Parts and Warranty documents are available. |
| 11011341 | CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM CSP12 - DENSO LOW-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM WARRANTY EXTENSION: Attention ALL Mazda Dealers: This is a Warranty Extension and not a recall campaign. Repairs are not to be made unless there is a confirmed low-pressure fuel pump failure within the coverage period. As of November 18, 2024 Repair Procedures and Parts and Warranty documents are available. |
| 11011338 | CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM CSP12 - DENSO LOW-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM WARRANTY EXTENSION: Attention ALL Mazda Dealers: This is a Warranty Extension and not a recall campaign. Repairs are not to be made unless there is a confirmed low-pressure fuel pump failure within the coverage period. As of November 18, 2024 Repair Procedures and Parts and Warranty documents are available. |
| 11011336 | CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM CSP12 - DENSO LOW-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM WARRANTY EXTENSION: Attention ALL Mazda Dealers: This is a Warranty Extension and not a recall campaign. Repairs are not to be made unless there is a confirmed low-pressure fuel pump failure within the coverage period. As of November 18, 2024 Repair Procedures and Parts and Warranty documents are available. |
| 11011331 | CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM CSP12 - DENSO LOW-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM WARRANTY EXTENSION: Attention ALL Mazda Dealers: This is a Warranty Extension and not a recall campaign. Repairs are not to be made unless there is a confirmed low-pressure fuel pump failure within the coverage period. As of November 18, 2024 Repair Procedures and Parts and Warranty documents are available. |
| 11011326 | CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM CSP12 - DENSO LOW-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM WARRANTY EXTENSION: Attention ALL Mazda Dealers: This is a Warranty Extension and not a recall campaign. Repairs are not to be made unless there is a confirmed low-pressure fuel pump failure within the coverage period. As of November 18, 2024 Repair Procedures and Parts and Warranty documents are available. |
| 11011141 | Some customers may report concerns with interior upholstery surface stains particularly on high contact areas (e.g.: seats, steering wheel, door panels, shifter...etc.). This may be caused by skin oils or chemicals such as hand lotions. |
| 11011140 | When the Telematics Control Unit (TCU) replacement is necessary due to a failure, use MDARS to activate the new TCU after replacement. Use the information in this service alert to initialize the new TCU until the procedure on MGSS is updated. |
| 11011139 | A customer may complain of a rattle noise from the right side of the dash. The noise may be coming from the passenger side airbag. |
| 11011138 | Some customers may complain about any of the following: 1. Infotainment Center Display does not provide the Authorization Code (OTP) during the MyMazda App Connected Vehicle enrollment. 2. Remote function(s) inoperative. Engine Start / Stop Door Lock / Unlock Lights ON / OFF Climate Control 3. MAZDA CONNECT connected vehicle reception strength icon shows "X" or "\". |
| 11011137 | On certain subject vehicles, the check engine light is illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0126, due to the fail-safe thermostat being stuck open. Additionally, you may notice one or more of the following symptoms: -Engine takes longer to warm up. -Engine temperature gauge fluctuates. -Low coolant temperature indicator (blue) light stays on longer or turns on while driving. -Poor heater performance, especially at idle. This warranty extension program applies only to the replacement of fail-safe thermostat of the vehicle exhibiting the concerns mentioned above. If the check engine l |
| 11011133 | Some customers may experience a check engine light ON with DTC P0126:00 (Thermostat stuck open) and one or more of the following symptoms: Engine takes longer to warm up. Engine temperature gauge fluctuates. Low coolant temperature indicator (blue) light stays on longer or turns on while driving. Poor heater performance, especially at idle. |
| 11010992 | Some customers may experience rear subwoofer audio sound pauses intermittently at high volume levels. When the volume level is lowered, the subwoofer audio sound resumes. The actual volume level may vary depending on the audio source. If the audio source consists of many low frequency (40 - 70 Hz) sounds, the concern may occur at volume level 35 or higher. This concern may be caused by improper audio amplifier control software. To eliminate this concern, the control software has been modified. |
| 11009665 | Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a Special Service Program (SSP) to extend the warranty coverage for a specific repair of the fail-safe thermostat in the coolant control valve on certain CX-5, Mazda3, CX-3, Mazda6 and CX-30 vehicles that are equipped with the suspected coolant control valve. The warranty coverage for a specific repair of fail-safe thermostat has been extended to 15 years (180 months) /150,000 miles (240,000 km) whichever comes first, from the original warranty start date. Concern Outline: On certain subject vehicles, the check engine light is illuminated with DTC |
| 11009664 | Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a Special Service Program (SSP) to extend the warranty coverage for a specific repair of the fail-safe thermostat in the coolant control valve on certain CX-5, Mazda3, CX-3, Mazda6 and CX-30 vehicles that are equipped with the suspected coolant control valve. The warranty coverage for a specific repair of fail-safe thermostat has been extended to 15 years (180 months) /150,000 miles (240,000 km) whichever comes first, from the original warranty start date. Concern Outline: On certain subject vehicles, the check engine light is illuminated with DTC |
| 11009654 | The SKYACTIV-DRIVE FW6A-EL AT uses Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) Type: FZ. Only use ATF-FZ to fill or top off the fluid level. ATF-FZ is specially designed for use in the SKYACTIV-DRIVE series AT. It is a low viscosity formula with less friction for better fuel economy. NOTE: ATF-FZ is colored blue for easy identification. |
| 11009647 | A new cylinder head assembly for service parts has been newly established for SKYACTIV-G 2.5 with cylinder deactivation when replacement is needed. Valves, valve springs, valve spring seats, and cotters (IN/EX) are included in the new assembly. Hotline and MASH authorization is not required to order parts for performing this repair. If there are any questions on part ordering or part status, contact the Dealer Assistance Group. |
| 11009644 | Some vehicles exhibit brake related concerns such as brake noise, brake judder or brake dragging. If you encounter a customer complaint for any one of these symptoms, refer to the following information to understand why symptoms may occur, and to better assist the customer in resolving their specific brake concern. |
| 11009636 | Some vehicles may exhibit a rear console lid with a sticking feeling or a squeaking noise when opening and/or closing. This is caused by an inappropriate shape of the console lid hinge pin where the position of the hinge pin (1) becomes misaligned when the rear console lid is repeatedly opened and closed. When parts around the hinge pin thermally expand, the result creates a gap in the hinge of the rear console lid. |
| 11009635 | Some customers may complain that the rear console lid does not slide smoothly. This may be caused by improperly positioned felt pads attached to the rear console lid lock, which may have moved out of position after repetitive use. The exposed adhesive residue may stick to the rail and disrupt smooth sliding operation. |
| 11008580 | Mazda Connect Services - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |
| 11008579 | Mazda Connect Services - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |
| 11008578 | When the Telematics Control Unit (TCU) replacement is necessary due to a failure, use MDARS to activate the new TCU after replacement. Use the information in this service alert to initialize the new TCU until the procedure on MGSS is updated. |
| 11008577 | Some customers may complain about scratches on the instrument cluster lens. |
| 11008576 | Qi Wireless Charger symptom troubleshooting. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)