2006 Mazda MAZDA3 Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2006 Mazda3 most often describe loss of power steering assist, sometimes along with a warning light and, in a few accounts, a simultaneous electrical or stalling event. Rear brake wear and brake assist complaints appear at lower mileage than many other issues, while transmission shift complaints and broken engine mounts show up higher on the odometer. A handful of owners also describe cracked sidewalls on the original-equipment tires.

1. 1
   Steering

   Loss of power steering assist, sometimes with warning light

   • 31 complaints (19%)
   • median 65,150 mi at 6.8 yrs old (26 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2018

   Owners describe the steering suddenly becoming very heavy, often while turning at low speed or pulling away from a stop, and in some cases at highway speed. Many say the power steering warning light came on at the same time, and some note that restarting the engine restored assist temporarily. Complaints mention dealers replacing modules, cleaning corroded connectors, or replacing the pump without lasting results, and several owners say the dealer declined coverage or quoted a diagnostic fee because the car was outside the years covered by a related service action. Spread across the range, with many reports between roughly 35,000 and 115,000 miles, and a few under 10,000 miles.

   What to check: Test the steering at a standstill and at low speed with the engine running, and watch for the power steering light on the dash. Ask whether the pump, module, or connectors have been replaced and whether any related service action was performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Five times in the last month I have experienced problems when making left turns. The power steering momentarily shuts off, and the radio/electrical system shuts off momentarily as well. On one occasion the engine also shut off momentarily (for about one full second). When this happens, I feel a complete loss of control over the vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10460534, filed 2012-06, 129,000 miles

   “Two loss of power steering incidents in the past two weeks. I am the second owner and purchased in november 2011. The first incident occurred in my parking garage at school after I had turned left into the garage. Could not turn the wheel at all, fortunately there was an empty space directly in front of me. Car sat for a few hours and then drove fine. A week later driving thru an alley at about 10 - 15 MPH lost steering again, this time had it towed to a local repair shop. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10451001, filed 2012-03, 10 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Broken engine mounts causing vibration and noise

   • 16 complaints (10%)
   • median 71,000 mi at 7.2 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2018

   Complaints describe cracked or torn engine mounts, particularly the mount on the passenger side, producing vibration, rough idle, or a rubbing and knocking sound when turning. Some owners report the engine sitting noticeably out of position, and several say the dealer described the failure as common but declined to cover it as normal wear. Reported from as low as about 20,000 miles up to around 92,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: With the hood open, watch the engine for excess movement while a helper loads it in drive and reverse. Ask whether any engine mount has been replaced and look for uneven tire wear or a broken mount noted on prior inspections.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Took the car into dealer for normal scheduled maintenance (oil change/tire rotation). Told that the #3 engine mount is cracked and needs to be replaced. Service advisor tells me that it is a general occurrence and that he sees 1-2 a week with cracked/broken #3 engine mounts. Mazda headquarters says that it is normal wear/tear on the car and will not cover the engine mount, even through a goodwill account, saying it is my responsibility because it is out of warranty. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10348209, filed 2010-08, 85,000 miles

   “As I was driving on the freeway in bumper-to-bumper traffic, traffic came to a standstill. I went to accelerate as the cars moved and then I realized my engine had shut off. The check engine light had come on and my car was dead. I put it in park, turned the key again and it started up again. But I noticed as I was crawling along, my car had a rough idle. The whole car would shake and RPM seemed a little lower than usual at idle. I found out my motor mount had gone. Dealer replaced it, had an extended warranty so it was covered. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10308103, filed 2010-02, 55,000 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Rear brakes wear fast or pedal feels low

   • 10 complaints (6%)
   • median 83,000 mi at 6.0 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2023

   Owners report rear pads and rotors wearing much faster than the fronts, in one case needing replacement well under 40,000 miles, and describe grinding from new. Others describe the pedal going low or the brakes giving little stopping effect in the first stop after the car sat in rain or snow. Complaints mention dealers replacing the brake booster or calling the wear normal. Rear wear reports cluster in the 30,000-40,000 mile range, while pedal and booster complaints appear from about 60,000 to 115,000 miles.

   What to check: Have the rear pads and rotors measured rather than just visually checked, and ask for any brake booster or master cylinder service history. Test the first stop of the day, especially after the car has sat in wet weather.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The day after purchase of my 2006 MAZDA3 I was backing out of driveway, the rear brakes were grinding. They were grinding so loud I could hear them over the radio on level 2 in volume. I should not hear them at all!! I had under 30 miles on the vehicle. I called the service department and the gentleman I spoke with told me this is very common , that all do it. I am sorry , I don't believe that it should be happening, I have never had a vehicle that has done that unless the brake pads, and rotors didn't need replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10167798, filed 2006-09, 30 miles

   “My 2006 Mazda 3i seems to have an issue when stopping the first time after the car has sit in the driveway for 1 day or more. When it snows or rains out and I drive my car after sitting in these conditions, approaching my first intersection which is about 100 yards from my house, I have no breaking action. There seems to be pressure because the break pedal does not go to the floor, however they do absolutely nothing and I have to use the emergency break to stop. Usually its too late and I am in the middle of the intersection or even through it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10380928, filed 2011-02, 140,000 miles
4. 4
   Suspension

   Cracked sidewalls on original-equipment tires

   • 14 complaints (8%)
   • median 32,225 mi at 3.3 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2014

   Owners describe cracking or separation in the sidewalls of the tires supplied with the car, sometimes found at very low mileage and in one account discovered after a blowout. Complaints mention uneven or rapid tread wear as well, and several say alignment, rotation, and balancing did not resolve it. In other accounts a dealer traced rapid inner-edge tire wear to worn rear suspension links or bushings. Reports range from a few thousand miles to about 100,000 miles, with several under 25,000 miles.

   What to check: Inspect all four sidewalls for cracks parallel to the rim and check inner edges for uneven wear. Ask for alignment readings and whether the rear trailing links or bushings have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Bought a Mazda 3 2006. At around 17,000 miles I began to have problems with the tires. After complaining several times to the dealer, I was referred to the toyo dealers to address the warranty. I ran into major problems with them in honoring the warranty and ended up buying 4 new firestone tires at 21,000 miles. Again at around 20,000 miles, I began having the same problems. I had the tires aligned, rotated and balanced every 3,000-6,000 miles and nothing improved the wear of the tires. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10243818, filed 2008-09, 17 miles

   “I purchased a new Mazda 3 in may of 2006. I live near cleveland ohio where we can have some bad winter weather. In december, we had one of the first snow storms. My car had 6,200 miles. The roads were what I would consider to have a light snow covering. The tires that are sold oem on this car are rated as all season, so I should not have any problems. I was traveling about 20 MPH, and slide sideways for about 50' then hit another vehicle coming the opposite direction, then went off the road into a 5' deep ditch. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10182548, filed 2007-02, 6,200 miles
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shift shock, hunting between gears, or TCM

   • 15 complaints (9%)
   • median 110,000 mi at 9.5 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • filed 2006–2019

   Complaints describe the automatic transmission shifting harshly or hunting between gears at steady speed, sometimes with a jolt and a brief rev change. A few owners report the car dropping into a lower gear on its own, and one attributes a no-start or stall condition to the transmission control module. In one account a turbine speed sensor was replaced and the symptom returned the same day. Mostly reported from about 75,000 miles upward, with several accounts past 100,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Drive at steady highway speed and through light-throttle upshifts, feeling for hunting or harsh engagement. Ask whether the transmission fluid was serviced and whether any control module or sensor has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car idles really rough. Once I get close to freeway speed my car constantly shifts gears from 3 to 4 to 3, so on. This causes my car to jerk, it revs from 3,000 to 1,000 and eveything in between. During this my brakes become practically useless, I have to completely press the brake pedal to make it decelerate. And braking distances are drastically increased. It further worries me that I dont have any dash lights on such as check engine, transmission, ABS, etc.”

   NHTSA complaint #10871105, filed 2016-05, 116,600 miles

   “Driving my way to work the car suddenly stop and jerk from transmission gear also on reverse I run diagnostics and came out to be TCM (transmission control module) I bought another one from lkq use, and replaced and the car start working fine again then after about almost 2 years I was driving on a highway and suddenly and the at lights came on and almost have and accidents this time.my mechanic run a test with same results TCM not communication with transmission. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11218662, filed 2019-06, 180,000 miles

Buying note. Check the steering assist carefully at low speed and watch for the warning light, since this is the most frequently described problem and repairs are sometimes repeated. Also budget for rear brake work and look over the tires and engine mounts, as those items are reported at relatively low mileage.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.