2010 Mazda MAZDA3 Exterior lighting Problems
- Complaints
- 23about this part
- Share
- 3%of 686 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 68,000miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 23 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 2010 Mazda MAZDA3, 3% of the 686 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 68,000 miles.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“My driver sideheadlight is out again. I went to the dealer last month with no headlight and condensation inside the headlight housing. Paid $750 for them to replace the unit. Its barely a month later and the same light is out again after it rained two days before. Its again full of condensation. The headlight housing is faulty as it allows water to come inside and short out hid bulbs and unit.”
NHTSA complaint #10849726, filed 2016-03, 117,000 miles“Water intrusion and condensation build-up inside the headlamp assembly causing major damage and required whole unit replacement. Usually happen after a rainstorm or car wash. This had occurred to both headlamps on my vehicle. The first incident happened in april 2012 to the passenger-side headlamp assembly after I washed the vehicle. The last incident happened in october 2013 to the driver-side headlamp assembly after a rain storm.”
NHTSA complaint #10548296, filed 2013-10, 43,000 miles“Mazda has issues with condensation in front lights and real lights leading to excessive water building up in light cavity. The water restricts light and has shorted out headlight bulb on several occasions as I drove down the road. This causes a serious issue at night as I am driving. Mazda and dealer refuse to fix sighting bulletin from Mazda that this is a known problem and not to fix unless light enclosure is full of water.”
NHTSA complaint #10443658, filed 2012-01, 17,500 miles“One of the two electricals broke loose that's connected to the battery that starts the car. My car literally stalled out on me in the middle of an intersection. I was almost hit because of that. Another issue is my right back tire. One of the lug nuts won't come off and that is a safety issue. If something happens to my tire, I'm not going to be able to get a new tire to replace the old one. Another issue is the light on the ceiling of my car broke. The wires are exposed. My dashboard in my car is also melting.”
NHTSA complaint #10993035, filed 2017-06, 107,000 miles“My 2010 Mazda has had a build up of condensation in the driver's headlight for some time and recently the driver's headlight went out. I was advised by the dealership that I would need to replace the entire headlamp which requires removal of the bumper. I would be looking at close to $1000+ to complete the repair. I declined the repair as I wanted to do more research on the safety bulletins that are posted for this same exact issue. The dealership declined to repair the issue based on the published safety bulletins. …”
NHTSA complaint #10865541, filed 2016-05, 65,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10154529Mar 15, 2019Some customers may complain of condensation/fog inside the front (headlamp/headlight) or rear (taillamp/taillight) combination lights. The recent new models have been fitted with…
- 10153332Jan 3, 2019Some customers may complain of condensation/fog inside the front (headlamp/headlight) or rear (taillamp/taillight) combination lights. The recent new models have been fitted with…
- 10134701Mar 22, 2018Some customers may complain of condensation/fog inside the front (headlamp/headlight) or rear (taillamp/taillight) combination lights. The recent new models have been fitted with…
- 10118468Aug 9, 2017When dealing with customer complaints of excessive condensation and/or water within the headlamp unit, first determine if all the bulb sockets (including O-ring), seals and…
- 10111011Mar 9, 2017Take caution when cleaning plastic headlight lenses. Damage can occur when using some cleaners that contain strong acid, alkaline cleanser or organic solvent. Damage caused by…
- 10185806Jan 13, 2017Excessive condensation or water within the headlamp assembly caustion.
- 10093375May 4, 2016If you encounter the hazard warning lights staying on after a dash repair, you may have crossed the hazard warning switch connector with another connector, such as the bluetooth…
- 10092413Apr 28, 2016Some customers may complain about improper operation of the auto-dimming mirror. This may be caused by an obstruction of the front and/or rear light sensor(s) (e.g. Hanging a…
- 10213417Feb 5, 2016Passenger fAirbag deactivation (PAD) indicator light illumination
- 10213421Jan 25, 2016Condensation/Fog in front and rear combination lights
Exterior lighting: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 8% |
| 2020 | 1 | 3% |
| 2019 | 2 | 3% |
| 2017 | 1 | 1% |
| 2016 | 1 | 1% |
| 2015 | 5 | 4% |
| 2014 | 1 | 1% |
| 2013 | 36 | 31% |
| 2012 | 31 | 14% |
| 2011 | 10 | 8% |
| 2010 | 23 | 3% |
| 2009 | 5 | 4% |
| 2008 | 17 | 6% |
| 2007 | 12 | 5% |
| 2006 | 3 | 2% |
| 2005 | 6 | 6% |
| 2004 | 8 | 6% |
Other parts of the 2010 Mazda MAZDA3
169 complaintsOther or unknown
135 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
109 complaintsSeats
106 complaintsWheels
54 complaintsElectrical system
50 complaintsTires
48 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
40 complaintsBrakes
38 complaintsSteering
31 complaintsAir bags
26 complaintsEngine
22 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2010 Mazda MAZDA3
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology