2011 Mazda MAZDA3 Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) Problems
- Complaints
- 8about this part
- Share
- 6%of 132 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 44,800miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 8 complaints about the visibility of the 2011 Mazda MAZDA3, 6% of the 132 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 44,800 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“My dashboard has seperated from my control panel due to heat in florida even though I use sun visor each day. Also I notice that the electronis door locks fail to work when attempting to unlock the door, after turning the keu to the open position and returning the key back to the start possition the car re locks itself about 70% of the time”
NHTSA complaint #11021086, filed 2017-09, 50,000 miles“My MAZDA3 has, and has always had, tons of spiders building nests and webs. This occurs across my mirrors(inside and outside), seats, seatbelts, front speed and RPM gauges, windows, and under the hood. Usually occurs at night and I find them in the morning. Never of the same size or type, but it is very frustrating especially when they are inside the car. They are not only a danger to me, but to any passenger I may carry. I saw the mazda6 recall because of the spiders and I think the same thing is occurring here. Please check this out!”
NHTSA complaint #10604452, filed 2014-06, 1,100 miles“My daughter was driving her MAZDA3 and the sunroof exploded while she was driving. Her car was not hit by anything. The interior of the car and my daughter and her friend were covered in glass shards. Madza refuses to take a formal complaint and says I need to prove a manufacturers defect which the auto body shop says is impossible to do with glass. My daughter said it sounded like a gunshot when the window exploded and thankfully she didn't loose control of the car from the force of the window shattering and the glass falling inside the vehicle....”
NHTSA complaint #10574706, filed 2014-03, 32,000 miles“On february 5, 2015 at approximately 0525 hours the sunroof glass on my 2011 Mazda 3 exploded onto me. I was very confused because I had my eyes on the road and saw no object and was not passing an overpass were someone may have dropped something. The air temperature was around 50 degrees. I was north bound on I-15 in corona, ca. I believe the sunroof just shattered on its own. I pulled the over immediately and attempted to discover the cause. I was unable to come to any other conclusion other than the sunroof just failed. This was very startling and made me jerk the wheel. …”
NHTSA complaint #10681616, filed 2015-02, 66,051 miles“Sunroof shattered while traveling down the highway with no obvious cause. Speed approx. 60 MPH. Open road, no overpass, no debris/rocks etc. Kicked up from other cars. Temperature was low 80s, time of day was 7 pm (no direct sunlight or extreme temperatures).”
NHTSA complaint #10534788, filed 2013-08, 45,100 milesRelated service bulletins
- 11035599Jul 29, 2026This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. 09-042/04 12/10/04 DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may exhibit inoperative…
- 10243569Sep 13, 2023Some 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.
- 10198691Jun 7, 2021Some 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.
- 10198574Jun 1, 2021Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building. This may be caused by the suns reflection. If a building creates enough of a curve with…
- 10091393Mar 30, 2016This article provides hvac heater/defroster operating tips using mode selector dial. This includes the use of intermediate positions.
- 10091263Mar 30, 2016This article provides hvac heater/defroster operating tips using mode selector dial. This includes the use of intermediate positions.
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 17% |
| 2022 | 1 | 4% |
| 2020 | 1 | 3% |
| 2019 | 8 | 11% |
| 2018 | 16 | 15% |
| 2017 | 5 | 6% |
| 2016 | 7 | 7% |
| 2015 | 6 | 5% |
| 2014 | 5 | 4% |
| 2013 | 3 | 3% |
| 2012 | 9 | 4% |
| 2011 | 8 | 6% |
| 2010 | 109 | 16% |
| 2009 | 2 | 2% |
| 2008 | 15 | 5% |
| 2007 | 3 | 1% |
| 2006 | 1 | 1% |
| 2005 | 3 | 3% |
| 2004 | 2 | 1% |
Other parts of the 2011 Mazda MAZDA3
29 complaintsSeats
20 complaintsOther or unknown
18 complaintsElectrical system
15 complaintsSteering
13 complaintsBody and structure
13 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
12 complaintsExterior lighting
10 complaintsSuspension
7 complaintsTires
7 complaintsElectronic stability control
5 complaintsSeat belts
5 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2011 Mazda MAZDA3
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 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