2012 Mazda MAZDA3 Other or unknown Problems
- Complaints
- 20about this part
- Share
- 9%of 226 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 34,200miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 20 complaints about the other or unknown of the 2012 Mazda MAZDA3, 9% of the 226 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 34,200 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Purchased this vehicle on aug 27th 2014 as a used vehicle and did the initial test drive during the day. A few days later while driving at night I decelerated while on the highway (speed is 55mph) to come to a complete stop at a 4 way intersection. The moment brakes are applied the front headlights flicker and continue to do so until fully stopped. I've tested this at multiple speeds and road types and it happens each time. …”
NHTSA complaint #10748270, filed 2015-08, 40,400 miles“In the morning of march 31, 2017 when I've proceeded to va 206 to the naval lab (25-mile speed limit zone), traction control system (tcs/dsc) indicator light suddenly lit up, and car stalled. I attempted to accelerated but received non response from the car. The car stayed around 20- 25 MPH. I pulled in the auto shop and turn off the engine. I re-started the car and the tcs/dsc indicator light was off and car behaved normally. However I don't know if the problem will happen again.”
NHTSA complaint #10969938, filed 2017-04, 56,800 miles“I was driving down a winding road when my car started to lose power and and then completely stalled. Pror to it stalling, it was acting strange, would rev high and not kick in to the next gear (not sure if that's a correct description as this is an automatic car). Three lights came on: the check engine light, the automatic transaxile light and tcs/dsc indicator light. It was towed to a local small auto shop who diagnosed it as a computer code issue but they were unable to fix it. It was then towed to Mazda who couldn't find anything wrong with it. …”
NHTSA complaint #11099385, filed 2018-06, 50,560 miles“I was stopped at a red light. Once light turned green, I pressed on the gas and the car revved to 3000 RPM but was barely moving and would not shift out of first gear. I looked at my speed and noticed the tcs problem light was on. By this time other motorists were honking at me at cursing I'm sure but I couldn't get any speed to pull over quickly. I put the car in manual mode, but there were no numbers that indicated what gear I was in. I have no clue why the tcs light came on and pretty much disabled my car. …”
NHTSA complaint #10568395, filed 2014-03, 34,200 miles“I was driving on the freeway when suddenly the traction control indicator lit up on my dashboard. When I exited the freeway and attempted to make a left turn, my car suddenly lost power. It was as if my car was in neutral. I looked at the gear shift to ensure it was still in drive, and it was. Somehow I made it through the turn and into a nearby parking lot. I turned the car off, waited a few minutes, and then was able to leave. It was scary and upsetting as my car is only 4 months old. The dealer said they won't be able to determine what happened since the indicator is no longer illuminated. …”
NHTSA complaint #10479238, filed 2012-10, 6,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 11037013Aug 20, 2026Product Quality Information (PQI) DESCRIPTION Service Information MT-041/12 is no longer valid. It has been unpublished and superseded by the Field Quality Information Report…
- 11032103Apr 21, 2026This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed factory…
- 11026904Dec 10, 2025A musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (A/C) system is operating. It is most noticeable when the A/C is first turned ON. This odor is the…
- 11022742Aug 22, 2025Some 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…
- 11022727Aug 14, 2025When replacing the SiriusXM satellite radio unit, a call must be made to inform SiriusXM of the existing Radio ID and the new/replacement SAT Radio ID as soon as possible to…
- 11020039Jun 19, 2025Some customers may complain about a noisy HVAC blower motor or odor after a cabin air filter replacement. Foreign debris on the blower motor after servicing the cabin air filter…
- 11017699Apr 25, 2025A musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (A/C) system is operating. It is most noticeable when the A/C is first turned ON. This odor is the…
- 11017697Apr 16, 2025There have been warranty claims submitted for growling or bearing whine noise in differentials, transfer units and transmissions where the source of the noise was a wheel…
- 11007019Aug 15, 2024If 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…
- 11006987Aug 8, 2024In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by…
Other or unknown: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 25% |
| 2024 | 4 | 33% |
| 2023 | 3 | 25% |
| 2022 | 1 | 4% |
| 2021 | 7 | 13% |
| 2020 | 3 | 9% |
| 2019 | 15 | 20% |
| 2018 | 26 | 24% |
| 2017 | 28 | 33% |
| 2016 | 23 | 22% |
| 2015 | 26 | 20% |
| 2014 | 27 | 20% |
| 2013 | 10 | 9% |
| 2012 | 20 | 9% |
| 2011 | 18 | 14% |
| 2010 | 135 | 20% |
| 2009 | 4 | 3% |
| 2008 | 11 | 4% |
| 2007 | 4 | 2% |
| 2006 | 9 | 5% |
| 2005 | 1 | 1% |
Other parts of the 2012 Mazda MAZDA3
40 complaintsEngine
32 complaintsExterior lighting
31 complaintsElectrical system
25 complaintsFuel system
22 complaintsVehicle speed control
20 complaintsAir bags
17 complaintsBody and structure
17 complaintsElectronic stability control
16 complaintsSeats
16 complaintsSteering
15 complaintsBrakes
14 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2012 Mazda MAZDA3
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 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