2014 Mazda MAZDA3 Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 7about this part
- Share
- 5%of 138 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 44,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 7 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2014 Mazda MAZDA3, 5% of the 138 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 44,000 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
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.
“As I was turning into a parking spot to park my car, the car accelerated on its own and ran into a concrete wall. I have had issues with this car's programming, including when I took my car in to get fixed after the safety recall in january '16. As I realized the car was accelerating - and pushing on the brake would not stop it - I lifted the emergency brake. The crash ultimately stopped the car - not the brake or emergency brake, and the airbag deployed. …”
NHTSA complaint #10884129, filed 2016-07, 20,000 miles“My daughter's 2014 MAZDA3 transaxle was making a whining noise. Upon doing an internet search, we discovered a technical service bulletin (TSB) that addressed this situation. The TSB #'s are 05-008/16, 05-005/15 and 05-004/14, and mentioned a bearing in the transaxle will be damaged due to an improper configuration of the transaxle case. In other words the transaxle case was manufactured incorrectly and the transmission cannot be rebuilt. We visited several Mazda dealers whom verify the TSB addressed the situation. …”
NHTSA complaint #11078911, filed 2018-03, 70,000 miles“Around 68,000 miles, I began to hear a subtle whining noise coming from my 2014 Mazda MAZDA3. I was unsure where it was coming from and originally thought it was something to do with the tires. As time passed, the noise became louder, eventually to the point where I felt I needed to get it checked out. A mechanic told me it was something to do with the automatic transmission because the sound was emitting there. He explained to me that there was a technical service bulletin posted by Mazda that described the exact issue, and that's what he's sure it is. …”
NHTSA complaint #11367068, filed 2020-10, 68,000 miles“I initially had issue getting into and out of the 3rd and 4th gear (manual transmission car). I could feel gears grinding during shifting (with the clutch fully depressed). The dealer replaced the third gear. After the fix, the car now has difficulty getting into and out of gear 2 and 3. This problem is intermittent but is more noticeable after the initial start-up of the car, especially if the weather is cold (50f or colder). With the clutch fully pressed, I can still feel the gear rotating and grinding during shifting. …”
NHTSA complaint #10655090, filed 2014-11, 1,400 miles“At appox 84000 miles the transmission suddenly failed with out warning. The car was being driven on a trip from alabama to north carolina. My wife was driving and had just turned off the highway to go to her friends house.”
NHTSA complaint #11025007, filed 2017-09, 84,000 milesRelated service bulletins
- 11032003May 1, 2026This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. 01-008/23 06/05/23 Some vehicles may exhibit rattling noises from the…
- 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…
- 11026350Nov 8, 2025Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) Diagnostic Guidelines Diagnostic Guidelines When diagnosing NVH concerns, it is essential to first classify the issue into one of three…
- 11026351Nov 6, 2025Some customer's might state that they notice fluid or oil leaking/dripping on the ground when the vehicle is parked. For this concern, inspect the vehicle for any trace of a…
- 11009654Oct 24, 2024The 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…
- 11007010Aug 7, 2024Some customer's might state that they notice fluid or oil leaking/dripping on the ground when the vehicle is parked. For this concern, inspect the vehicle for any trace of a…
- 10251387Feb 12, 2024Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as…
- 10237199May 17, 2023Some vehicles may experience the check engine light and automatic transaxle warning light ON with one or more of these DTCs stored in the TCM memory (P0842, P0847, P0872, P0877…
- 10225767Oct 17, 2022The new 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…
- 10215238Jun 7, 2022Service part Automatic Transaxles (ATX) manufactured on or after July, 2018 are shipped with a blank TCM that requires configuration.
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 8% |
| 2023 | 3 | 25% |
| 2022 | 2 | 8% |
| 2021 | 4 | 7% |
| 2020 | 1 | 3% |
| 2019 | 11 | 15% |
| 2018 | 5 | 5% |
| 2017 | 3 | 4% |
| 2016 | 9 | 9% |
| 2015 | 5 | 4% |
| 2014 | 7 | 5% |
| 2013 | 18 | 15% |
| 2012 | 40 | 18% |
| 2011 | 12 | 9% |
| 2010 | 40 | 6% |
| 2009 | 6 | 5% |
| 2008 | 15 | 5% |
| 2007 | 17 | 8% |
| 2006 | 21 | 13% |
| 2005 | 5 | 5% |
| 2004 | 24 | 17% |
Other parts of the 2014 Mazda MAZDA3
27 complaintsOther or unknown
27 complaintsBrakes
26 complaintsFuel system
24 complaintsEngine
13 complaintsBack-over prevention (rear camera)
11 complaintsVehicle speed control
9 complaintsSeat belts
5 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
5 complaintsAir bags
4 complaintsElectronic stability control
3 complaintsEquipment
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2014 Mazda MAZDA3
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 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