2018 Mazda MAZDA3 Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 5about this part
- Share
- 5%of 110 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 16,009miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2018 Mazda MAZDA3, 5% of the 110 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 16,009 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.
“I was driving on the highway in sixth gear and went to down shift to get on to the off ramp and was unable to get it out of sixth gear. I had it towed to the dealer where they were going to charge 4 grand just to tear down the transmission to tell me what might be wrong. So I towed it home and once I was able to get the transmission open, I found the roll pin that connects the shifting shaft to the shift selector plate had worked itself out. If the transmission had been in Neutral, it would have taken less than 20 minutes to fix. …”
NHTSA complaint #11570987, filed 2024-02“The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. The contact was unaware if there were any warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The contact's husband added fuel to the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle restarted 15 minutes later. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer who informed the contact that the failure could not be duplicated because there was no warning light illuminated. …”
NHTSA complaint #11499959, filed 2023-01, 32,000 miles“What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The high-pressure fuel pump failed. This component failure prevents the car from starting or staying running. The check engine code confirmed the high-pressure fuel pump failure. The failed component is currently at the Mazda dealership and is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk The car suddenly stalled while driving on the roadway, creating a dangerous situation. …”
NHTSA complaint #11694610, filed 2025-10“My 2018 Mazda 3 has an intermittent electrical failure on the high-speed CAN network that causes multiple safety-critical systems to fail while driving. When the fault occurs, the dash lights up with warnings for powertrain, ABS/traction, lane departure, collision-avoidance, TPMS, immobilizer, and the check-engine light. The car also hesitates or “lurches” between 15–30 mph during these events. At one point in 2024, the vehicle went into limp mode on the freeway, creating a safety hazard. These failures are intermittent but repeatable. …”
NHTSA complaint #11700428, filed 2025-11Related 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…
- 10252507Mar 6, 2024Due to limitations, certain vehicles from 2016 to current models might display an inaccurate transmission part number in the Global Electronic Parts Catalog (GEPC). To provide…
- 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…
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 2018 Mazda MAZDA3
30 complaintsOther or unknown
26 complaintsBack-over prevention (rear camera)
16 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
16 complaintsEngine
12 complaintsFuel system
11 complaintsBrakes
6 complaintsForward collision avoidance
5 complaintsLane departure
4 complaintsEngine cooling
2 complaintsSteering
2 complaintsBody and structure
2 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2018 Mazda MAZDA3
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 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