IllustrationIN ADEQUATE AIR CONDITIONING COOLING COMPRESSOR CYCLES ON FOR ONLY 10 SECONDS REGARDLESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. DEALERS/MAZDA HQ DENIES ANY ISSUE. *JB
2005 Mazda MAZDA3
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Mazda MAZDA3 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 108.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all MAZDA3 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
90–25K
1725–50K
2050–75K
875–100K
15100–150K
8150K+
77 reports with mileage · 20 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
16 crash reports3 fire reports8 injury reports
What owners actually said
97 reportsTHE AIR CONDITIONER IS NOT COLD. MY DEALER REPLACED MY EVAPORATOR AND IT IS STILL THE SAME. BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES AND THEY SAY THAT THE A/C IN SPEC. 40- 45C. *JB
TICKING / CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN / DASHBOARDS AREA. NOT NECESSARILY WHEN ON ROUGH ROAD, BUT THAT SEEMS TO MAGNIFY IT. SERVICE DEPARTMENT AWARE OF, AND HEARD NOISE BUT COULD NOT PINPOINT PROBLEM. HEAD OF SERVICE DEPARTMENT REFERRED ME TO MAZDA NORTH AMERICA FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE. NOT CORRECTED AS OF 1/06.…
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TICKING / CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN / DASHBOARDS AREA. NOT NECESSARILY WHEN ON ROUGH ROAD, BUT THAT SEEMS TO MAGNIFY IT. SERVICE DEPARTMENT AWARE OF, AND HEARD NOISE BUT COULD NOT PINPOINT PROBLEM. HEAD OF SERVICE DEPARTMENT REFERRED ME TO MAZDA NORTH AMERICA FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE. NOT CORRECTED AS OF 1/06. *JB
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON FOR THE FOURTH TIME SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. PROBLEM FOUND BY US, WAS GAS CAP LOOSENED UP AND WAS JUST SITTING IN THERE, WHEN WE WALKED TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE TO GET PACKAGES OUT OF THE TRUCK, SMELLED GAS. HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER EVERY TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ONE TIME …
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CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON FOR THE FOURTH TIME SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. PROBLEM FOUND BY US, WAS GAS CAP LOOSENED UP AND WAS JUST SITTING IN THERE, WHEN WE WALKED TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE TO GET PACKAGES OUT OF THE TRUCK, SMELLED GAS. HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER EVERY TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ONE TIME THEY TOLD ME THE GAS CAP WAS LOOSE AND I INSISTED I PUT IT ON TIGHT. OF COURSE, I AM A FEMALE AND THEY TRY TO MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT, SO I DIDN'T BELIEVE THEM, THOUGHT THEY WERE JUST SAYING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM AND RESETTING THE CODE, SO IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN WE SMELLED THE GAS AND CHECKED THE CAP AND IT WAS LOOSE. WE HAD ALREADY RUN HALF A TANK OF GAS OUT OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 200 MILES SINCE FILL-UP. WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, IT IS ALWAYS FOR THE SAME CODE, WHICH IS AN EMISSIONS FAILURE. *JB
CONSUMER CAN NOT SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD WHEN MAKING TURNS OR DOWN INCLINES. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED THE UPPER HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD BECAME DARK ESPECIALLY WHEN COMING OUT OF A DIP FROM THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER HAD TO BEND HIS HEAD DOWN UNDER THE BLACKNESS OF THE WINDSHIELD TO SEE AHEAD. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATED 2005 MAZDA DIED ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE GOING APPROXIMATELY 5-15 MPH. THIS IS THE FIRST INCIDENT OF THIS KIND. IT HAPPENED ON 8-5-05. RIGHT BEFORE VEHICLE DIED SEVERAL LIGHTS CAME ON, BUT SHE DID NOT KNOW WIHICH ONES. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SHE…
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DT: THE CONTACT STATED 2005 MAZDA DIED ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE GOING APPROXIMATELY 5-15 MPH. THIS IS THE FIRST INCIDENT OF THIS KIND. IT HAPPENED ON 8-5-05. RIGHT BEFORE VEHICLE DIED SEVERAL LIGHTS CAME ON, BUT SHE DID NOT KNOW WIHICH ONES. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SHE WAS GOING TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY COULD DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
OWNER PARKED VEHICLE ON SLIGHT (20%) INCLINE AND PUT ON EMERGENCY BRAKES. VEHICLE PARKED FOR 15 MINUTES WHEN OWNER, STANDING NEXT TO VEHICLE, HEARD CREAKING NOISES. AFTER THE NOISE STOPPED VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD, AND HIT A TREE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE ANY PROBLEMS WITH EMERGENCY BR…
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OWNER PARKED VEHICLE ON SLIGHT (20%) INCLINE AND PUT ON EMERGENCY BRAKES. VEHICLE PARKED FOR 15 MINUTES WHEN OWNER, STANDING NEXT TO VEHICLE, HEARD CREAKING NOISES. AFTER THE NOISE STOPPED VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD, AND HIT A TREE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE ANY PROBLEMS WITH EMERGENCY BRAKES.*AK
Official recalls
221V494000 · Air Bags:frontal
Jul 1, 2021
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004-2007 Mazda3 vehicles. During air bag deployment, the plastic emblem on the steering wheel air bag module cover may shatter, and project plastic fragments into the vehicle.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Plastic fragments can hit occupants during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the air bag module cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed between August 28, 2021 and October 28, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4921G.
04V559000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
Nov 22, 2004
ON TWO PASSENGER VEHICLES, A CRACK IN THE SOLDER CONNECTION ATTACHING THE ACCELERATION SENSOR IN THE SAS UNIT MADE CONTACT WITH THE BASE PLATE, DAMAGING THE SOLDER CONNECTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH AND IT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES.
Remedy: DEALERS REPAIRED THESE VEHICLES. THE TWO VEHICLE OWNERS WERE CONTACTED BY TELEPHONE ON NOVEMBER 22, 2004, AND THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.