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2006 Mazda MAZDA3

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2006 Mazda MAZDA3 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 108.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

124 reports with mileage · 42 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.

  • Steering. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

21 crash reports3 fire reports12 injury reports

What owners actually said

166 reports
Mileage unknown · Nov 24, 2008
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

LAST WEEK, AFTER CLIPPING AND GOING OVER A 2 INCH CURB WITH MY LEFT WHEEL TO AVOID ANOTHER CAR IN A PARKING LOT, MY 2006 MAZDA M3 ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. APPLYING THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. IN THE END, I SWIPED TWO CARS AND HIT A CEMENT WALL HEAD ON. THIS STOPPED THE CAR AND THANKFULLY I AM ALIVE. HAVE YOU HEARD OF ANY MALF…

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LAST WEEK, AFTER CLIPPING AND GOING OVER A 2 INCH CURB WITH MY LEFT WHEEL TO AVOID ANOTHER CAR IN A PARKING LOT, MY 2006 MAZDA M3 ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. APPLYING THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. IN THE END, I SWIPED TWO CARS AND HIT A CEMENT WALL HEAD ON. THIS STOPPED THE CAR AND THANKFULLY I AM ALIVE. HAVE YOU HEARD OF ANY MALFUNCTIONS OF THIS KIND AND HOW DO I GET IT ESCALATED TO MAZDA OR OTHERS TO ENSURE CORRECTIVE ACTION? UPDATED 02/02/09. *LJ

NHTSA ODI #10249724

Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2008
Tires

DESPITE A MAZDA RE-ALIGNMENT WHEN CAR WAS NEW, AND CONSTANT TIRE ROTATION, 3 TIRES HAVE UNEVEN TREAD WEAR ON INSIDE OF THE TIRE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 30,000 MILES. ANTI-LOCK BRAKE ENGAGES CONSTANTLY FOR NO REASON. DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE AND/OR REPAIR. FIRST ANTI-LOCK BRAKE COMPLAINT WAS LODGED 7/25/06 AT 5,000 …

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DESPITE A MAZDA RE-ALIGNMENT WHEN CAR WAS NEW, AND CONSTANT TIRE ROTATION, 3 TIRES HAVE UNEVEN TREAD WEAR ON INSIDE OF THE TIRE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 30,000 MILES. ANTI-LOCK BRAKE ENGAGES CONSTANTLY FOR NO REASON. DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE AND/OR REPAIR. FIRST ANTI-LOCK BRAKE COMPLAINT WAS LODGED 7/25/06 AT 5,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10248072

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2008
Power Train

2006 MAZDA 3 WARRANTY ISSUES. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO HONOR THE VEHICLE WARRANTY. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED THE DEALERSHIP. LATER THAT DAY, THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER…

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2006 MAZDA 3 WARRANTY ISSUES. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO HONOR THE VEHICLE WARRANTY. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED THE DEALERSHIP. LATER THAT DAY, THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE CLUTCH HAD BLOWN AND THEY SUSPECTED DRIVER ABUSE BASED ON THE TREAD WEAR OF THE TIRES. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD A NEW CLUTCH, PRESSURE PLATE, PILOT BEARING AND FLYWHEEL WERE NEEDED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10247050

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2008
Tires

2006 MAZDA 3 TIRES. ALREADY NEED NEW TIRES AT 30K MILES, THIS SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING WAY TOO QUICKLY. I WOULD EXPECT TIRES TO LAST 40K-50K MILES BEFORE NEEDING NEW TIRES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10246608

17 miles · Sep 28, 2008
Suspension

BOUGHT A MAZDA 3 2006. AT AROUND 17,000 MILES I BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES. AFTER COMPLAINING SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALER, I WAS REFERRED TO THE TOYO DEALERS TO ADDRESS THE WARRANTY. I RAN INTO MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THEM IN HONORING THE WARRANTY AND ENDED UP BUYING 4 NEW FIRESTONE TIRES AT 21,000 MILES. AGAIN AT ARO…

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BOUGHT A MAZDA 3 2006. AT AROUND 17,000 MILES I BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES. AFTER COMPLAINING SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALER, I WAS REFERRED TO THE TOYO DEALERS TO ADDRESS THE WARRANTY. I RAN INTO MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THEM IN HONORING THE WARRANTY AND ENDED UP BUYING 4 NEW FIRESTONE TIRES AT 21,000 MILES. AGAIN AT AROUND 20,000 MILES, I BEGAN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I HAD THE TIRES ALIGNED, ROTATED AND BALANCED EVERY 3,000-6,000 MILES AND NOTHING IMPROVED THE WEAR OF THE TIRES. NEITHER THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP NOR THE MAIN MAZDA OFFICES WERE WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM OR FIND A SOLUTION. I FINALLY TRADED THE CAR IN 2008 AND DON?T PLAN TO EVER BUY ANOTHER MAZDA IN MY LIFE. I HAVE READ BLOGS ON BOTH THE MAZDA 3 AND MAZDA 6 WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. UNLESS ONE IS RICH AND CAN AFFORD TIRES EVERY 17,000 MILES, IT IS NOT WORTH THE TROUBLE YOU INCUR. YOU WILL BE ZOOM ZOOMING EVERY 17,000 MILES TO A TIRE STORE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10243818

Mileage unknown · Sep 9, 2008
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

2006 MAZDA 3 HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE SPACE AND HEIGHT BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, HE INADVERTENTLY HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD AND REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE ONLY TAPPED THE OTHER VEHICLES BUMPER. …

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2006 MAZDA 3 HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE SPACE AND HEIGHT BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, HE INADVERTENTLY HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD AND REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE ONLY TAPPED THE OTHER VEHICLES BUMPER. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10241549

26,402 miles · Aug 1, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW FROM TRACY MAZDA IN JUNE OF 2006. IN APRIL OF 2008 I STARTED HEARING A SLIGHT TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THIS WAS SHORTLY AFTER THE LAST OIL CHANGE WHICH WAS DONE BY SPEEDEE OIL CHANGERS. THE MILEAGE WAS 25,675, 4/18/08, WHEN SPEEDEE CHANGED THE OIL AND IT WAS 26,402, 4/25/08,WHEN I TOOK THE CA…

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I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW FROM TRACY MAZDA IN JUNE OF 2006. IN APRIL OF 2008 I STARTED HEARING A SLIGHT TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THIS WAS SHORTLY AFTER THE LAST OIL CHANGE WHICH WAS DONE BY SPEEDEE OIL CHANGERS. THE MILEAGE WAS 25,675, 4/18/08, WHEN SPEEDEE CHANGED THE OIL AND IT WAS 26,402, 4/25/08,WHEN I TOOK THE CAR INTO TRACY MAZDA SO THEY COULD CHECK ON THE TICKING NOISE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FINALLY GOT BACK TO ME SEVERAL DAYS LATER AND SAID IT SOUNDS LIKE A ROD KNOCK FROM CYL #1. THEY ASKED FOR THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS WHICH I THEN PROVIDED, EXCEPT FOR ONE OIL CHANGE WHICH I HAD PERFORMED MYSELF ( MINUS THE FILTER WHICH REQUIRED A SPECIAL TOOL). ON 5/13/08 TRACY MAZDA'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT CALLED AND INFORMED ME THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE VEHICLE UNDER THE WARRANTY. IT WAS GOING TO COST ME APPROXIMATELY $6,000.00 TO FIX A CAR THAT DIDN'T EVEN HAVE 30,000 MILES ON IT. I DECLINED TO HAVE THEM FIX IT RIGHT THEN AND WENT AND GOT THE CAR. I HAD THE FIRST TWO OIL CHANGES PERFORMED AT TRACY MAZDA'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE NEXT WAS PERFORMED BY SPEEDEE OIL CHANGERS. AFTER THAT I CHANGED THE OIL MYSELF. THE FIFTH OIL CHANGE WAS ON 4/18/08, WHEN I TOOK IT BACK TO SPEED. THE MILEAGE BETWEEN THE TWO SPEED CHANGES WAS 14,458. I PERFORMED ONE OIL CHANGE BETWEEN THE TWO DOCUMENTED WHICH WOULD MAKE IT APPROXIMATELY 7,200 MILES BETWEEN THE TWO. THIS IS A LITTLE MORE THAN WHAT IS SUGGESTED BETWEEN OIL CHANGES BUT NOT ENOUGH TO WARRANT MAZDA DECLINING WARRANTY REPAIR. I PLAN ON TAKING THIS UP WITH MAZDA'S UPPER MANAGEMENT IN HOPES THEY MIGHT MAKE THIS RIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10236664

20,000 miles · Jun 9, 2008
Tires

TOYO BRAND TIRES P205/55 R16 SIZE INSTALLED ON NEW 2006 MAZDA 3 WERE INFERIOR LEADING UP TO PREMATURE WEAR OF RUBBER ON TIRE TO THE POINT OF SHOWING SAFETY BAR UNDER WORN TREAD AT ONLY 20,000 MILES. TIRES WERE PROPERLY ROTATED AT PRESCRIBED INTERVALS AND PROPER TIRE INFLATION WAS MONITORED REGULARLY SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. …

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TOYO BRAND TIRES P205/55 R16 SIZE INSTALLED ON NEW 2006 MAZDA 3 WERE INFERIOR LEADING UP TO PREMATURE WEAR OF RUBBER ON TIRE TO THE POINT OF SHOWING SAFETY BAR UNDER WORN TREAD AT ONLY 20,000 MILES. TIRES WERE PROPERLY ROTATED AT PRESCRIBED INTERVALS AND PROPER TIRE INFLATION WAS MONITORED REGULARLY SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. DEALERSHIP AND TOYO TIRE STATE 20,000 MILES IS NORMAL WEAR. WHEN I CALLED DEALERSHIPS SELLING EXACT BRAND OF TIRE THEY CLAIMED 40,000 MILES SHOULD BE EXPECTED. I ALSO NOTICE SOME BRANDS OF TOYO TIRES WERE RECALLED ON YOUR WEBSITE. WHEN I MENTIONED THAT TO TOYO SERVICE REP. @ 1-800-442-8696 HE STATED NONE OF THEIR TIRES HAVE EVER BEEN RECALLED AND YOUR WEBSITE CONTAINS BAD INFORMATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10230331

41,000 miles · Jun 2, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE HAS FAILED AFTER 41,000 MILES. BAD LOWER ROD. MAZDA WILL NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY. VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10229639

Mileage unknown · Feb 18, 2008
Suspension

2006 MAZDA 3 FRONT TIRES RUB AND WEAR UNEVEN. THE CAR CUT A DEEP GOUGE ON THE INSIDE OF EACH FRONT TIRE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10218408

Official recalls

1

21V494000 · 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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.