2018 Mazda MAZDA3

The rear brake pads on my 2018 Mazda 3 have worn out prematurely, thinning to as little as 2MM in just 40,000 miles, while my front brakes are still 6MM. Brand new brakes are 10MM. I have heard the exact same complaint from the owner of a 2016 Mazda 3, which is the same generation. In the majority of cars, front brakes are supposed to wear our faster than the rear, so this is definitely a problem. Further evidence of the problem is shown in the fact that my car tends to steer a bit left when pointed in a straight direction, even after getting alignment perfectly done, consistent with the fact that the driver's side rear brake pad has worn out the fastest. In short, the rear brakes seem to be clamping excessively or sticking to the pad when the brake pedal is disengaged, most intensely on the rear driver's side but also on the rear passenger's, thus wearing out brake pads prematurely, reducing fuel efficiency and creating excess environmental waste. This can also be a major safety hazard if the brake pads thin out well before a driver is expecting or if the brakes engage unexpectedly.

ONLY REAR BRAKES SEVERELY CORRODED AND NEAR FAILURE AT 13200 MILES DESPITE ROUTINE WASHING AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT DEALERSHIP, WHILE THE FRONT BRAKES ARE PRISTINE. REAR BRAKE NOISES BEGAN AT 13200 MILES AND WAS MENTIONED TO DEALER DURING ROUTINE MAINTNENACE AT 13283 MILES. DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO ACCEPT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND TRIES TO BLAME ENVIRONMENT FOR UNUSUAL CORROSION AFTER 2 YEARS. ESCALATED TO MAZDA USA PENDING. THIS SEEMS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE ISSUES NOTED IN 2017 MAZDA3 IN COMPLAINT NHTSAID: 11240160 AND RELATED TO THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER RECALLS FOR ( Part 573 Safety Recall Report 17V-393)

MY CAR AUTOMATICALLY APPLIES ITS BRAKES WHEN IT SHOULDN'T BE. I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF AROUND 60 MPH FOLLOWING A PICKUP TRUCK. THE TRUCK STARTS FLASHING TO TURN RIGHT, I STARTED TO BRAKE A LITTLE, MY SPEED WAS REDUCED TO AROUND 40-45 MPH... JUST WHEN I WAS READY TO HIT THE GAS PEDAL AGAIN, BECAUSE THE TRUCK HAS FULLY COMPLETED HIS TURN ( WAS ALL THE WAY ON THE OTHER STREET)... MY MAZDA 3 2018 HIT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO SLOW THE CAR REALLY FAST TO AROUND 10 MPH !!! THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO RISK OF A CRASH, MY GIRL FRIEND WAS IN SHOCK, SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED. SORRY IF MY ENGLISH IS NOT SO GOOD, I USUALLY SPEAK FRENCH !!! THE CAR HAVE ONLY 2000 MILLES, I BOUGHT IT NEW ON MARCH 2020... JUST BEFORE COVID-19 !!!

VEHICLE WAS OFF AND UNATTENDED IN PARKING LOT:MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHICH I'VE DRIVEN MY WHOLE LIFE & I'M NO SPRING CHICKEN. LIVE IN FLAT CITY WHERE HILL/ROLLING BACK HAS NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE. CAR HAS ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE. 1 DAY A YEAR INTO THE LEASE, WAS PARKED @A PUMP@TGAS STATION &WHEN CAME OUT,CAR HAD MOVED/ROLLED BACK. SHOCKINGLY I THOUGHT I MESSED UP/MIGHT'VE FORGOTTEN2 ENGAGE PARKING BRAKE, DESPITE IT BECOMING 2ND NATURE. THANKED GOD DIDN'T ROLL BACK INTO ANYTHING/ANYONE, VOWED 2 BE XTRA MINDFUL/CAREFUL.TURNS OUT NO MATTER HOW CAREFUL/MINDFUL I'VE BEEN,JUST THE OTHER DAY IT HAPPENED AGAIN.THIS TIME, HUSBAND WAS IN THE CAR W/ME &SWORE SAW ME AS USUAL, AS 2ND NATURE, ENGAGE THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE. MIND U,HAVE NEVER PUT IT INTO 1ST YEAR 2 PARK BECAUSE NEVER NEEDED 2. I GUESS SHOULD HAVE THIS TIME AS BACK-UP 2 THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE THAT DIDN'T ENGAGE. WE WERE ACROSS THE LOT AT THE ATM WHEN WE SAW CAR ROLLING BACK. HUSBAND RAN 2 TRY 2 STOP IT BEFORE IT COULD HIT SOMETHING BUT HE DIDN'T SUCCEED. IT WAS 2 HEAVY & ENDED UP CRASHING IN2 THE POSTS& HANDRAIL THAT I GUESS ARE THERE FOR THAT EXACT REASON. POSTS STOPPED CAR BUT HUSBAND HURT HIS WRIST & NECK IN HIS ATTEMPT 2BE SUPERMAN. POSTS OF COURSE HAD NO DAMAGE. CONTACTED MAZDA,THEY SAID THEY'D CHECK IT OUT. I REFERENCED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL IN PRIOR YEARS. THEY SAID NO RECALL HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR THIS YEAR. DURING THIS WHOLE COVID-19 & HUSBAND BEING FURLOUGHED, THE LAST THING WE NEED IS AN EXTRA EXPENSE AS MY INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE WILL BE. CAR IS @DEALER NOW & THEY'RE TESTING IT 2SEE IF IT HAPPENS WHILE IN THEIR SHOP.I HATE FOR THIS TO BE A FAULTY PART OR WARRANTY ISSUE BUT ALSO HOPING IT IS SO IT WILL BE ANNOUNCED &OTHER PEOPLE CAN LEARN ABOUT THIS HORRIBLE POSSIBILITY O GRATEFUL THAT CAR DID NOT ROLL BACK AND INJURE A PERSON OR AN ANIMAL! UGH! BEWARE! *TR

I HAD A SCARY SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY 2018 MAZDA 3 YESTERDAY. I HAD LEFT THE CAR RUNNING SO THAT MY DOG WOULD HAVE A/C. MY CAR IS HAS STANDARD TRANSMISSION. I PULLED UP THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUTTON BUT AS I WAS EXITING THE CAR MY DOG ACCIDENTALLY PUT HER PAW ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUTTON AND THE CAR STARTED GOING BACKWARDS. THANK GOODNESS I WAS ABLE TO REACH IN AND PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUTTON BACK UP. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGEDY, NOT ONLY POTENTIALLY DAMAGING MY CAR AND OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY BUT GOD FORBID MY CAR ROLLED INTO A PERSON. THIS EMERGENCY BRAKE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE LEFT MY CAR IN NEUTRAL WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE I GOT THE CAR LAST DECEMBER AND AM VERY LUCKY THIS INCIDENT DIDN'T OCCUR WHEN I WASN'T SO CLOSE TO MY CAR. THE CAR SHOULD HAVE A SENSOR OR SAFETY FEATURE OF SOME SORT THAT WOULD REQUIRE THERE TO BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WEIGHT IN THE FRONT SEAT THAT PREVENTED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FROM DISENGAGING. IN PRIOR CARS WITH A NORMAL EMERGENCY BRAKE THAT IS EITHER ENGAGED ON THE FLOOR OF THE CAR OR PULLED UP MANUALLY NEAR THE GEAR SHIFT THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN. MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS OPEN. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THIS CAN'T BE THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND IT COULD VERY EASILY HAVE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES. I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE WILL LEAVE THEIR A/C OR HEAT RUNNING WHILE THERE IS A HUMAN OR DOG IN THE CAR WHEN THEY HAVE TO STEP OUT OF THE CAR TO GET THE MAIL, PUT SOMETHING ELSE IN THE CAR, ETC. IN A CAR WITH STANDARD TRANSMISSION, THE ONLY WAY TO LEAVE THE A/C OR HEAT RUNNING IS TO LEAVE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL.