2011 Mazda MAZDA3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other MAZDA3 years
- About as many complaints as other years 8th of 23 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 132 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Mazda MAZDA3. That ranks 8th out of 23 MAZDA3 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (29 complaints, 22%), typically at around 70,211 miles. Complaints mention 12 crashes, 2 fires, 13 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 132owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 12complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 Mazda MAZDA3 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 29 | 22% | 70,211 | — | — |
| Seats | 20 | 15% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 18 | 14% | 70,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 15 | 11% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 13 | 10% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 13 | 10% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 12 | 9% | 27,250 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 | 8% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 5% | 24,450 | — | — |
| Tires | 7 | 5% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 5 | 4% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 4% | 24,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 3% | 44,800 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 3% | 25,550 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 2% | 160,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 2% | 27,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 2% | 64,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 2% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 2% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 2% | 18,750 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | 29,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 Mazda MAZDA3 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seats
Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2011 Mazda2 and 2010-2011 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles equipped with a manual seat lifter. In the affected vehicles, the seat height adjustment lifter links may break or detach from the seat frame and the seat angle may incline causing the driver to not be able to maintain an appropriate driving position.
Risk: If the driver cannot maintain an appropriate driving position, there is an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat lifter links and install a reinforcement bracket to the lifter links, or replace the entire seat adjuster unit, free of charge. The recall began April 7, 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0917B.
Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate
Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015. On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.
Risk: If the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Mazda dealers will replace the both lift gate supports, free of charge, however parts are not currently available. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9916H.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2011 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the front driverâs side seat wobbled and was unsecured. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who determined that the front driverâs side seat lifter link was inoperable and needed to be replaced…
The airbag system failed to deploy during a major accident I was in, where my car rolled multiple times, and the collision that totaled my car. This includes the front airbags, impact sensors, and/or the airbag control module not activating. The vehicle is currently in the possession of the…
I was driving it and randomly the AT and TC , and check engine light came on and the car went into limp mode, after doing some research it appears to happen to all 2009-2011 Mazda3's and it's a safety hazard. It's a safety hazard because of when it's stuck in limp mode sometimes if your at a light…
The instrument panel above the information display in my 2011 Mazda3 has warped and created a visible gap, which is a known defect previously covered under Mazdaâs Special Service Program A9 (SSP A9). While originally described as a cosmetic issue, in my vehicle the gap now allows engine odors…
The car is jerking and check engine light is on. Also when you are stopped and press on the gar it takes a bit to get speed. The transmission control module needs to be replaced. There seems to be this issue on many mazda's just not sure why a recall hasn't been done for this case.
Other Mazda MAZDA3 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 MAZDA3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 MAZDA3 | 8 | 1 |
| 2024 MAZDA3 | 12 | 3 |
| 2023 MAZDA3 | 12 | 0 |
| 2022 MAZDA3 | 24 | 0 |
| 2021 MAZDA3 | 54 | 1 |
| 2020 MAZDA3 | 32 | 2 |
| 2019 MAZDA3 | 74 | 6 |
| 2018 MAZDA3 | 109 | 4 |
| 2017 MAZDA3 | 83 | 2 |
| 2016 MAZDA3 | 104 | 6 |
| 2015 MAZDA3 | 130 | 4 |
| 2014 MAZDA3 | 138 | 4 |
| 2013 MAZDA3 | 117 | 1 |
| 2012 MAZDA3 | 226 | 1 |
| 2011 | 132 | 2 |
| 2010 MAZDA3 | 686 | 3 |
| 2009 MAZDA3 | 115 | 3 |
| 2008 MAZDA3 | 303 | 2 |
| 2007 MAZDA3 | 222 | 2 |
| 2006 MAZDA3 | 166 | 1 |
| 2005 MAZDA3 | 97 | 2 |
| 2004 MAZDA3 | 145 | 2 |
See all Mazda MAZDA3 problems by year, every Mazda model, or the Mazda VIN decoder.
Similar Mazda models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Mazda MAZDA3?
Owners most often report air bags, seats, unknown or other problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 29 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Mazda MAZDA3?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 Mazda MAZDA3 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other MAZDA3 model years, the 2011 has about as many complaints as a typical year, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.