2012 Mazda MAZDA3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other MAZDA3 years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 23 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 226 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Mazda MAZDA3. That ranks 3rd out of 23 MAZDA3 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (40 complaints, 18%), typically at around 20,000 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 1 fire, 5 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 226owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 40 | 18% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 32 | 14% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 31 | 14% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 25 | 11% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 20 | 9% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 18 | 8% | 50,150 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 18 | 8% | 40,400 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 17 | 8% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 17 | 8% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 16 | 7% | 17,124 | — | — |
| Seats | 16 | 7% | 77,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 15 | 7% | 48,865 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 14 | 6% | 56,617 | — | — |
| Wheels | 12 | 5% | 28,900 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 4% | 48,865 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 2% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 2% | 9,250 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 2% | 10,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 2% | 25,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 2% | 21,570 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 80,005 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 1% | 12,578 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 29,387 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Mazda MAZDA3 recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
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 2012 Mazda Mazda3. The vehicle was transported from the east to Texas, and the vehicle was bought used. The contact stated that the dashboard was sticky and that a gap was between the instrument panel and cover. The contact stated that a small to medium bubble had started to…
The car leaks gas when the tank is full and if the car is inclined slightly. I've noticed the problem several month ago with an occasional odor but finally saw the gas leaking recently when it was parked on a sloped street.
The brake pedal is soft and sometimes unresponsive unless it is pumped repeatedly. There have been several times where I have been concerned if I would come to a complete stop. I have had both sets of brake pads replaced in the last year, and have on driven 9,000 miles. Two independent service…
The Seat Lifter on the driver's side seat frame broke, the metal has a clear stress fracture right near the bracket where the frame connects to the rail. This is the same part that was recalled in the 2010 and 2011 Models by Mazda in 2017. NHTSA Campaign No. 17V-082 It causes the driver side seat…
Our fuel tank is leaking for no reason. Brought it in last year (2024) for state inspections and let them know we smell gas when we park sometimes. They poke around and find nothing, but note there is a faint gas smell and to bring it to the dealer. We take it to Mazda to see if they can fix, they…
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 | 108 | 4 |
| 2017 MAZDA3 | 83 | 2 |
| 2016 MAZDA3 | 104 | 6 |
| 2015 MAZDA3 | 130 | 4 |
| 2014 MAZDA3 | 138 | 4 |
| 2013 MAZDA3 | 117 | 1 |
| 2012 | 226 | 1 |
| 2011 MAZDA3 | 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mazda MAZDA3?
Owners most often report power train, engine, exterior lighting problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 40 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Mazda MAZDA3?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 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 2012 has far more complaints than most years, 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.