2013 Mazda MAZDA3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other MAZDA3 years
- About as many complaints as other years 10th of 23 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 117 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Mazda MAZDA3. That ranks 10th out of 23 MAZDA3 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (36 complaints, 31%), typically at around 45,498 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 2 fires, 4 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 117owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 36 | 31% | 45,498 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 32 | 27% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 18 | 15% | 28,535 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 15 | 13% | 49,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 11 | 9% | 16,015 | — | — |
| Structure | 11 | 9% | 52,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 10 | 9% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 9 | 8% | 62,660 | — | — |
| Steering | 9 | 8% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 7 | 6% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 5% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 3% | 101,783 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 2% | 59,665 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 2% | 14,300 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 2% | 70,713 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | 32,631 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 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 Brake Pedal consistently malfunctions, even after the replacement of the master cylinder (by independent service center). The master cylinder does not hold pressure due to a faulty ABS control unit (which, when Mazda was contacted, said that part was on backorder until September). If the…
There seems to be a lot of people who own 2012 and 2013 Mazda 3 Sedans (with SKYACTIV-G 2.0L and Halogen Type Headlights) that are dealing with the same issue I am dealing with myself. I have just purchased a used 2013 Mazda 3 with Skyactive Technology and I noticed that when I was braking the…
Transmission Control Module malfunction. The AT light came on and the car made a jerking motion and a clunking noise. It lost power and would not shift which is very dangerous in moving traffic. It put me at risk for getting hit by another vehicle not expecting the abrupt change in speed by my…
The contact owns a 2013 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V644000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the part for the recall repair was not yet…
All my seatbuckels are tearing. I thought it could of been my dog, but I a certain I did not give up my seat or let him drive. My driver side is also tearing. I noticed the buckle catching when securing it, and now it has moved past snag and had a quarter inch tear that it catches on. The buckle is…
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 | 117 | 1 |
| 2012 MAZDA3 | 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 2013 Mazda MAZDA3?
Owners most often report exterior lighting, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 36 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Mazda MAZDA3?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 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 2013 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.