Mazda Mazda3 2010–2013
2nd generation (BL)
NHTSA data through 13 August 20261,605 complaints, 1,160 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 1,160
- Median of reported failures
- 50,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Body structure (13.1%)
- Recalls
- 2
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 28,000 and 82,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Mazda Mazda3 2010–2013 · 1,160 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 125 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 9 complaints (0.8%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 12,000
- 25%
- 28,000
- Median
- 50,000
- 75%
- 82,000
- 90%
- 120,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 104 | 9.0% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 92 | 7.9% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 112 | 9.7% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 124 | 10.7% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 125 | 10.8% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 121 | 10.4% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 99 | 8.5% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 62 | 5.3% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 69 | 5.9% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 57 | 4.9% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 52 | 4.5% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 25 | 2.2% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 28 | 2.4% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 24 | 2.1% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 14 | 1.2% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 14 | 1.2% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 17 | 1.5% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 9 | 0.8% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 2 | 0.2% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 200,000+ | 9 | 0.8% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 1,605 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010–2013 Mazda Mazda3, and 1,160 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 28,000 and 82,000 miles. The median is 50,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are body structure (13.1% of complaints, typically around 49,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (11.2% of complaints, typically around 77,000 miles), seats (9.4% of complaints, typically around 70,000 miles).
2 recall campaigns cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2010–2013 Mazda Mazda3 last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2010–2013 Mazda Mazda3 were filed by 50,000 miles and 90% by 120,000 miles — figures drawn from 1,160 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
9 reports (0.8%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a Mazda3 reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2010–2013 Mazda3: the 3-minute check
Generated from 1,160 mileage-tagged complaints, 2 recall campaigns, 3 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 2 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check powertrain (generation split) on 2012–2013 cars. Major mid-generation powertrain change: MY2012-2013 replaced the 2.0L MZR and its 5-speed transmissions with the SkyActiv-G 2.0 and SkyActiv 6-speed manual/automatic. Complaint patterns for 2010-2011 and 2012-2013…
- Check electrical. Clock spring and traction control module faults; door lock actuator failures.
- Check body / corrosion. Continued rear arch and subframe corrosion complaints in salt-belt states, though reduced versus the BK.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 28,000 and 82,000 miles, with a median of 50,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, body structure and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Body structure in particular shows a median failure mileage of 49,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Mazda Mazda3 2010–2013
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Transmission and driveline112 reports30,00016,000–60,000Transmission and driveline: 112 reports, median 30,000 miles, middle half 16,000 to 60,000 miles.
- Body structure211 reports49,00034,000–65,000Body structure: 211 reports, median 49,000 miles, middle half 34,000 to 65,000 miles.
- Exterior lighting100 reports50,00036,000–80,000Exterior lighting: 100 reports, median 50,000 miles, middle half 36,000 to 80,000 miles.
- Visibility/wiper112 reports58,00040,000–80,000Visibility/wiper: 112 reports, median 58,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 80,000 miles.
- Electrical system123 reports63,00038,000–101,000Electrical system: 123 reports, median 63,000 miles, middle half 38,000 to 101,000 miles.
- Seats151 reports70,00050,000–100,000Seats: 151 reports, median 70,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Problems owners could not categorise179 reports77,00050,000–100,000Problems owners could not categorise: 179 reports, median 77,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body structure | 211 | 13.1% | 49,000 | 34,000–65,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 179 | 11.2% | 77,000 | 50,000–100,000 |
| Seats | 151 | 9.4% | 70,000 | 50,000–100,000 |
| Electrical system | 123 | 7.7% | 63,000 | 38,000–101,000 |
| Visibility/wiper | 112 | 7.0% | 58,000 | 40,000–80,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 112 | 7.0% | 30,000 | 16,000–60,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 100 | 6.2% | 50,000 | 36,000–80,000 |
| Airbag system | 81 | 5.0% | 60,000 | 38,000–91,000 |
| Wheels | 71 | 4.4% | 49,000 | 35,000–70,000 |
| Steering | 69 | 4.3% | 51,000 | 27,000–89,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Mazda Mazda3 2010–2013 · 1,160 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 58% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 78% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 90% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 0.8% of reports (9) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
58% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Transmission and driveline — median 30,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Body structure — middle half 34,000–65,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — middle half 50,000–100,000 mi
- Seats — middle half 50,000–100,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 38,000–101,000 mi
- Visibility/wiper — middle half 40,000–80,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — middle half 36,000–80,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
78% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Body structure — median 49,000 mi
- Visibility/wiper — median 58,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 30,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — median 50,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Problems owners could not categorise — middle half 50,000–100,000 mi
- Seats — middle half 50,000–100,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 38,000–101,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
90% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Body structure — median 49,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise — median 77,000 mi
- Seats — median 70,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 63,000 mi
- Visibility/wiper — median 58,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 30,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — median 50,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 50,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
Body structure accounts for 13.1% of complaints (211 reports, 121 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 49,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 34,000 and 65,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 11.2% of complaints (179 reports, 91 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 77,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 100,000 miles.
Seats account for 9.4% of complaints (151 reports, 113 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 100,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 7.7% of complaints (123 reports, 89 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 63,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 38,000 and 101,000 miles.
Visibility/wiper accounts for 7.0% of complaints (112 reports, 64 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 58,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 80,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 7.0% of complaints (112 reports, 98 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 30,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 16,000 and 60,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2010 model year drew the most — 920 complaints — while 2013 drew the fewest at 176. The median year sits at 254.
That makes 2010 an outlier: roughly 3.6 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 2 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,605 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 63 (3.9%)
- Fires
- 11
- Injury reports
- 30
- Fatality reports
- 0
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Powertrain (generation Split) 2012–2013
Major mid-generation powertrain change: MY2012-2013 replaced the 2.0L MZR and its 5-speed transmissions with the SkyActiv-G 2.0 and SkyActiv 6-speed manual/automatic. Complaint patterns for 2010-2011 and 2012-2013 should not be pooled.
Electrical
Clock spring and traction control module faults; door lock actuator failures.
Body / Corrosion
Continued rear arch and subframe corrosion complaints in salt-belt states, though reduced versus the BK.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 920 | 654 |
| 2011 | 181 | 126 |
| 2012 | 328 | 260 |
| 2013 | 176 | 120 |
Recalls (2) — is your car included?
Apr 2017 · 2010–2011 · SeatsIf the driver cannot maintain an appropriate driving position, there is an increased risk of a crash.
The defect. 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.
What can happen. If the driver cannot maintain an appropriate driving position, there is an increased risk of a crash.
The free 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.
Mar 2017 · 2010–2013 · StructureIf the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury.
The defect. 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.
What can happen. If the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury.
The free 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.
What owners reported
The tire pressure warning light came out one week after purchasing my new Mazda 3 in july 2010. I filled the tire with air but light would come back on several weeks later. Took the car to dealer in october 2010 and they couldn't find any problems. Took it back to dealer in october 2011 and now they find a bent wheel…
2010 · 100 miles · Wheels
A low speed rear-end collision resulted in an immediate explosion of the vehicle, causing a large external fire and smoke to enter the cabin upon impact. The structural damage to the vehicle occurred on the front-right; the fire destroyed the entire front 2/3 of the vehicle (totaling the vehicle). The concern is that…
2010 · 150 miles · Problems owners could not categorise
(2010 Mazda3 5-dr with sunroof) when sunroof is fully opened and driving around 35 miles/hr, complete roof starts to vibrate producing loud noise. I took the car to a car dealer and technician noticed the problem as well. I was told that the car is new design and that Mazda engineering received a complain. No action…
2010 · 300 miles · Body structure
the contact owns a 2010 Mazda3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idle, it would lunge forward and the rpms would increase. The failure occurred intermittently. The contact was forced to push the shut off button to stop the vehicle from moving forward. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who…
2010 · 600 miles · Throttle and speed control
Built from 1,160 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page