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2016 Mazda Mazda3 Recalls & Complaints

6

open safety recalls on record

Critical

137 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.39 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical16V684000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly

fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source raises the risk of a fire.

Remedy & full details

Mazda will notify owners, and depending on the tank lot number, dealers will inspect the ICV weld, replacing the fuel tank, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0116I.

Mazda Motors North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Mazda3 vehicles manufactured January 4, 2014, to September 18, 2015. The fuel tank of the affected vehicles may have been improperly handled during manufacturing and, as a result, the welded attachment of the Inlet Check Valve (ICV) may fail and allow fuel to leak.

Critical16V685000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage

fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source raises the risk of a fire.

Remedy & full details

Mazda will notify owners, and depending on the tank lot number, dealers will inspect the recirculation pipe weld, replacing the fuel tank, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2016. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0216I.

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 Mazda3 vehicles manufactured September 24, 2015, to October 16, 2015. During manufacturing, the fuel tanks for the affected vehicles may have deformed, resulting in a fuel leak from the recirculation pipe welded connection.

Critical15V621000 Do not drive

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly

fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source raises the risk of a fire.

Remedy & full details

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle's fuel shut-off valve. As needed, the fuel shut-off valve and the affected fuel tank emissions system components will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on October 20, 2015. Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the repairs have been completed. Mazda will provide rental cars until that time. Owners may contact the Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800- 222-5500, option #6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8615J.

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Mazda3 vehicles manufactured May 21, 2015, to August 25, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with a fuel tank with a shut-off valve that can allow fuel to enter into the fuel tank emissions systems. If enough fuel enters the emission system it may leak out onto the ground or result in an engine stall.

Serious19V272000

Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer

Reduced visibility while driving can raises the risk of crash.

Remedy & full details

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front body control module with a new module which uses an improved wiper relay design, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3219D.

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Mazda3 vehicles. A defective windshield wiper relay may cause the windshield wipers to become inoperative, reducing the driver's visibility.

Serious17V393000

Parking Brake

If the parking brake actuator shaft binds, the parking brake may not engage or disengage fully.

Remedy & full details

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will check the parking brake actuator shafts, replacing any that are corroded, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed August 24, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1217F.

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Mazda6 and 2014-2016 Mazda3 vehicles. Water could possibly enter the brake caliper causing the parking brake actuator shaft to corrode and possibly bind.

Serious23V487000

Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

rearview camera that does not display properly can reduce the driver's rear view, raises the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy & full details

Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera, as necessary. In addition, dealers will install a wiring harness fastening seal. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 13, 2023. Final owner letters for affected models and model years in the states of CT, MA, MD, NJ, NY, PA and VA were mailed August 14, 2024. The remaining owner notification letters will be mailed at a future date, anticipated on or before May 1, 2025. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 6023G.

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Mazda3 and 2016-2021 CX-3 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display properly by showing a flickering or distorted image.

Complaint volume

137 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

12Crashes
2Fires
6Injuries
0Deaths

Across 137 complaints. Severity Index 0.39.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Electrical System22 · 16%Unknown Or Other21 · 15%Service Brakes13 · 9%Power Train9 · 7%Visibility/Wiper7 · 5%Engine7 · 5%Back Over Prevention7 · 5%Air Bags6 · 4%
  1. Electrical System — 22 reports
  2. Unknown Or Other — 21 reports
  3. Service Brakes — 13 reports
  4. Power Train — 9 reports
  5. Visibility/Wiper — 7 reports
  6. Engine — 7 reports
  7. Back Over Prevention — 7 reports
  8. Air Bags — 6 reports
  9. Fuel/Propulsion System — 6 reports
  10. Parking Brake — 6 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2004 (3) · 2005 (3) · 2006 (2) · 2007 (3) · 2008 (3) · 2009 (4) · 2010 (3) · 2011 (2) · 2012 (1) · 2013 (1) · 2014 (4) · 2015 (4) · 2016 · 2017 (2) · 2018 (4) · 2019 (6) · 2020 (2) · 2021 (1) · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 (3) · 2025 (1)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.