Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.
What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?
A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.
The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.
How to interpret what you read
A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:
- One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
- Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
- Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
- Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.
If you've experienced a defect
File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.
Read more from our blog
Showing 29,895 complaints for MAZDA
Incident date: Jun 15, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-30. The contact stated that while at a stop sign, the vehicle was bouncing up and down. The contact mentioned that the failure recurred multiple times and only while the vehicle was stopped. The dealer was contacted but was unable to provide a diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. In addition, while driving at ap... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2021
The contact owned a 2006 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 mph when the driver-side airbag deployed without warning which resulted in the contact losing control of the vehicle. The contact was the only injured and sought medical treatment. The contact sustained bruising on the right wrist and chest. A police report was taken and the vehicle was towed to a police lot w... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 30, 2021
The Automatic Emergency Braking system is activated even if there is nothing in front of the car. The car stops on its own. This has happened 11 times. Yes, my car is available for inspection. I do not know when it's going to happen. My car has malfunctioned like this 11 times. I can get hit from behind since the car is suddenly and unexpectedly braking. The dealership has not been able to ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 30, 2021
The Automatic Emergency Braking system is activated even if there is nothing in front of the car. The car stops on its own. This has happened 11 times. Yes, my car is available for inspection. I do not know when it's going to happen. My car has malfunctioned like this 11 times. I can get hit from behind since the car is suddenly and unexpectedly braking. The dealership has not been able to ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2021
The driver door handle stopped functioning on a 7-year-old low milage (<25k) Mazda 5. The malfunction is common among Mazda's and can be easily found when searching the internet. A small groove on the internal door handle mechanism breaks off and lets the spring pulling the handle back slip out. In most cases, this causes the door to be unable to open (from the outside or inside). However, in my ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 16, 2021
The contact leased a 2021 Mazda CX-30. The contact stated that the vehicle had failed to start up after multiple attempts with several unknown warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that an unauthorized independent tow company towed the vehicle to a dealer two hours away from her home and that the vehicle was stolen from the dealer's lot. A police report was filed. ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2019
When you turn the car off the accessory stays on. In other words it doesn’t shut off all the way. That is a hazard because the battery will go dead in time. I looked on the internet and found a lot of complaints about this issue with these cars. The car has a defective shifter switch. Mazda won’t recall the part even though there have been many complaints. This is a defective part. If a ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2019
When you turn the car off the accessory stays on. In other words it doesn’t shut off all the way. That is a hazard because the battery will go dead in time. I looked on the internet and found a lot of complaints about this issue with these cars. The car has a defective shifter switch. Mazda won’t recall the part even though there have been many complaints. This is a defective part. If a ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 28, 2016
The contact owns a 2004 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle and driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2005 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V494000 (Air Bags) however, the contact was unable to contact reach the manufacturer or the local dealer for the recall repair. The contact called the number to the local dealer and the manufacturer but was unable to schedule an appointment for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufact... Read more
Incident date: Oct 6, 2021
Mazda recalled the problem with the emergency brake(recall1217F) .The dealership did some cosmetic fix that did not prevent it from happening. The emergency brake when applied activated a lever when the brake is released the lever returns to it's original position.The recall was supposed to address the corrosion on the lever shaft that causes it to stick and not release the brake.
Incident date: Oct 19, 2021
Brakes failed while driving. Mazda dealer did not fix this known defect under recall SSP93
Incident date: Sep 29, 2021
Manufacturing defect in the windshield glass: distorted/warped windshield glass causing waves/ripples. Result: impaired visibility when operating vehicle and rapid eye fatigue. Google search (forums) indicates that this is a well known issue on several Mazda models. The issue presumably existed at factory. I noticed upon purchase as CPO at 6k miles. Available for inspection if needed.
Incident date: Oct 19, 2021
1st issue - System monitor restarts without warning. Just driving along with only one iPhone plugged in the monitor shows a spinning "wheel" saying restarting while driving, 2nd issue - with two iPhones plugged in it starts having more issues. Stops charging second iPhone connects then reconnects constantly. Then stops (see picture) 3rd issue - With only one iPhone plugged in and running navi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2021
1st issue - System monitor restarts without warning. Just driving along with only one iPhone plugged in the monitor shows a spinning "wheel" saying restarting while driving, 2nd issue - with two iPhones plugged in it starts having more issues. Stops charging second iPhone connects then reconnects constantly. Then stops (see picture) 3rd issue - With only one iPhone plugged in and running navi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2021
1st issue - System monitor restarts without warning. Just driving along with only one iPhone plugged in the monitor shows a spinning "wheel" saying restarting while driving, 2nd issue - with two iPhones plugged in it starts having more issues. Stops charging second iPhone connects then reconnects constantly. Then stops (see picture) 3rd issue - With only one iPhone plugged in and running navi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2014
The brake light bulb has melted and burnt out the brake light housing assembly multiple times, I have purchased multiple brake light housing assembly and the issue continues. Clearly this is a manufacturing defect that is a safety/fire hazard.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2010 Mazda CX-9. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number 15V451000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made a... Read more
MAZDA
CX-5
(2013) - POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
Oct 19, 2021
Incident date: Jan 1, 2018
The contact owns a 2013 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while shifting into the park the electronics failed to turn off. The contact vigorously shifted the gear shifter in several positions for approximately 10 to 15 minutes to turn off electronics. There were no warning indicator lights illuminated. The contact was concerned about the battery being drained. The vehicle was taken to the local deal... Read more
Incident date: Oct 7, 2015
Straight-on, front-end collision occurred, that destroyed radiator and folded hood. Air bag did not deploy.
Crash
Incident date: Oct 16, 2021
There was a warning "chime" and then this message appeared on the instrument panel. "Front Radar Malfunction". The car was in the left lane on the PA turnpike going approximately 73 miles per hour. The car immediately began a rapid deceleration after the warning "chime". Automatic braking activated. The driver could not accelerate. Traffic was heavy with a trailer truck to the right and cars be... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2021
There was a warning "chime" and then this message appeared on the instrument panel. "Front Radar Malfunction". The car was in the left lane on the PA turnpike going approximately 73 miles per hour. The car immediately began a rapid deceleration after the warning "chime". Automatic braking activated. The driver could not accelerate. Traffic was heavy with a trailer truck to the right and cars be... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2021
Vehicle stalled while driving. On 9/29/21 Suburban Mazda of Troy removed the Mazda mobile start. On 10/13/21, the engine stalled and shut off at approximately 50 mph and coasted the vehicle to the side of the road. There were no warning light prior and the vehicle had approximately 1/4 tank of gas (according to the gauge). AAA came and put 2 gallons of gas in and the vehicle started and drove norm... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2019
my dashboard is melting creating an extreme glare impacting my visibility.
Incident date: Sep 9, 2021
One day last month, my front winsheild wipers were going very slowly when I turned them on the Auto setting (maybe 1/4 of normal speed, which is not correct). If I switched it to Lo or Hi they worked fine. A couple of days later the wipers always wiped in the very slow mode (1/4 of the speed of normal wipers), then after a 1/2 hour of driving they stopped altogether. It was raining quite hard a... Read more
Incident date: Aug 17, 2021
Car was bought used and I had no prior knowledge of sunroof being non-factory installed or that it was part of a possible recall. I was driving down a highway when the sunroof started flapping then flew off and shattered in the median. The glue is completely worn off and there is a lot of rust. This could be a severe danger for the cars behind me because it could’ve hit them and caused an accide... Read more
Incident date: Oct 6, 2021
Engine turned off while making a k turn. This is the same issue I experienced in 2019. Mazda issued a recall for software malfunction shortly thereafter and my car was serviced as part of this recall (NHTSA campaign number: 19V497). But now the exact issue happened again last week.
Incident date: Oct 11, 2021
The contact owns a 2015 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the temperature gauge began to accelerate rapidly. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to park on the side of the road for approximately 3 hours, until the engine cooled down. The contact stated she added water and continued driving to her destination. The contact took the vehicle to ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 6, 2021
The contact owns a 2012 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while at a standstill, she heard a popping sound coming from the driver’s side seat resulting in the seat moving and not maintaining an appropriate driving position. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V082000 (Seats) however, the VIN wa... Read more
Incident date: Oct 7, 2021
my power steering has randomly failed for a second time. It happened once before as I pulled into a store -this time it happened while I was travelling southbound on highway 1 a very curvy road with steep cliffs where the speed limit is 55 so it was very scary when my steering suddenly went to manual steering. Turning the car off and waiting a few minutes seemed to remedy it. I continued to hav... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2021
Windshield wiper stopped working all of a sudden.
Incident date: Oct 12, 2021
The contact owns a 2016 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, squeaking noises were heard. The brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed that both the rear brake pads were worn down to 20% and needed replacement. The mechanic informed the contact there was TSB 04-004/19 and 04-005/20 related to the failu... Read more
Incident date: Jul 19, 2021
When driving at highway speeds and applying brakes, the headlights will pulse bright to dim for the duration of braking. I have seen this problem reported online by several dealers and it has a known software update to fix the problem, but it is not listed under the recalls for this vehicle. A similar problem exists on the 2014 Mazda's and a recall does exist for that vehicle.
Incident date: Jun 19, 2021
Our 2010 Mazda CX-9 stopped on the highway and had to be towed away. The dealer determined it was an engine failure due to a faulty water pump. It had leaked into the engine, causing permanent damage. No warning lights. The car just stopped. Two dealerships did not want to repair. There is a class action lawsuit. https://www.ktmc.com/mazda-water-pump-engine-failure There should be a recall. We... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2018
The abs (anti-lock braking system) unit module failed and no, the failing component has been replaced. The brake pedal went to the floor and almost caused an accident. Yes, the problem kept occurring, and yes, a dealer did reproduce the problem. Yes, it has been inspected by a dealer, but not the manufacturer. No, there was no warning lamps or problems prior to the failure.
Incident date: Jun 16, 2017
Glare from sticky dashboard is a safety hazard. It is very difficult to see through windshield with this problem. Mazda dealer did not assist in anyway. Please assist me. Thank you
Incident date: Oct 4, 2021
Primary hood latch released while driving. It happened at night in heavy rain and was not seen. This vehicle appears to lack a hood open warning indicator. I am unable to find it in the manual. There is an indicator for doors and back hatch but not the hood. Had the secondary latch failed, this could have had a catastrophic outcome.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2018
I have found several complaints on the 2005 Mazda Tribute with the rear wheel well rusting out. Mazda did a recall on the 2004 but not the 2005. I previously had to replace the rear wheel in 2018 and it now needs replaced again due to rusting. With the number of complaints I have read, along with the outrageous cost to repair, I do not understand why Mazda, nor the NHTSA have done anything abou... Read more
Incident date: Sep 3, 2021
Brake Booster damaged. I ended up with no brakes and nearly crashed.
Incident date: Oct 4, 2021
Currently own a 2020 Mazda CX 5 Touring, after coming from work I parked in my driveway and proceeded to turn off the car. When i was walking away i could hear the engine still Running. I went back and turned on the car and turned it back off, again i could still hear the engine still running. I went back and got inside and took the car for a 5 minute drive, then came back to my drive way and plac... Read more
Incident date: Sep 24, 2021
Brake booster failure caused a near miss. Wife driving with 5 year old daughter in the vehicle. The stopping force required on the brake pedal became excessive and the stopping (safe braking) distance significantly increased causing emotional distress. My understanding is this part (brake booster) has a defective diaphragm that deteriorates over time. The extended warranty created for this particu... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 5, 2021
parking brake not working due to mechanism on rear caliper is rusted solid so it can not activate brake
Incident date: Oct 5, 2021
As the original owner, I have now experienced (4) faulty/broken/corroded valve stem as part (attached to the TPMS-Tire Pressure Monitor System). This happened over the course of 12 years. I do believe all of them were OEM parts. All of them broke when attempting to air up the tire. It is a safety issue because once broke, you can no longer put air into the tire. The first occurrence was while sti... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX5. The contact stated that after the vehicle was serviced at the dealer under Manufacturer's recall number: SSPC7 for the TCU, the contact was driving at an undisclosed speed, when the "Keyless ignition malfunction" warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to drive to his residence, but when he attempted to turn off the vehicle, the vehicle would not turn... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2015
Passenger side dash is melting and causes a bad glare on the windshield making it hard to see, there is also a glare at night with the street lights. My wife has called several times over the past 5 years about the recall but was told they are not going to fix it and not to call back. I called the Mazda recall team on 10-4-21, they said they would replace the dash and connected me to a local deale... Read more
Incident date: Oct 2, 2021
BRAKE BOOSTER INTERNAL FAILURE - This is a known issue and a safety hazard on Mazda CX 9 models and should be investigated again regardless of the age of the vehicle.
MAZDA
B-SERIES TRUCK
(1998) - WHEELS
Sep 30, 2021
Incident date: Sep 30, 2021
Report s as stolen from Santa Clarita ca newhall. Reporting to the chp.gov [XXX] ca tip line [XXX] Western general insurance, clabasas www.downeynissan.com Management LLC INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Crash
Fire
2 injured
4 deaths
MAZDA
B-SERIES TRUCK
(1998) - AIR BAGS
Sep 30, 2021
Incident date: Sep 30, 2021
Report s as stolen from Santa Clarita ca newhall. Reporting to the chp.gov [XXX] ca tip line [XXX] Western general insurance, clabasas www.downeynissan.com Management LLC INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Crash
Fire
2 injured
4 deaths
MAZDA
B-SERIES TRUCK
(1998) - LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
Sep 30, 2021
Incident date: Sep 30, 2021
Report s as stolen from Santa Clarita ca newhall. Reporting to the chp.gov [XXX] ca tip line [XXX] Western general insurance, clabasas www.downeynissan.com Management LLC INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Crash
Fire
2 injured
4 deaths
MAZDA
MX-5 MIATA
(1991) - TIRES:SIDEWALL
Sep 30, 2021
Incident date: Sep 29, 2021
Sidewall of my one day old VeeRubber Vitron R41 split about 15 inches along the side wall of the tire about 2 to 3 inches down from the road riding part of he tire. It was a clear day and there were no warnings when the one day old tire just split along the sidewall. The tire was mounted and filled with air at a retail tire store. 185/60 R14