2004 Mazda MAZDA3 problems
Owners have filed 185 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Mazda MAZDA3. Brakes is the most reported problem area, at 18% of complaints. After that come air bags (16%) and engine (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 185 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 18% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 25 and 4
- Injuries and deaths
- 24 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 56,000 miles 143 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 48 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 10 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 21 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 10 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 20 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 13 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 15 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 2 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 2 |
What the data shows
Among the 143 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 56,000 miles. For brakes specifically, the median reported mileage is about 12,000 miles (27 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 25 complaints mention a crash; 4 complaints mention a fire; 24 injuries reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 82% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2004 ranks 6th most-complained-about out of 19 model years of the Mazda MAZDA3 with enough data (113 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Involved in a head on collison on april 18 2005 air bags did not deploy have called and emails mazda about this and they will not help me. The car was in the shop prior to the accident for the air bag lights flashing. I was traving at 25 to 30MPH and the other car ( there fault ) was going about 20MPH. I sufferd head, back, groin injurys. I very unhappy with the way mazda is treating me on this!!!
I am getting 13mpg on a mazda3. Company is unable or unwilling to repair. Brakes needed service at 12 and 20,000 miles. Only 20,000 miles in 4 years. Always feeling of dragging and they claim no brake or other problem.
When starting the car the air bag light comes on and stays on for weeks then it will turn off. This has been happening for over a year.