Electrical System Problems of Mazda MAZDA3 - part 1

My 2018 Mazda 3 has an intermittent electrical failure on the high-speed can network that causes multiple safety-critical systems to fail while driving. When the fault occurs, the dash lights up with warnings for powertrain, abs/traction, lane departure, collision-avoidance, tpms, immobilizer, and the check-engine light. The car also hesitates or “lurches” between 15–30 mph during these events. At one point in 2024, the vehicle went into limp mode on the freeway, creating a safety hazard. These failures are intermittent but repeatable. Diagnostic scans from 2023–2025 show multiple u-codes for lost communication between control modules; two later became permanent. The issue appears unrelated to any one component and affects many systems at once. The vehicle has been to every Mazda dealership in the north texas region (mesquite, freeman, hiley, norm reeves, town north). All performed only basic scans; none completed a full can-bus or wiring-harness diagnostic. Town north kept the vehicle for six weeks (sept–oct 2025), replaced a coil and spark plugs, performed a camera calibration and a tcm update, but the network failures returned within 38 miles. We sought independent inspection only after dealerships repeatedly refused diagnosis whenever the warning lights were not on at the moment of arrival. In November 2025, a technician found significant internal corrosion inside the negative battery cable; touching the cable reproduced the full failure immediately. The corrosion extends deep into the wire sheathing. This appears to be an electrical defect affecting can communication and power/ground integrity. When the fault occurs, multiple safety systems disable at once and the vehicle behaves unpredictably. Mazda corporate has declined further assistance, and the defect remains unresolved. I am filing this report because this is a recurring safety issue that may affect other vehicles of the same model and year.

See all problems of the 2018 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

Car doesn't start if sitting more than 4 days untouched. When I went to the dealer, they informed me they know about the issue but nothing can be done about it. They even told me what the issue was, there's something in the car (they don't know what) that draws a lot of power non stop. Kills the battery and some time will get stuck mid ignition. I've replaced the battery a few times as well. It's very stressful trying to deal with it after a 12-16 hour shift at work. Knowing it will happened again and again, over and over.

See all problems of the 2022 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

The infotainment system will randomly change radio stations while driving, or start scanning through the various system menus, and on at least in one case, started randomly making phone calls from a connected phone. This creates a major distraction while driving. This has been looked at by the dealership and would cost $1500 for the system repair. I understand that this is a known problem.

See all problems of the 2015 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

Repeated instances of the Mazda infotainment system making changes randomly without any user input while driving. Repeated instances of the navigation system freezing, going black, rebooting while driving.

See all problems of the 2017 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

Car gives me emergency brake warnings about imminent collision maybe once or twice a week with nothing in front of me what so ever and once even straight up just brought me to a complete halt in the middle of the road with absolutely nothing in the road. The dealership basically told me it was a known issue and that “some models are more sensitive than others” and that they will be doing nothing about it. Different models of Mazda 3s from the same year are currently being investigated for the same recalls. This definitely needs to be addressed before I get into an accident.

See all problems of the 2024 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

The car screen displays, gps, for calls, radio etc, doesn’t works, it’s off, and the airbags are deactivated and they’re off as well and have to press hard on the brake to get the car to stops.

See all problems of the 2014 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

Hello frustrated people! second time back to the dealership. . . Backup camera they say got wet from moisture, (after 2 drained batteries in less than 2 years), my cost. I think that this is a very dangerous vehicle that I am driving now!!!! besides the fact, at my age, being stuck in a parking lot in 20 degree weather for 3 hours waiting for roadside assistance. The camera goes haywire. . . I cannot connect to the phone or navigation system. I can't leave my house for fear that my car is not going to start! now I have to pay for a backup camera??? we think that is the problem, they told me! so far the quote is $600. 00. . . . . . A danger to drive! can you imagine , pulling off the side of the road, when your navigation goes out! and now warmer weather, it doesnt do that. So how are they going to know now????.

2012 Mazda3i 5dr hatchback. Persistent issue with headlights, both low beam and high beam, as well as interior lighting and other lighting. The headlights flicker for several seconds any time the brake pedal is applied. Interior lighting also flickers when brake pedal is applied. Headlights sometimes flicker when vehicle is decelerating and no brake pedal is applied, most notable when vehicle is traveling downhill. Further, the luminosity (brightness) of the headlights visibly dims, but does not flash, when the vehicle is parked and the brake pedal is applied. A high volume of others report the same issue, including documented complaints. These vehicles are unsafe, defective as designed, and do not conform to fmvss no. 108. Nhtsa must investigate further. Many other owners are not aware of the cause of the issue and attempt to fix it by replacing headlights, alternator, etc. Mazda was aware of issue prior to July 2013, when it issued TSB 01-019/13. This document states, "some vehicles may exhibit the headlights flickering when the vehicle is decelerating (by applying the brakes) with the headlights on. This concern is caused by inadequate alternator output (controlled by the pcm) when the battery is under a heavy load. To correct the problem, the control logic of the pcm has been changed. " this appears to be at best a temporary fix. Bommarito Mazda in missouri required payment of $199. 88 to "diagnose" this problem and address it in the manner prescribed in TSB 01-019/13. This service was not covered under warranty. Service manager m. D. Claimed to have never heard of this issue before and that it would need to be diagnosed, despite being informed by the owner of the precise issue, that others reported experiencing the same issue, and that others reported the issue was addressed by reprogramming the pcm. Immediately following this service, the headlights continued to visibly dim when the vehicle is parked and the brake pedal applied.

See all problems of the 2012 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

During the incident, the vehicle exhibited an uncontrollable malfunction—the steering wheel suddenly jerked sharply to the right while accelerating violently, leaving me unable to steer or brake effectively, the car was looking forward. The car ultimately came to a stop upon colliding with a truck parked diagonally in front of me. After impact, I observed that the front tires remained stuck in a turned-right position, with the steering wheel also locked in that position. This was not an isolated event. Multiple reports from Mazda owners describe similar experiences with their vehicles unexpectedly veering to the right and accelerating without driver input. Given these recurring reports and my own experience, I strongly suspect that a manufacturing defect—whether mechanical, electronic, or software-related—may have contributed to this accident.

See all problems of the 2021 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

Radio stopped working.

See all problems of the 2007 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

Malfunctioning on and off on the display screen. My battery went dead after 11 months. Cause? it started over a year ago, but I called Mazda and they said there were no recalls at that time. Are there any now to date? thank you for your time.

When I checked for recall information 2 recalls were listed under my car's VIN #: recall #1: 3219d with closed status. Recall #2: 6023g is listed as active. But, when I tried to schedule a repair for the active recall, the manufacturing website only listed the "closed" recall (3219d) was listed as available for repair, which is bizarre. Please see the attached screenshot of the website. Thanks.

See all problems of the 2016 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

The Mazda connect touch screen in the center display may not accept touch commands properly or may operate by itself (ghost touch). The ito (indium tin oxide) film of the touch screen may be corroded due to moisture, which may adhere on the lens of the touch screen during the cleaning process at the plant. The corrosion may allow the electrostatic capacity to vary without any input, causing the malfunction of the touch screen.

The infotainment system is malfunctioning. It constantly restarts/reboots while I am driving and it is highly distracting. I contacted Mazda USA about this, but they responded by saying there are not active recalls for this car and the car isn't under warranty. I took it to a dealership and they quoted me $1450 for repairs. However, a problem such as this should not be occuring for a car that isn't too old. It is highly distracting and it is endagering me while I am driving, putting my and drivers on the roads' safety at risk. Mazda should fix this issue and pay for all repairs in full.

My rear camera is not centered when I bought my car as new in 2017. I reported the issue. But they told me it is normal. I got a letter from Mazda in 2022 about the rear camera recall. Then I asked them to do the recall. They told me they don't have parts. Recently, the video output is getting worse. It is distorted, flickering and zoomed out. I asked them again on 2024. They told the recall is not even started. Manufacturer recall number 6023g NHTSA recall number 23v-487 recall statusrecall incomplete, remedy not yet available.

There is a infotainment display that sits on the center part of the dash that has touch screen capability that over time starts to fail and results in what is known as "ghost touch", where random screen settings change as though someone is using the touch screen on the infotainment screen. I had issues to where settings for screen brightness have changed causing my ability to see the controls being hindered and the radio sometimes turning up loudly and then off causing a scare distraction while driving. This screen is also used for the back up camera. There is currently a class action lawsuit for this.

The a. B. S pump module is defective in these vehicles. There are tons of people having issues with them. When they fail it happens suddenly resulting in brake failure, power steering failure, the car does not like to shut off, the vehicle will go into "limp mode" and every light on the dash comes on. The part itself is costing close to $1000 u. S. D . With all of tge effected things tgat go with it I believe it can be very dangerous and should be recalled.

See all problems of the 2010 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

Screen has delamination causing it to have a "ghost touch" it will randomly change stations, change volume, try to make calls and click random buttons. It does all this without having been touched, this has occurred multiple times while driving causing a distraction that could eventually result in a wreck.

The contact owns a 2014 Mazda m3s. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed up an incline, the vehicle briefly lost motive power, after which the contact became aware that the vehicle had failed to shift out of first gear. The vehicle suddenly returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The contact also stated that the instrument panel behaved erratically with lights frequently staying on even when the vehicle was turned off. No warning lights were illuminated. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure and/or provide a diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with a head gasket seal resulting in an oil leak. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to an independent mechanic, how then diagnosed a failure with the electrical system. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 14v173000 (electrical system), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 62,000.

It’s been over a year since recall number 23v-487 was issued need to get it taken care of.

Mazda has a warranty extension for the 2014-2016 Mazda 3 infotainment touch screen as it may malfunction and glitch. This glitch can be a distraction as the system believes that it is being touched and may cause many things to change in the car such as radio station, navigation setting, and even some vehicle setting accessible from the infotainment screen, causing distractions. However, this issue is also possible on newer 2017 and 2018 models, and there is currently no program to fix the issue. While Mazda may seem like this is not a safety as the touch screen is disabled above 5 mph, it can still cause distractions when coming to a stop and while stopped which may result in an accident. I think this needs to be resolved and Mazda needs to acknowledge that this touch issue "ghost touch" can affect all Mazdas with Mazda connect 1. Taking this to the dealership to fix is expensive as they want to replace the entire system at a cost of $1000, which I could see many people not doing leading to more dangerous vehicles on the road.

My Mazda3, odometer reading about 3000 miles, would not start. I have been driving normally daily, do not leave lights on or any other equipment connected when the car is off. I have not had any warning lights displayed other than startup. Monday I drove to my local CT. Golf course, 20 miles from home, arrived at 9am. 5 hours later I after golf, I can’t open trunk. Fortunately I left the car unlocked. The car would not start. Road service tried to jump battery unsuccessfully. Dragged the car onto truck-bed and transports to dealer. Service tech contacts me next day … charged battery, checked electric system and found no malfunctions. This is a scary situation when one never knows when this will happen again. Is there a solution??.

See attached document for complaint.

In reference to the existing recall on my vehicle (manufacturer recall # 6023g, NHTSA recall #: 23v-487), I would like to report that the vehicle manufacturer (Mazda) has yet to offer a solution to this problem, which is now over a year old. In addition to the reported distortion/flickering from the rearview camera, we are experiencing times (about 1 in 10) where the image displayed from the rearview camera is simply a blank screen. This makes operating the vehicle in reverse more difficult and dangerous, especially in situations were visibility is limited (night, dark spaces, garage parking, etc. ). This is a safety issue, first and foremost, and a solution from the manufacturer is long overdue.

The touchscreen has started to exhibit similar issues as seen in previous recalls for the Mazdas. Commonly known as "ghost touch," the screen receives erroneous inputs, causing settings to change or unwanted functionality to start/stop. Depending on the active screen, the system will exhibit different behavior. In my case, the discoloration is directly at the 6 o'clock position. Whatever application button is there is the one that will be triggered. On a bluetooth connection, that is the random button. On the am or fm application, that is the seek button. On the settings menu, that could be any number of important things, including safety systems' settings including the ability to disable traction control. You can see on the display where it has been overheated and is discolored. This is the same location that the "ghost touches" occur. It is intermittent, but occurs more frequently as the unit heats up or after the car warms in an parking lot.

My radio in my 2017 Mazda3 hatchback randomly presses buttons with no input from the user. This is a known issue and can cause safety issues. Especially if the volume decides to turn itself up and cause hearing issues. It's almost impossible to make hands free phone calls if it doesn't work either.

There is an existing recall on my car 2014 Mazda 3 dated July 14, 2023 for the glitches with rearview mirror and rearview mirror disconnecting at random. While this has been outstanding for one year Mazda discourages customers from scheduling appointment to get the vehicle inspected and fixed in accordance to the guidance listed in NHTSA recall. I visited capitol Mazda san jose on 11/18/23 as well as called them to schedule a check on 7/17/24 but both these times I was informed that there are no parts to be replaced. I believe the remedy listed with NHTSA is not being followed and the customers do not have a timeline to get a resolution to this issue. I'm sharing the remedy listed by NHTSA. "dealers will inspect vehicles. If inspections verify no concern with the rearview camera image, a wiring harness fastening seal will be added to prevent harness movement. If inspections verify there is image distortion or flickering, the rearview camera will be replaced with a new part and a wiring harness fastening seal will be added. " I'm unable to understand if there are efforts by Mazda to provide sufficient labor work to inspect the vehicle and the fastening seals are at all in their timeline. I think NHTSA should assess what progress has been made by Mazda in resolving this critical recall.

The radio has a ghost touch that continues to beep and change noise levels without being able to control the radio. This is distracting and is a danger to have this occur while trying to focus on driving.

The collision warning light and lane assistance light come on frequently. It used to just be when the weather was under 40 degrees and the car was cold. However, it now happens all the time. It seems to go on and off for no reason. Additionally, the infotainment system keeps switching radio stations or ghosting without anyone touching it. It also drops bluetooth connectivity constantly.

The screen/head unit in my car is registering ghost touches. Basically the screen thinks it's being touched even though it isn't. This causes much distraction and hinders the use of the screen because if I try to actual use the head unit, the ghost touch overrides my input which makes it unusable.

Safety recall 6023g - NHTSA campaign number 23v-487. The car was purchased in 2018. On 5/29/2024 the backup camera view has gone black, providing no image. Since I've owned this car, the backup camera view appears, sometimes flickers, and now, has gone completely black, only to "pop" on randomly. I have asked the local Mazda dealer on multiple occasions, since purchasing the car, if it can be repaired/replaced, but am told parts are not available or that there is no "start date" on file. The mechanic has done something to that camera system when the car gets an oil change, and the problem goes away, only to return.

I have seen the problem online called ghosting or ghost control. The infotainment system changes station, settings, selected input or anything else it randomly selects on its own and this is occurring while driving the vehicle.

My infotainment system is experiencing the “ghost touch” and selecting all these options on its own while driving, putting a great risk on myself and passengers as any selection can be made and distract the driver. The screen is supposed to become disabled as a safety feature when driving but with this issue it is randomly making different commands that are extremely distracting especially during traffic hour times. The problem has been confirmed and Mazda refuses to issue a recall or do anything at all to fix this manufacturer error. There was no other warning lamps it just started glitching one day and has not stopped since for about half a year now. There are hundreds of other people I have read who are also experiencing the same issue and still Mazda refuses to acknowledge its faulty system and put so many lives at risk.

The infotainment system randomly mutes and unmutes bluetooth calls; it switches radio stations, skips, and repeats on spotify and through the settings. It's like the daily turns itself, even though no one touches it. It's startling to have it happen while you're driving, and suddenly, the display starts doing all sorts of crazy changes on its own.

The Mazda connect touch screen in the center display does not accept touch commands properly or will often operate by itself (ghost touch). When it does this, even though I will have navigation on, it will interrupt the service to jump screens, causing me to lose guidance and force me to pull-over to try to deal with the issue. I have had to swerve in my lane trying to correct the issue until I have the opportunity to pull-over, and it has been dangerous to me and the folks on the road with me when this happens.