Service Brakes Problems of Mazda MAZDA3 - part 1

On August 15, 2025, my 2010 Mazda 3 began displaying the abs warning light intermittently while driving. The abs system is a critical safety feature, and when the light comes on, I am unsure if the braking system will function properly in an emergency. I scanned the vehicle using a foxwell diagnostic tool and retrieved the following abs-related fault codes: c0020:1c-2b – abs pump motor control circuit u0425:62-60 – invalid data received from ipc/abs control module u0140:00-28 – lost communication with body control module these issues are consistent with Mazda technical service bulletin 04-002/13 (July 17, 2013), which documents abs pump motor failures caused by poor motor brush contact. This is a serious safety concern because the abs system fails without warning, leaving the driver and passengers at risk of brake loss in critical conditions. Why this should be investigated: the defect occurs intermittently, making it difficult to predict or reproduce. It matches a known documented defect acknowledged by Mazda in TSB 04-002/13. Other owners have reported similar abs pump failures in Mazda vehicles of this generation. The failure compromises safe braking and should be treated as a safety defect warranting investigation and possible recall. Action requested: I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this recurring abs pump/motor failure in 2010 Mazda 3 vehicles and determine whether a recall should be issued to address this known defect.

See all problems of the 2010 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

To whom it may concern, I was on a back road late in the evening not far from home [xxx] and a small deer ran into the road. I needed to brake to avoid hitting the deer. After breaking, a brake system malfunction warning message and I-activesense system malfunction warning illuminated on my dashboard. I brought the car to a Mazda dealership the next morning. The technician determined that the brake fluid level sensor became stuck, requiring replacement of the brake fluid reservoir and the brake fluid level sensor. What failed: the repairs include replacement of the brake fluid reservoir and the brake fluid level sensor. This is the link to the dealer report [xxx] . No one other than the dealer has inspected these parts to my knowledge. There was no accident of any kind. I personally felt unsafe after these parts failing and reached out to Mazda customer care to request investigation of the issue. The case manager just called me back today to say they could not help me. Mazda has denied warranty coverage, claiming the parts are not covered. However, I really do feel this is a critical safety system component that failed after normal emergency use with no collision or impact. Why I feel this is a safety concern: - the brake warning system became unreliable after a single emergency stop. - my car only has 42k miles and is in excellent condition and is fully dealer serviced. - a driver could lose the ability to receive proper brake system warnings if this failure occurs again. - a critical brake sensor should not fail under normal driving conditions, and its failure could lead to delayed driver response in an actual brake fluid loss scenario. It makes me worry for the future. For your consideration: I believe this represents a safety-related defect that should be investigated, as it affects the reliability of the brake system warning indicators in the 2019 Mazda 3. I appreciate your time and consideration. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2019 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 🔎.

The brake pedal is soft and sometimes unresponsive unless it is pumped repeatedly. There have been several times where I have been concerned if I would come to a complete stop. I have had both sets of brake pads replaced in the last year, and have on driven 9,000 miles. Two independent service centers diagnosed the problem as a faulty master cylinder. However, upon replacing the master cylinder and doing three brake flushes, and inspecting my brake pads and calipers, the problem persisted and is unresolved. They directed me to order a new abs module, believing that that is the only other part that could be causing the cars brake problems. This part (bfy1437azco) is on backorder until November 2025.

See all problems of the 2012 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

I made a right turn onto a gravel driveway that has a slight incline. My speed was less than 10 mph. At the top of the incline I attempted to make a u turn so I could park the car. Midway through the u turn the car's acceleration increased rapidly to high speed without my stepping on the accelerator. I pressed the brake 3 times. The brake pedal went to the floor without seemingly any effect. In seconds the car traveled across the front lawn, picked up concrete from and old cistern top and smashed into the front porch tearing it off it's foundation. Portions of the porch and tree limb fell shortly after the impact. The front tire was spinning at a rapid rate when I exited the vehicle. Extraction of the vehicle was not accomplished for 2 weeks while experts determined how best to accomplish the extraction. The car insurance company and 2 towing businesses declared the vehicle a total loss. The vehicle is with the towing company per car insurance company request. I don't know if it has been inspected. I did not see any warning lights. I was treated at the hospital for a slight concussion and significant head and facial bruising and lacerations as well as a wrist burn likely caused by air bag deployment.

See all problems of the 2017 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

Brake pedal sinks to the ground d after abs is turned on due to hard braking or after hitting a dip.

See all problems of the 2009 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

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.

Weak braking and spongy brake pedal created near accidents at highway speeds. Brake pedal needs to be pumped to get firmness. But the check engine warning light did not come on, either. So I had mechanics replace front rotors, front disc pads, and bleed/refill system with fresh brake fluid and inspect system for leaks. But spongy brake pedal problem was not fixed. So when I researched the problem on the internet, it appears that it's a systemic, long-time (10 model years or more) safety issue with Mazda that they failed to recall nationwide. Totally irresponsible. Among Mazda owners, after replacing all other brake system components and not solving the spongy brake pedal issue, it turned out to be a faulty abs system module, a $2,000 to $3,000 repair at Mazda dealerships.

Brakes are underpowered especially when hot. Drove 20-30 minutes in traffic and when decelerating from 60 mph highway in turn lane to turn into neighborhood the brakes felt very soft . Car only has 28k miles on it and pads have plenty of life left. Have seen similar complaints on online forums.

See all problems of the 2021 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

Abs or the abs computer malfunction or wasn't working correctly and almost cause an accident.

Abs module malfunction all four wheel speed sensor not read in the same time and powersteering cut off cause by unready wheel speed check engine light abs light and steering light on.

Abs will cause complete brake failure when it is engaged. For example, needing to stop quickly to avoid hitting another vehicle and the brakes will lose all pressure and the vehicle will not stop. Several mechanics have not been able to diagnose or fix. Immediately after the incident, there will be minimal brake pressure of about 20%, eventually it will return to normal. Must avoid applying brakes in emergency situations as it will actually be worse than attempting to steer out of it. This has happened about 6 times in 4 years. It happened the first time about 3 days after I bought the vehicle in 2019.

The brake pedal consistently malfunctions, even after the replacement of the master cylinder (by independent service center). The master cylinder does not hold pressure due to a faulty abs control unit (which, when Mazda was contacted, said that part was on backorder until September). If the manufacturer knows this is an issue and can't supply the part due to so many replacements needed in their vehicle, why is there no recall? there is no warning to the driver on the dashboard of this issue and has causes repeated issues while breaking.

See all problems of the 2013 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

My brake pedal became very spongy and soft after the abs was activated. The brake pedal has to travel all the way to the floor to stop the vehicle. My rotors, pads and other brake parts are checked by experts and there is not any issue found with other brake parts. Even though the brake system is not working properly, there are no abs lights on the dashboard. I risk an accident every day. I killed a squirrel because the brake system didn’t work properly. Maybe one day I will die or cause to lose someone’s life because of this braking issue. I started to be affected psychologically. I've read many complaints from Mazda users on forums about this problem. In subsequent investigations, Ford has recalled 600,000 2006-2010 fusion, Mercury milan, and Lincoln mkz midsized cars to fix an abs problem. The abs valve reacts with the brake fluid currently used in the vehicles and can significantly slow or stop the action of the abs valve, leading to braking problems. When I took my car to my mechanic, I just learned these Mazda 3s were equipped with the same abs controle units as these specific Ford models. However, there are no recalls for these Mazda’s. It cannot be a coincidence that the same abs control module is used and the same problem occurs. It is unacceptable that Mazda did not recall any vehicle while Ford took a step in this regard. This problem needs to be solved urgently before someone dies! this is a big safety issue! all companies using this abs controle unit must recall!.

My car's automatic emergency brake is deploying without warning, during driving, when there are no other cars in my forward proximity. I took it to the dealership to have it fixed, and on the drive home, it did it again. There is a recall for similar makes and models for this year, but my car has not been included.

See all problems of the 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

Automatic emergency braking suddenly engaged while driving on the highway. The car decelerated abruptly to a complete stop, causing the driver behind to rear-end me. There were no vehicles or obstacles in front of the car when the brakes engaged - the closest car was at least 100 feet in front of me. This collision was clearly the result of a faulty automatic emergency braking system. I do not feel safe driving the car knowing this malfunction could happen again, especially at highway speeds. Sudden unexplained braking presents a huge safety hazard to all drivers, increasing the likelihood for collisions and injuries. There were no warnings or symptoms prior to the unexpected brake system activation. After the brakes activated mistakenly, warning beeps and “brake!” message appeared. Car has collision damage and has not yet been inspected by dealer. Police report filed.

See all problems of the 2023 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

For the past 9-10 months and on occasions, when I step on the brake pedal to either slow down or stop from a normal cruise speed, the engine rpm quickly jumps up to 2000 - 2500 rpm. I have to quickly brake harder and *place the auto transmission selector in neutral to fully stop the car from lunging forward*. The date below is the most recent date.

I've only driven my car 54,000 miles in more than 10 years. Yet, I've had an abundance of brake issues. I've had to replaced my brake pads, brake master cylinder, and brake power booster unit. Now, some mechanics are suggesting that I also need to replace my brake rotors and brake calipers. It's ridiculous.

Today on 3/6/23 I was parked outside a restaurant picking up food as I was inside the restaurant my hand brake failed to hold and my car rolled back and hit another customers car. My car is a manual and I had it in neutral and I was then approached by the owner of the vehicle I hit asking for my insurance information.

The rear brake pads on my 2018 Mazda 3 have worn out prematurely, thinning to as little as 2mm in just 40,000 miles, while my front brakes are still 6mm. Brand new brakes are 10mm. I have heard the exact same complaint from the owner of a 2016 Mazda 3, which is the same generation. In the majority of cars, front brakes are supposed to wear our faster than the rear, so this is definitely a problem. Further evidence of the problem is shown in the fact that my car tends to steer a bit left when pointed in a straight direction, even after getting alignment perfectly done, consistent with the fact that the driver's side rear brake pad has worn out the fastest. In short, the rear brakes seem to be clamping excessively or sticking to the pad when the brake pedal is disengaged, most intensely on the rear driver's side but also on the rear passenger's, thus wearing out brake pads prematurely, reducing fuel efficiency and creating excess environmental waste. This can also be a major safety hazard if the brake pads thin out well before a driver is expecting or if the brakes engage unexpectedly.

See all problems of the 2018 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

During a night drive, travelling approx. 40mph, car warning system audio blared a warning and suddenly braked causing car to skid (was raining) and causing driver to also jolt forward with momentum. There was very little time between beginning of audio warning and car slamming on brakes.

Abs module suddenly start failing causing brake sinks down. Almost crashed because of it. It appears to be a very common issue but Mazda still does not recall these abs modules made by Ford/ate. Also, it does not show any abs warning light, which might be why not many people have called on this as they probably thought it was normal. There is all sort of communication error codes if you read with a obdii scanner. In fact, Ford had a recall for these abs modules, citing "stuck or slow-responding valves due to reaction with brake fluid".

My daughter and I were on the way to o'reilly when we turned at a short curve going under 20 miles and the steering wheel got loose and the brakes wouldn't stop us. The car just kept swerving all over the road and we ended up in a ditch the day after my husband purchased the car.

See all problems of the 2007 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

Both front brake rotors fractured while braking, resulting in reduced braking distance and the need for evasive maneuvers to avoid collision. Fracture occurred in the casting, between the hub flange and braking pad surfaces. A photo of one of the rotors is available, but the hardware has been disposed of. Inspection of fracture surfaces shows some local evidence of rust, indicating that the rupture was proceeded by fatigue/corrosion cracking. No other advance warning was available.

Strong unburnt fuel smell had just started at 6700 miles. Mazda dealership stated that they would not be looking at my car and that gas smells are normal. . . After this encounter, I had 2 mechanics look at my car. Both had concluded that the smell predominantly comes from near the rear driver wheel, under the body, and that it is an extremely dangerous situation. I am a full time student and do not feel safe driving this car to class but I have no choice since Mazda is neglecting this issue. I also reported to the dealer that my brakes seem to be defective since they are causing excessive shaking when applied. Dealer informed me that they do not warranty the oem brakes that came on my car, however Mazda corporate informed me that they do. I do not feel safe driving this car knowing the car may combust and harm me and others on the road. The brakes also do not inspire confidence. A complaint has been filed with Mazda corporate.

Warning lights for abs.

This was my first new car and sometimes when I would brake the brake would go all the way down to the floor. It was random so I didn’t really think about it. It’s been happening since the car was new and I searched up the issue and it’s been something common happening to other people. It recently started happening again.

Exactly as described in safety recall "2014-2016 Mazda3 and 2014-2015 Mazda6 hand-operated parking brake concern safety recall 1217f NHTSA campaign no. 17v-393" both of the rear caliper parking brakes have corroded and become stuck causing the parking brake to not hold the vehicle in place when engaged. The problem has not been inspected or confirmed by any 3rd parties. I currently have 1 of the calipers that failed but will need to return it for a core charge refund. No error or warnings were presented, but noticed the parking brake becoming less effective and eventually not effective at all over the course of a few months. The passenger side failed first and was replaced July 2021, the driver side failed over early summer 2022 and needs to be replaced now.

The parking brake does not disengage even after the recall fix was applied. Mazda refuses to look at it any more as the fix has passed your testing despite it not working.

See all problems of the 2015 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.

The brakes have to be pressed to the floor in order to break. They were not breaking like normal. The abs module was deemed faulty and replaced.

I had two incidents during a short 25 min drive. Incident 1: I was in right side of the road, there were 2 lanes on this side. I was in the far left lane driving at below 30 mph, there was no vehicle directly behind me, and no vehicle directly in front of me. There was no vehicle in the oncoming side of traffic. There was 1 vehicle in the right lane next to me, about 20 feet behind. This vehicle slowed down to turn right into a parking lot. I did not have my foot on the brake at all, the vehicle behind me was in no way veering into my lane or doing anything abnormal. At this point, all of a sudden my car hard braked automatically. I had not touched the brake and I was driving straight and not veering. It was very sudden, and very hard braking, and it jerked me in my seat because of how hard the brake had suddenly turned on. Incident 2: after that first incident, there was a second time when this happened on the same trip. Once again, this time I was driving at about 35 mph. It was again where there were two lanes on my side of the road and I was in the left lane. No vehicles were in front or behind me. In the right lane next me to, there was 3 vehicles in a row about 25 feet behind me, and the front vehicle of them stopped to turn right into another parking lot area. The same thing happened, I did not have my foot on the brake at all, and had not veered at all and was driving straight. The brakes automatically came on suddenly in a very hard brake, resulting again in a sudden complete stop, even though there were no cars in directly in front or behind me. The vehicle was brought brand new at the dealership , so I had no cause to have the brakes inspected by the dealership, police, or insurance company. There was a warning that the safety features had been disabled due to obstruction of the front sensor, but there was no warning lamps that the emergency automatic brake was going to be used, it just happened.

Car was parked in a carport on flat ground. Came outside car was gone . . Rolled out of the carport down a 500 ft driveway, turned into the driveway across the highway into a vehicle parked there. . Electronic braking was applied and still engaged. . Parked the car back into the carport and tried pushing it out of the carport and wouldnt budge. . . My vehicle rolled across a busy highway and if the lady didnt have a vehicle parked there it would have went into the side of her house. . .

Brakes became soft. Needed to pump them to stop the vehicle. My mechanic changed pads, rotors and master cylinder. However, it did not fix the problem. I have read several reports of people complaining about the same issue, likely related to a faulty abs module. Safety issues should be addresses promptly by reputable manufacturers.

Parking brake does not fully disengage. This causes the rear brakes to wear prematurely and also has the potential to generate excessive heat.

See all problems of the 2016 Mazda MAZDA3 🔎.