repaired · 2018 Q3
Body: hatchback/liftgate
Risk. If the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury.
2013 Mazda MAZDA3Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 117 owner complaints about the 2013 Mazda MAZDA3, most often about the exterior lighting. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 16V-644 the manufacturer reports only 65% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 1, 2025. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2013 Mazda MAZDA3 has problems
117 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
36Exterior lighting1 crash/fire/injury
32Electrical system
18Power train
15Service brakes2 crash/fire/injury
11Engine1 crash/fire/injury
11Structure1 crash/fire/injury
9Steering
9Seats
7Air bags
187 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 36 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 32 | 0 |
| Power train | 18 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 15 | 2 |
| Engine | 11 | 1 |
| Structure | 11 | 1 |
| Steering | 9 | 0 |
| Seats | 9 | 1 |
| Air bags | 7 | 2 |
| 7 other systems | 18 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2013 Mazda MAZDA3 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mazda.
Mileage at failure
When do exterior lighting problems start?
45kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 30 exterior lighting complaints. 93% were reported before 100,000 miles.
6under 30k miles28under 100k miles2100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2013 vs. every other MAZDA3 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the MAZDA3 median. How we score
'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2013 Mazda MAZDA3 safety ratings
2013 Mazda Mazda3 5 HB FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
- Rollover: 4 stars (10.9% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2013 Mazda MAZDA3, and the recalls they led to.
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
In owners' words
What MAZDA3 owners report
Recent exterior lighting complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
There seems to be a lot of people who own 2012 and 2013 Mazda 3 Sedans (with SKYACTIV-G 2.0L and Halogen Type Headlights) that are dealing with the same issue I am dealing with myself. I have just purchased a used 2013 Mazda 3 with Skyactive Technology and I noticed that when I was braking the…
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…
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE HEADLIGHTS DIM AND FLICKER UNTIL THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. NIGHTTIME VIABILITY IS SUBSTANTIALLY DIMINISHED WHEN APPLYING THE BREAKS AND FLICKERING SEAMS TO SEND A SIGNAL TO OTHER VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. THIS DEFECT OCCURS 100% OF THE TIME WHEN APPLYING THE BEAKS AT…
Own a 2013 MAZDA3?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.