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Mazda MX3Years to avoid, problems & recalls

NHTSA has 131 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on record for the Mazda MX3.

Years to avoidNoneBased on weighted complaintsBest years—Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints131Top: Seat beltsSafety recalls31992–1999 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Mazda MX3 years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the MX3 median. Tap a year for its full report.

'92'93'94'95'96'99
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1999Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls1996Not rated–/1002 complaints · 0 recalls1995Not rated–/10010 complaints · 1 recall1994Not rated–/10019 complaints · 1 recall1993Not rated–/10054 complaints · 3 recalls1992Not rated–/10045 complaints · 3 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Mazda MX3 problems

All model years combined: 131 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Seat belts613
Suspension211
Air bags1514
Electrical system121
Power train80
Service brakes, hydraulic51
Visibility50
Engine and engine cooling40
Vehicle speed control40
7 other systems101
3 recalls

Mazda MX3 recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

1%Ignition: switch15V-674 · 1992–1993 · Oct 19, 2015 · 1,368,500 vehicles–Front: webbing97V-211 · 1992–1993 · Nov 18, 1997 · 134,000 vehicles–Springs: coil springs97V-116 · 1992–1995 · Jul 22, 1997 · 25,000 vehicles
3 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the MX3

  1. FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURERQ98001 · 1992–1995 · closed Nov 16, 1998
    Led to recall 97V-116
  2. AUTO RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILEA94039 · 1990–1994 · closed Nov 26, 1997
    Led to recall 97V-211
  3. ALTERNATOR FIRESPE94075 · 1992–1994 · closed Dec 21, 1994
    No recall