Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Mazda Mazda3 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I am very concerned about the safety of the car that I have had since 2004 Mazda 3. On Sunday, I was hit by a car at about a 20 to 30 degree angle and the impact hit my passenger door. Neither one of us was going at a speed that should have had a result in the damage that occurred. When he hit us and the car came to rest, the police and towing people discovered that the engine had snapped off its' mounting. My airbags did not deploy either. He told me that both he and the towing agent had ever seen this happen before to a car with as little damage to it. I went to the tow place where they were holding my car to take pictures and look at the car, and both of the people (different people than the original tow driver) said they had never seen anything like that. …
I own a 2004 Mazda 3 hatchback that I purchased new. The car has 74,000 miles on it and has been maintained faithfully by Mazda technicians. Driving home from work, the car caught fire. To reiterate, the car caught fire. Had my wife not noticed, and had we parked the car in the garage, it would have burned down the house with us in it. We managed to put the car out and took it to the Mazda dealership. The technician told us the air conditioning compressor froze and the belt caught fire from the friction; this then ignited plastic splash guards under the vehicle. All total - $1500 in damage. The technician stated the compressor should not have caused a fire, and in fact this was the first time he had seen anything like it. …
2004 Mazda 3. Purchased car used in March 2007. Per owner service records, motor mount #3 failed and in 11/2006, per service bulletin, and warranty, local dealer performed partial engine replacement, including rubber on mount #3. No problems with car leading up to incident, regular maintenance performed during ownership 2007 - current. Car used primarily to and from work, approx. 12K per year driven. On 8/29, car just stopped, motor and transmission fell out of casing, car crashed on hwy 9. Towed to Mazda dealership. Initial estimate of repair $990 approx. Estimate revised to $3500 approx. Transmission bracket sheared/broken at metal. Motor mount #4 & transmission mount screw completely dislodged. Recommended repair includes completely new transmission case and mounts. Not sure if any damage done to transmission itself. Failure reported to dsm and Mazda corporate. …
Tl contact owns a 2004 Mazda3. She stated that the vehicle could be driven as an automatic or a manual. While driving 20 MPH in manual mode she attempted to shift gears, to no avail. She had to take her foot off of the gas pedal in order for the gears to release and afterwards the gears started to shift on their own. She was able to exit the freeway when the vehicle lost all power, but continued to accelerate. She was unable to stop the vehicle or make a turn. The vehicle began moving from one lane to another and accelerated through a red light to avoid a collision. The vehicle stopped accelerating within in a few minutes. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who diagnosed the failure as the intake manifold. The intake manifold melted, damaged the sensor and the catalytic converter. …
Vehicle will not start or idle falls vehicle, Mazda3 manual, would not start in driveway on cool spring Sunday evening. Towing service was dispatched and vehicle was taken to the closest Mazda dealership. After several dealers calls to Mazda's corporate headquarters, the service professional was told to replace the ignition key and microchips. After four days I went to pick up the vehicle. Upon starting the vehicle in the dealers lot the idle began to fall once again; however, it did start this time. A few miles from the dealership the idle became so hard to deal with that the vehicle was towed back to the original service dealership once again. Several more calls were placed to the headquarters and finally the decision was made to replace the o2 sensor. …
While driving on a residential road, at a low speed, changing gears from 2nd to 3rd, the car stalled. Upon trying to restart the car, it wouldn't turn over. After the car was pushed off of the road, there was a puddle of oil left behind. Realizing that the car wasn't going to restart, it was towed to a local repair shop. After being put up on the lift, it was discovered that the rod slammed into the engine blocking, seizing the engine. There should have been no reason for the rod to crack on a well maintained engine, on a 2004 vehicle. In order to get this car back on the road, the engine will need to be completely replaced. I don't see any recalls on this make and model, and I truly feel that there was something compromised with the vehicle, in order for this to happen. The oil was changed just 5K miles before. There were no check engine lights on... …
The A/C on my new car does not cool the car to any comfort level.. I sweat in the heat with the ac on.it doesn't cool the car inside.I had it checked by my Mazda dealer they said it is up to the maufactuer's standards.I told them that I have difficulty accelerating with the ac on when passing at 40mph the car would not move it dragged.I had to flloor the gas pedal on a majorr interstate to move from 40-60,from too slow to too fast.I had seconds to move or get killed.the ac does not work and the service managerr told me I have too small an engine and that I should have gotten the larger engine the( 2.3) yet they deny anything wrong with the ac system.the ac hasn't worked since I bought it in May I noticed it in July.it took three weeks for the dealer to get back to me about an appt. …
Tl contact owns a 2004 Mazda 3. While attempting to merge onto the highway at 35 MPH, the vehicle suddenly shut off. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. Prior to the failure, the vehicle began vibrating and the instrument panel lights flashed. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The failure has occurred more than three times. The current mileage was 36,000 and failure mileage was 24,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Mazda Mazda3. The contact noticed that there was an oil leak. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with an oil filter housing crack. The dealer also offered to assist with the repair expenses. The engine was replaced. The manufacturer was aware of the failure. The failure and current mileages were 51,000.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Mazda 3. Since 2007, the contact heard a ticking noise in the engine. The noise intensified and the dealer stated that the intake manifold was the cause of the failure. The repair would cost $1,036. The contact attempted to call the manufacturer as well. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 82,200.
Engine complaints in other Mazda3 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2004 Mazda Mazda3?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2004 Mazda Mazda3, 14% of the model year's 145 complaints. The component named most often is engine (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Mazda Mazda3 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2004 Mazda Mazda3, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Mazda Mazda3 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 30% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 2 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.