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 2006 Mazda Mazda3 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was on a freeway off-ramp at approximately 50 MPH, when loud grinding and crashing noises came from under the hood. The car then became difficult to steer, and would no longer propel itself. I coasted into a driveway near the bottom of the off-ramp. Upon inspection, I discovered that the transmission "motor mount" had broken. The engine apparently lunged forward, sheering off bolts to the other motor mounts, and landed on the suspension, severely damaging many front-end parts. The car was towed to the nearest Mazda dealership, whose service department confirmed my assessment of what had occurred. The repair estimate is approximately $3,000. Before the incident, the car was in excellent condition, having been well-maintained. (I have service records.) I discovered that Mazda had recalled a number of Mazda 3's for motor mount problems, but my car was not among those recalled. …
2006 Mazda 3 was leaving a driveway and got stuck in the snow. The car was able to get unstuck and proceeded down the street. The car stopped in back of another car that was stopped, and briefly got stuck again. The car started going again, and smoke was seen coming out from under the hood. When the hood was opened there were flames, and the entire engine department ended up going up in flames. The car is a total loss. The car ended up (later in January 2009) at the local Mazda dealer, and all they can say is they don't know why the car caught on fire. The car is all stock. I'm concerned that the car caught on fire, as it is a 2006 model. This doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Also, I am most concerned that this May be a safety problem, and I believe Mazda should look into the incident a little more. …
Following a rear end collision, my 2006 Mazda3 mileage dropped from ~24mpg to ~8mpg, with no torque at all from ~20mph. Significant steering trouble, awful tire noise, and loud knocking when turning were dismissed by the local dealer as "well within specs". Requested brake caliper and alignment check, refused by the same dealer; tech performed a road test, declared the problem due to tire feathering and demonstrated 120mph tight curve as remedy. Three sets of tires, one set of wheels [3 of OEM were warped], entire complement of motor mounts, two sets of rotors later, I'm about to replace caliper mounts and axles. Car is unsafe, and dealership disregard of warranty and tsbs, and of basic safety standards was outrageous, especially given (ongoing) [spine injury from collision was nearly fatal] circumstances.
Mazda3 abruptly and unexpectedly shifted from 5th gear down to 3rd gear on its own while traveling at highway speeds. The car jerked violently and the transmission lights came on. Seemed like the steering/traction was impaired. Caused the motor to wrack and blow rendering the car inoperable. Towed it to a repair shop where they determined that shifting that suddenly cause the motor to blow. Had issues in the past with the same transmission problem and had it repaired, turbine speed sensor. This last occurrence affected not only the transmission but the engine as well. Has constantly had motor mount issues, as well, which required repairs. This is very unsafe behavior and is unacceptable. Why has this not been recalled?
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while traveling approximately 65 MPH, he heard a loud knocking noise as the vehicle spontaneously combusted. The contact mentioned that the flames originated from under the hood area. The police and fire department were summoned to the scene. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was destroyed and was not diagnosed to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000.
My car idles really rough. Once I get close to freeway speed my car constantly shifts gears from 3 to 4 to 3, so on. This causes my car to jerk, it revs from 3,000 to 1,000 and eveything in between. During this my brakes become practically useless, I have to completely press the brake pedal to make it decelerate. And braking distances are drastically increased. It further worries me that I dont have any dash lights on such as check engine, transmission, ABS, etc.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Mazda 3. While at a stop light, the oil pressure warning light illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. Upon further inspection, the contact noticed that the oil housing filter fractured. The contact diagnosed that the motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
The engine was cold. I entered the car, started the engine, shifted into reverse and the engine accelerated uncontrollably, screaming. I could not stop the car with full braking and shut off engine. I restarted and it worked normally. This also happen about a year ago and the dealer could find nothing wrong. Help!!!!
I bought the car new from tracy Mazda in June of 2006. In April of 2008 I started hearing a slight ticking noise coming from the engine. This was shortly after the last oil change which was done by speedee oil changers. The mileage was 25,675, 4/18/08, when speedee changed the oil and it was 26,402, 4/25/08,when I took the car into tracy Mazda so they could check on the ticking noise. The service department finally got back to me several days later and said it sounds like a rod knock from cyl #1. They asked for the maintenance records which I then provided, except for one oil change which I had performed myself ( minus the filter which required a special tool). On 5/13/08 tracy Mazda's service department called and informed me they would not fix the vehicle under the warranty. It was going to cost me approximately $6,000.00 to fix a car that didn't even have 30,000 miles on it. …
I own a Mazda3 2006. The following are issues that have occured since I've owned the vehicle and I wanted everybody to be aware of them: 1) the dashboard clock was incorrect. It would lose time every day and started going back in time. Was fixed under warranty. 2) the tires have had to be replaced often. Not sure why they wear out so fast, but I stopped using the Goodyear tires that came with the car and go with longer lasting tires. 3) the tire pressure measurement device on the front right tire was defective. It was incorrectly telling me I had a problem. Took numerous visits to the dealersihp but was fixed under extended warranty. 4) the right engine brack under the hood was loose. They happened to find it while fixing another issue. Was never caught in that "full circle inspection" they claim they do. Again, fixed under extended warranty. …
Engine complaints in other Mazda3 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2006 Mazda Mazda3?
NHTSA has 34 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2006 Mazda Mazda3, 20% of the model year's 166 complaints. The component named most often is engine (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Mazda Mazda3 engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2006 Mazda Mazda3, though it has 1 recall 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 2006 Mazda Mazda3 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 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.