Most common 2007 Mazda Mazda3 problems
Share of the 222 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mazda Mazda3 complaints by model year
Best Mazda3 years: 2023, 2020, 2024. Years to avoid: 2010, 2012, 2008. Compare all years →
2007 Mazda Mazda3 recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004-2007 Mazda3 vehicles. During air bag deployment, the plastic emblem on the steering wheel air bag module cover may shatter, and project plastic fragments into the vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the air bag module cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed between August 28, 2021 and October 28, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4.
Steering › Electric power assist system
Mazda is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 mazda3 and mazda5 vehicles manufactured from April 2, 2007 through November 30, 2008. These vehicles May have a condition in which a sudden loss of power steering assist could occur at any time while driving the vehicle.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering pump and lines free of charge. The safety recall began on September 15, 2010. Owners May contact Mazda customer assistance center at 1-800-222-5500.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2007 Mazda Mazda3:
Loss of Electric Power Steering Assist
The subject vehicles have electro-hydraulic power assist steering (EHPAS).The complaint counts shown above alleged a loss of power steering assist in the subject vehicles.Usually, but not always, the loss is accompanied by the simultaneous lighting of an indicator light on the dash.The complaints include 14 alleged crashes involving 6 injuries.On Mazda3 and Mazda5 vehicles manufactured from April 2, 2007 through…
What 2007 Mazda Mazda3 owners say
Steering all 89 →
The contact owns a 2007 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated their daughter was driving at 15 mph, when making a right turn the steering wheel locked up causing the driver to hit a curb and crash the vehicle into a mailbox. There were no warning lights illuminated on the vehicle, however, the driver stated there was a beeping noise coming from the vehicle once the steering wheel locked up. There was no one injured. There was no medical treatment at the scene. A police report was filed. There was damage where the front bumper of the vehicle came off and the front passenger side. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximate 101,000.
The contact owns a 2007 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH and making a turn, the steering wheel was difficult to turn to the left or the right. The check engine warning light was illuminated and flashing. The contact stated that the steering then seized. While checking the NHTSA.gov website, the contact associated the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V374000 (Steering). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed there was no recall coverage on the VIN related to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case, and confirmed there was no recall coverage for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 195,081.
Air bags all 36 →
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.
The airbag light on Dash comes on and goes off randomly then going on for 6 months. Obviously there's an open circuit in system that others have as well See a lot of others on here with the same problem over 100,000 miles
Engine & cooling all 30 →
My vehicle felt shaky which caused me to swerve slightly causing my back passenger tire to run over a curb. After the scare it seemed to drive like normal. I only had about a 5 minute drive to work. When getting to work, after being inside a few minutes, a coworker pointed out that smoke was coming from the car. I went with a coworker to check, we opened the hood and flames were present in the front close to where the belts are. We quickly put out the flames with a fire extinguisher, and I have not touched the vehicle. This happened on 5/03/19.
I have been having issues with this vehicle ever since I purchased it from a dealership in woodbridge, va. The car's gears does not shift correctly and the engine continuously stalls. If I'm at a traffic light and the light switches from red to green the vehicle jumps as if it's going to cut off. My at light also came on and my check engine light comes on and off. Every time the vehicle's engine light is checked, it's because of "the thermostat" which I've seen many complaints from owners of the same type of vehicle. Although, the engine code is coming up as an issue with the thermostat, there's actually never an issue. I searched my VIN and its stating there are no open recalls for my vehicle, but I'm having the same issues as the open recalls for this particular make and model for 2007. …
2007 Mazda Mazda3 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 32 / 27 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 31 / 26 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2007 Mazda Mazda3 a good car?
Based on 222 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2007 Mazda3 rates average: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Mazda3 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2007 Mazda Mazda3?
The steering — 89 complaints, 40% of all complaints for this model year, most often about electric power assist system. Next are the air bags (36) and engine & cooling (30).
How many recalls does the 2007 Mazda Mazda3 have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2007 Mazda Mazda3, the most recent from July 1, 2021 (frontal). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mazda Mazda3?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2023, 2020 and 2024. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2010, 2012 and 2008. See the full Mazda Mazda3 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2007 Mazda Mazda3 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 73,000 miles; 33% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.