Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2010 Mazda Mazda3 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2010 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that overtime the dashboard had become glossy and sticky due to excessive heat. The contact also stated that on sunny days, the sun would reflect off the glossy surface and would obstruct her vision while driving. The contact notified the dealer of the failure and they informed her that the vehicle was no longer covered under warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and she was informed that unless she had received a notification that her vehicle was under recall or warranty, no assistance could be provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
The dash of the car is melting. It causes a reflection that is bright and impairs visibility. Mazda addressed this problem with extending the warranty. When I called the local dealerships, none of them had the dash to replace per warranty. I made several calls throughout the year and each time was told the dashboard was not available and to try again. Then COVID hit and I did not venture out. When I finally called again, the warranty had expired. Mazda offered me $200 towards replacing the dash. When I called the dealership, it was almost a $1,000 repair. I've then called Mazda again and they asked me to get a diagnosis at a local dealership. I did that and then have had zero response to my many emails and calls from my assigned rep. I have never seen a dash melt and get sticky and shiny like this before. It is literally dripping down. I believe this is a safety defect. …
The dashboard in my 2010 Mazda 3 has melted significantly throughout the years. It has become hazardous and tough to operate this vehicle. The dashboard is glossy, sticky, and believe a slight odor. I tried to slow its deterioration by using a sunshade when parked. It not only did not help, the dashboard just ruined each shade with a sticky, tar-like, black residue. No dealership has offered to help me without trying to charge me the total price of replacement, plus their labor costs. I regularly check to see if there has been a new recall, but there has not. I can not sell this car without feeling guilty for endangering others. I am unlikely to return to Mazda as a paying customer since they shy away from treating my family like one. I hope this issue is fixed adequately for me and anyone else suffering from this issue.
The dashboards should be subject to a recall immediately since badly reduced visibility from glare is a recipe for an accident. The defective (melting) material is so bad that if the sun hits it just right, I can hardly see anything ahead of me; it is an accident waiting to happen. I called my Mazda dealer (Gray Epperson Mazda in Cleveland, TN [phone]) but said there was nothing they could do now as there was a warranty before but it had expired. I try to drive the car but always trying to avoid sunny conditions, but unfortunately, when I leave at 5pm conditions are worse if it's sunny. I wish Mazda would accept responsibility soon (or they are forced to do so by NHTSA, if needed) so that I wouldn't have to take such a risk.
The dashboard is melting more and more everyday. Its becoming sticky and very reflective. Sometimes whenever I am driving in the morning the sun will reflect off and blind me making it very hard to safely operate my vehicle.
Defective dashboard that cannot withstand exposure to sunlight, resulting in the dashboard melting, emitting a noxious smell and taking on a reflective quality. When the dashboard becomes reflective, drivers trying to see through the windshield have to struggle to see past the image of the dashboard in the windshield. Mazda failed to notify consumers timely re: the defect. When class action lawsuits were filed, Mazda was forced to take action. They offered a limited extended warranty to fix the "cosmetic issue" that resulted. However, bright light reflecting off the melted dashboard is temporarily blinding, causing a harsh glare on the windshield and obscuring vision, putting the driver and others at risk. In addition, Mazda is failing to take any action on vehicles outside of the warranty date, stating that it is the consumer's responsibility to obtain service within a timely manner. …
The driver's seat frame breaks resulting in the driver of the vehicle to rock backwards with the seat when the vehicle is in forward motion. The car becomes uncontrollable when the seat rocks back causing the driver to hold themselves upright trying to drive the vehicle. The seat exhibits characteristics that can only be called unsafe. This defect will ultimately result in a serious accident with injury or death. The vehicle was parked when this was first noticed. The defect with the seat frame also renders the seat belt useless and is safety hazard compounded by the seat frame breaking loose. This defect appears to happen only on the 2010 Mazda 3 model and there are many additional complaints, both here and in public forums. Mazda needs to recall for replacement of a seat frame that is built so as not to break in normal use. Why this has not happened is negligent. …
While driving home from work today, a loud noise sounding like a gunshot came from inside of my car and caught me of guarding causing me to swerve to the side of the road. As I regain control of the car, I saw pieces of unknown debris slide down the back of my rear window. Luckily there was no other cars around me. I continued home since it was about another 2 mile down the road. After arriving home I inspected the car and noticed that the sunroof had exploded outward and had shattered everywhere. The pieces of debris I saw was in fact pieces of shattered glass. At first I though that something went through the glass but I could not find any evidence of an object such as a rock that penetrated the glass. Also the glass was shattered outwards indicating that it exploded from the inside out. This happen on a clear sunny day with temps around 84 degree. …
Vehicle with continued issue with melting dashboard. Requires very frequent cleaning of the inside of the windshield due to the substance build-up from the daily heating in the florida climate. During the day the glare from the sun reflects back onto the windshield causing it to be very difficult to see. Polarized sunglasses seems to minimize the issue. At night, certain lighting also highlights the problems especially when sunglasses are not appropriate. On December 8th just after sundown a vehicle began to make a left turn into my right of way at an intersection. The star bursting from the windshield made it impossible to see that they were turning in from of me leading to an impact. I believe that this dashboard issue played a very significant issue contributing to this crash. The fault was obviously the other driver but due to the circumstances I was unable to react quickly.
This vehicle had what is being referred to as a "melting dashboard". The material has a defect which causes it to become soft and sticky, resulting in a shiny surface that causes a dangerous glare. Visibility becomes impaired, usually because of a reflection on the windshield. My understanding is that this occurs most frequently in regions with high temperature and humidity. Mazda inspected my vehicle and verified that mine was affected by this condition. They refused to repair it under warranty because it had recently expired. As a goodwill gesture, they supplied the replacement part and I paid for labor. This is a defective part. It should be recalled. Toyota and Lexus have the same problem with certain model years and are replacing theirs at no cost to the owner.
Related recalls
Structure › Body › Hatchback/liftgate
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016 CX-5…
Remedy: Mazda dealers will replace the both lift gate supports, free of charge, however parts are not currently available. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500.
Body complaints in other Mazda3 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2010 Mazda Mazda3?
NHTSA has 169 complaints about the body & structure of the 2010 Mazda Mazda3, 25% of the model year's 686 complaints. The component named most often is body (52 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Mazda Mazda3 body problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 16V-644 (hatchback/liftgate, Sep 6, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2010 Mazda Mazda3 body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 49,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to body & structure 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.