Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
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).
I purchased two tires from Les Schwab in Molalla, OR on 1/15/25 in which upon them changing the tires they damaged one of my TPMS sensors and they did not replace it. I didn't have a warning light before I went in and now I do and they knowingly did not replace it when TPMS sensor service was part of purchasing the new tires. Instead they quoted me $451.96 to replace the sensors in all 4 tires other than replaced the one they broke. A set of TPMS sensors online cost $28, this is unethical of them to take advantage of consumers like this and they should be held accountable. …
my girlfriend had bought a car from a dealership in Pennsylvania and the car is registered in Pennsylvania at a dealer called premier world wide auto sales. when she had bought the car all four of the tires i believe should have failed pa safety inspection and the owner of this shop keeps telling me that they pass one hundred percent even though the tires have signs of dry rot all the way around all four tires and would not stop giving me problems and trying to prove me wrong the dot codes show that the tires in the front were 10 years of age and the rear tires at 8 years of age and showing signs of dry rot the tire size all around is 205/55r16 and this is completely unacceptable for a business that has been operating for as long as its been operating because all i can think about is how many other cars has this dealership sold with dry rotting tires nor did they show my girlfriend when …
As the original owner, I have now experienced (4) faulty/broken/corroded valve stem as part (attached to the TPMS-Tire Pressure Monitor System). This happened over the course of 12 years. I do believe all of them were OEM parts. All of them broke when attempting to air up the tire. It is a safety issue because once broke, you can no longer put air into the tire. The first occurrence was while still under warranty and i had to argue with the Mazda dealer to replace it . The dealership gave me some sort of unofficial receipt which I actually kept, found, and attached to this complaint form. During my second set of tires, Sams Club graciously replaced 2 more as part of their tire warranty package (I dont think they documented this on their receipts). Now, what i believe to be the final OEM stem left has broke. …
Twice now, when I was alerted via my TPMS that I had low tire pressure in one of my tires, I stopped at a service station to add air to my low pressure tire. As I applied the air hose to the valve stem, the valve stem (and the attached TPMS sensor, disappeared into the wheel and tire and the tire went immediately flat. . I believe this to be the result of faulty design of the TPMS assembly. The materials used in the collar and nut that secure the TPMS assembly to the wheel is not appropriate for the environment (exposed to road salt, dirt, grime, brake dust, etc.) in which the TPMS assembly must function. The collar and nut corrode and eventually fail due to that exposure. Fortunately for me, I was stopped at the time of those failures; had I been traveling at highway speeds the complete failure (no air pressure remaining in tire) could have been catastrophic. …
Mazda3 factory-installed tire inflation valve stems are prematurely failing resulting in an immediate tire deflation with no prior warning or indication of failure. Failures have occurred when the car was parked and when moving. There was no prior indication (I.e. No warning or slow loss of pressure) of a problem with the valve. Prior to this vehicle, I have never had a tire inflation valve stem fail in the 35+ years I have owned vehicles. However, this has happened three times to this specific vehicle (which we purchased in 2014) with the most recent occurrence happening today, 16 jan 2019. A quick internet search revealed this is a wide-spread problem with Mazda 3 tire inflation valve stems. I've attached pictures of today's failure as well as an exemplar website printout of identical complaints by other Mazda owners. …
Today as I am reporting is the 3rd incident of this type since I bought the car brand new, and my car now has only 44 k miles on it. The TPMS sensors on the Mazda 3 are connected to the air valve in the tires. TPMS sensors are very fickle and tend to corrode and break with seasonal weather. When the TPMS sensor breaks on a Mazda3, it lets all the air out of your tire and gives you a flat, stranding you wherever you are. TPMS sensors are supposed to aid drivers to let them know there is a problem, but in this case, they actually cause the problem. The air valve being connected to the TPMS is unique to the design of this car, and has never been a problem for me with other vehicles. This can lead to dangerous situations, depending on how fast the car is traveling and where. I have lost air on the highway and been stranded on the side of the road. …
Was traveling at highway speeds on the bypass when the valve stem and TPMS sensor broke off and immediately deflated the tire shaking the vehicle violently and almost causing driver to lose control. Have brought this complaint to Mazda in the past and they said they know that it is caused by using dissimilar metals on the TPMS sensor causing erosion to the stem and ultimately the stem breaking off. This TPMS sensor was already replaced on the vehicle at the tire change interval and still failed long before the vehicle was due for another set of tires. Mazda knows these are defective and refuses to do anything about it. I'd rather not have TPMS and not know what my tire pressures are than to have that system endanger myself or my family any more. It is currently more dangerous to use these defective faulty TPMS sensors than it is to not have them. That should tell you something...
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Mazda 3. While driving 65 MPH, the rear passenger side tire exploded. The tire was replaced with a spare. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic stated that the TPMS sensor was corroded and the nut was fractured. The tire was replaced and the sensor was replaced with regular valve stems. The contact also stated that the dashboard was melting, which caused a glare from the sun. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000. Updated 09/14/15 updated 11/01/2017
One of the two electricals broke loose that's connected to the battery that starts the car. My car literally stalled out on me in the middle of an intersection. I was almost hit because of that. Another issue is my right back tire. One of the lug nuts won't come off and that is a safety issue. If something happens to my tire, I'm not going to be able to get a new tire to replace the old one. Another issue is the light on the ceiling of my car broke. The wires are exposed. My dashboard in my car is also melting.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Mazda 3. The contact stated that the tire pressure monitoring system failed. The contact noticed that the sensor was corroded and the tire valve was disintegrated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was concerned that the failure might recur and requested rubber valves instead of the aluminum valves; however, the dealer did not honor the request. The manufacturer denied assistance with the repair. The failure mileage was 25,325. Updated 7/20/15 updated 10/19/217
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Mazda3 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 2010 Mazda Mazda3?
NHTSA has 75 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 2010 Mazda Mazda3, 11% of the model year's 686 complaints. The component named most often is pressure monitoring and regulating systems (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Mazda Mazda3 wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for the 2010 Mazda Mazda3, though it has 3 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 2010 Mazda Mazda3 wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 19% before 25,000 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.