Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, backup camera).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2018 Mazda Mazda3 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the parking brake light illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated and was losing motive power. The contact pressed the parking brake button off and on and the warning light stopped, and the contact was able to drive normally. Additionally, the contact stated that in other instances the forward sensing camera and the lane departure systems were also independently engaging. The contact stated that it was difficult to maintain the lane she was driving in. …
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) warning light illuminated. The contact then slammed on the brakes and pulled to the side of the road. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring. The contact stated that when the failure occurred, she would shift into reverse(R) and shift back into drive(D) and wait for the AEB system to disengage. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring several times within a 10-minute drive. The contact stated that the vehicle had become undrivable. The contact's father, an independent mechanic, diagnosed that the AEB system software and wiring were faulty. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the year of the vehicle was not included in an unknown recall. …
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the back over prevention camera was flickering and distorted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on two occasions. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced the failure causing the display screen to intermittently malfunction and no image was displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 32,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while reversing, the rearview camera image was flickering and occasionally failed to display an image. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times. The dealer recommended that the rearview camera be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse(R) and reversing out of the driveway, the rearview camera image was flickering on the display screen. The contact stated that the flickering was intermittent but eventually the camera became inoperable. The contact had notified the manufacturer of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while reversing, the camera was flickering on and off and the camera was fuzzy. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the camera image was distorted and occasionally would not display an image. The failure mileage was 40,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2018 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V487000 (Back Over Prevention). The contact stated that on several occasions while in reverse (R), the backup camera flickered and was inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
I took my vehicle into RBMC dealership due to the vehicle was experiencing electrical issues and had an open recall / still does. The dealership said I can't have a dash cam plugged in to a charging port. FCM / LDW / E-Break staying on / throwing error codes = C1001 FSC failure type 97 & U3003 EPB control module power supply failure type 16. They gave me back the car the battery failed the next day and when I called them they banned the VIN of this car to ever return to them. ( the battery was under factory warranty) the issue has only gotten worse and removed my dash cam as they demanded and now I can't get the car fixed and the issue has gotten worse then taking the car to this dealership less then 30 days ago. They also did not perform the recall when the car was there. …
Related recalls
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Mazda3 and 2016-2021 CX-3 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display properly by showing a flickering or distorted image.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera, as necessary. In addition, dealers will install a wiring harness fastening seal. All repairs will be performed free of charge.
Collision Avoidance complaints in other Mazda3 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are collision avoidance problems on the 2018 Mazda Mazda3?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the driver assistance of the 2018 Mazda Mazda3, 18% of the model year's 109 complaints. The component named most often is warnings (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Mazda Mazda3 collision avoidance problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 23V-487 (camera, Jul 14, 2023). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2018 Mazda Mazda3 collision avoidance problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to driver assistance 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.