Brake complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2023 | 2 | 17% | — |
| 2021 | 5 | 9% | — |
| 2020 | 3 | 9% | 10,000 miles |
| 2019 | 15 | 20% | 7,000 miles |
| 2018 | 6 | 6% | 7,000 miles |
| 2017 | 7 | 8% | 17,000 miles |
| 2016 | 18 | 17% | 32,000 miles |
| 2015 | 28 | 22% | 52,000 miles |
| 2014 | 26 | 19% | 58,000 miles |
| 2013 | 15 | 13% | 50,000 miles |
| 2012 | 14 | 6% | 57,000 miles |
| 2011 | 4 | 3% | 64,000 miles |
| 2010 | 38 | 6% | 85,000 miles |
| 2009 | 8 | 7% | 8,000 miles |
| 2008 | 22 | 7% | 104,000 miles |
| 2007 | 17 | 8% | 66,000 miles |
| 2006 | 14 | 8% | 83,000 miles |
| 2005 | 6 | 6% | 38,000 miles |
| 2004 | 28 | 19% | 30,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Strong unburnt fuel smell had just started at 6700 miles. Mazda Dealership stated that they would not be looking at my car and that gas smells are normal... After this encounter, I had 2 mechanics look at my car. Both had concluded that the smell predominantly comes from near the rear driver wheel, under the body, and that it is an extremely dangerous situation. I am a full time student and do not feel safe driving this car to class but I have no choice since Mazda is neglecting this issue. I also reported to the dealer that my brakes seem to be defective since they are causing excessive shaking when applied. Dealer informed me that they do not warranty the OEM brakes that came on my car, however Mazda Corporate informed me that they do. I do not feel safe driving this car knowing the car may combust and harm me and others on the road. The brakes also do not inspire confidence. …
Brakes are underpowered especially when hot. Drove 20-30 minutes in traffic and when decelerating from 60 mph highway in turn lane to turn into neighborhood the brakes felt very soft . Car only has 28k miles on it and pads have plenty of life left. Have seen similar complaints on online forums.
The contact owns a 2020 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the ABS warning light illuminated, and the brakes locked up and caused the vehicle to stall. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, the failure persisted. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer to be diagnosed however, the dealer was not able to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.
My car's automatic emergency brake is deploying without warning, during driving, when there are no other cars in my forward proximity. I took it to the dealership to have it fixed, and on the drive home, it did it again. There is a recall for similar makes and models for this year, but my car has not been included.
These issues been happening since the second month I owned my 2019 Mazda 3 hatchback. 1- suspensions, they're very rough & harsh., they bounce so much for no reason, I damaged one tire already while I was driving on i476 normal highway where I stepped on normal pothole ended up damaging my tire, suspensions are really dangers on all roads. 2- "adaptive cruise control" this feature many times almost caused an accident, rear end specially on highways. For some reason it doesn't detect the car in front of me when I have auto cruise enabled, no rain clear weather, this been reported more than 5 times to the dealership & its hard for them to tell what happen. …
To whom it may concern, I was on a back road late in the evening not far from home [redacted] and a small deer ran into the road. I needed to brake to avoid hitting the deer. After breaking, a Brake System Malfunction warning message and i-ACTIVESENSE System Malfunction warning illuminated on my dashboard. I brought the car to a Mazda dealership the next morning. The technician determined that the brake fluid level sensor became stuck, requiring replacement of the brake fluid reservoir and the brake fluid level sensor. What failed: The repairs include replacement of the Brake Fluid Reservoir and the Brake Fluid Level Sensor. This is the link to the dealer report [redacted] . No one other than the dealer has inspected these parts to my knowledge. There was no accident of any kind. …
The rear brake pads on my 2018 Mazda 3 have worn out prematurely, thinning to as little as 2MM in just 40,000 miles, while my front brakes are still 6MM. Brand new brakes are 10MM. I have heard the exact same complaint from the owner of a 2016 Mazda 3, which is the same generation. In the majority of cars, front brakes are supposed to wear our faster than the rear, so this is definitely a problem. Further evidence of the problem is shown in the fact that my car tends to steer a bit left when pointed in a straight direction, even after getting alignment perfectly done, consistent with the fact that the driver's side rear brake pad has worn out the fastest. …
Vehicle was off and unattended in parking lot:manual transmission which I've driven my whole life & I'm no spring chicken. Live in flat city where hill/rolling back has never been an issue. Car has electric parking brake. 1 day a year into the lease, was parked @a pump@tgas station &when came out,car had moved/rolled back. Shockingly I thought I messed up/might've forgotten2 engage parking brake, despite it becoming 2nd nature. Thanked god didn't roll back into anything/anyone, vowed 2 be xtra mindful/careful.turns out no matter how careful/mindful I've been,just the other day it happened again.this time, husband was in the car w/me &swore saw me as usual, as 2nd nature, engage the electric parking brake. Mind u,have never put it into 1st year 2 park because never needed 2. I guess should have this time as back-up 2 the electric parking brake that didn't engage. …
Related recalls (2)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Caliper
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2020 CX-30 and Mazda3 vehicles. The front brake caliper mounting bolts may not have been tightened properly during assembly, possibly allowing the calipers to loosen.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake caliper bolts, tightening them as necessary. If bolts are missing, the affected brake caliper will be replaced.
Parking brake
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Mazda6 and 2014-2016 Mazda3 vehicles. Water could possibly enter the brake caliper causing the parking brake actuator shaft to corrode and possibly bind.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will check the parking brake actuator shafts, replacing any that are corroded, free of charge. Remedy parts are currently unavailable.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mazda Mazda3 years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2010 (38), 2004 (28), 2015 (28), 2014 (26) and 2008 (22) model years. Brake complaints make up 6% of all complaints for the 2010.
Is there a recall for Mazda Mazda3 brake problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 20V-346 (caliper, Jun 12, 2020); 17V-393 (parking brake, Jun 22, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mazda Mazda3 brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles; 51% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the foundation components › disc › rotor (12 mentions), followed by the foundation components › disc › pads (9).
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.