Collision Avoidance complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 25% | — |
| 2024 | 4 | 33% | 2,000 miles |
| 2023 | 2 | 17% | — |
| 2022 | 2 | 8% | 27,000 miles |
| 2021 | 8 | 15% | 2,000 miles |
| 2020 | 17 | 53% | 10,000 miles |
| 2019 | 9 | 12% | 8,000 miles |
| 2018 | 20 | 18% | 40,000 miles |
| 2017 | 13 | 15% | 50,000 miles |
| 2016 | 12 | 12% | 100,000 miles |
| 2015 | 14 | 11% | 67,000 miles |
| 2014 | 12 | 9% | 40,000 miles |
| 2012 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2010 | 1 | 0% | 138,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise, lane keeping, backup camera).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact leased a 2024 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while driving at 55-60 mph, the windshield wipers continued to stay in the on position and failed to turn off. The parking brake engaged without application and turned on and off. All the electrical systems malfunctioned and failed to turn off. The lane assist engaged and forced the vehicle to crash into the side wall. All the instrument cluster warning lights were illuminated. There were no reported injuries. There was no police report filed. There was no air bag deployment or fire. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where the mechanic reset the codes. The mechanic informed the contact that the malfunction may continue while traveling over a bump. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted regarding the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 1,900.
On July 1, 2025, I was involved in a severe rear-end collision while driving my 2024 Mazda3 manual hatchback. The impact was forceful enough to shatter the rear windshield, leave a deep dent in the tailgate, and bend the trailer hitch mount under the vehicle by several inches. Despite this, none of the airbags deployed, and there were no airbag warning lights before or after the crash. After the incident, I checked my vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup tool and discovered that Recall 7525E had been issued on June 6, 2025, for a critical airbag sensing system defect (SAS module), which can disable airbag deployment after battery depletion or improper power conditions. According to Mazda and NHTSA documents, this defect can completely disable airbag function, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. …
When this feature is left on in my vehicle, it will detect curves, vehicles, and objects that are not there, and as a result, will attempt to turn my steering wheel (safety concern). I have had to keep this feature turned off to prevent it wrecking the car, because I could be on a straight road, and it will detect a curve that isn't there and begin turning the wheel, which could result in a fatal accident if not corrected and disabled by the driver. It is available for inspection upon request. As the dealer has not driven the vehicle, they have not recreated the error, however if anyone were to drive the vehicle, they would be able to observe the malfunction. The dealer has been made aware on many occasions, though they never documented it and only suggested that I turn the feature off, which automatically turns itself on upon ignition. …
The error code "B14FO-76 FORWARD SENSING CAMERA DEVIATION - WRONG MOUNTING POSITION" was discovered, and verified, by a Safelite Auto Glass service center when the 2021 Mazda 3 was in for a repair (stone chip) to the windshield on September 21, 2021. There were no warning messages nor lights to alert the driver as to the improper installation/mounting of this device. There has been no known modification to nor obstruction of the FSC -- its condition is now as it was received new from the dealer. Improper mounting ("Wrong Mounting Position") of the Forward Sensing Camera affects multiple safety systems of this vehicle, which affects the safety of the vehicle's passengers as well as everyone's safety around the vehicle every time it is driven -- there's no telling what injury and damage may occur from an errant un-commanded driving tasks such as emergency braking and faulty lane departure …
Lane departure warning activated and attempted to correct during a gentle curve. The location had shifted lanes due to construction, so clear lines were visible but not the actual lane to follow which is a frequent occurrence in New York City. The system came close to steering me into the adjacent lane occupied by another vehicle forcing me to fight the correction. There was a lane departure warning on the dash and I believe the blind spot indicator was on (i.e. the adjacent vehicle was detected in some capacity). I considered this especially dangerous as in this zone also had very tight lanes so my physical correction could have also caused an accident. There was no malfunction of the physical components. …
The Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) system performs poorly (it does not hold a set speed well up and down hill; compared to our 2006 Mazda3), but the safety concern is the forceful, sudden, and not-always-predictable braking the vehicle does even if there is not another vehicle in front of us. It brakes, sometimes, for a vehicle in the right lane (we, in the left), and continues to brake unless we override the system. No problem--except if there may be someone following too closely, it could cause a collision. It seems to be related to the MRCC, as no "Brake!" warning accompanies the unwanted brake application. I've contacted Mazda numerous times; they recommended taking it to the dealer. I have--they can find nothing wrong. All of this seems related to a MRCC update (SSP C5) that was done to smooth the MRCC's operation. …
The contact owns a 2019 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the brake warning light illuminated and the vehicle would brake suddenly without the driver depressing the brake pedal. The failure had become recurring. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V907000 (Forward Collision Avoidance). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.
was driving in a car park and it randomly braked thinking someone was infront of me but there was nothing and the car behind me almost rear ended. Already fixed the recall last year according to Mazda. This is extremely scary and not sure what would have happened if this was on a highway
Related recalls (4)
Lane departure › Sensing system › Camera
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2024 Mazda 3, CX-30, and 2025 CX-50 vehicles. A malfunction in the forward sensing camera (FSC) may prevent the automatic emergency braking system and the lane-keep assist system from functioning.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the forward sensing camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 6.
Forward collision avoidance › Sensing system › Camera
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2024 CX-90 and MAZDA3 vehicles. Due to a software error, the rearview, front, and/or side camera images may not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy: Dealers will update the view monitor control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2023. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6.
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.
Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Mazda3 vehicles. The Smart Brake System (SBS) can falsely detect an obstacle while driving, activating the automatic emergency braking system and suddenly stopping the vehicle.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will update the SBS software. In addition, vehicles with certain production dates will receive an instrument cluster software update or replacement and a replacement owner's manual.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mazda Mazda3 years have collision avoidance problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2018 (20), 2020 (17), 2015 (14), 2017 (13) and 2014 (12) model years. Collision Avoidance complaints make up 18% of all complaints for the 2018.
Is there a recall for Mazda Mazda3 collision avoidance problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 24V-649 (camera, Sep 3, 2024); 23V-718 (camera, Oct 26, 2023); 23V-487 (camera, Jul 14, 2023). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mazda Mazda3 collision avoidance problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 47,000 miles; 49% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic emergency braking (31 mentions), followed by the warnings (20).
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.