Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2021 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2020 | 3 | 9% | 1,000 miles |
| 2019 | 3 | 4% | 3,000 miles |
| 2018 | 2 | 2% | 11,000 miles |
| 2017 | 2 | 2% | 70,000 miles |
| 2016 | 3 | 3% | 28,000 miles |
| 2015 | 3 | 2% | 21,000 miles |
| 2014 | 3 | 2% | 35,000 miles |
| 2013 | 9 | 8% | 35,000 miles |
| 2012 | 15 | 7% | 49,000 miles |
| 2011 | 13 | 10% | 65,000 miles |
| 2010 | 31 | 5% | 53,000 miles |
| 2009 | 35 | 30% | 33,000 miles |
| 2008 | 117 | 39% | 34,000 miles |
| 2007 | 89 | 40% | 81,000 miles |
| 2006 | 28 | 17% | 71,000 miles |
| 2005 | 15 | 15% | 78,000 miles |
| 2004 | 19 | 13% | 82,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
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. …
My new 2020 Mazda 3 premium with 1,177 miles suddenly took complete control of steering my car. Driving 65-70 MPH on a 3 lane straight highway on a clear day, with light traffic, I moved one lane to my left, and the car took over the steering, pulling my car out of the left lane nearly missing the center cement divider, then darting back across my lane and halfway into the lane to my right,then dashing back to the cement median. I am unaware of how many times the back and forth occurred, I tried to slow the car down to no avail. The car was moving fast, and the pattern the car moved in was very precise, as if the car knew not to hit the median and go further into the lane to my right. Finally the car stopped steering itself, and I was able to exit the highway. My car was not damaged. I hit my head twice on the drives side door. I did not require medical assistance.
Jan. 23, 2020. 10:45 am. I was on my street, a narrow residential street, preparing to back in my garage. In order to do that on this narrow street, I touched the lip of the driveway across the street. Speed well under 3 MPH. When I did so, my car suddenly sharply accelerated and at the same time swerved to the right. The acceleration and swerve drove the car into the townhouses across the street from my house. The driveways are very short, barely a car's length. After crashing, I could feel the car still accelerating. I quickly switched the car into park and the spontaneous acceleration continued. In order to stop in I had to turn the car off. When the towing company turned the car on later it immediately started to spontaneously accelerate and surge forward again. …
My car suddenly made a big clunk noise and I was warned of a power steering malfunction. I have also been warned multiple times that due to a malfunction the 'safety systems have been disabled', another issue in having is a headlight malfunction. When the headlight malfunction occurs the digital speedometer gets very dark and I am unable to tell how fast I am going. There is no way to turn the brightness up to see the speedometer again until the error code goes away. Mazda told me I must leave my windows down when the car is in a hot climate to prevent it from overheating while not in use...I live in ohio so the weather is not extremely harsh. I've take the vehicle to the dealership multiple times and they have not fixed any of the issues. I called Mazda corporate and was told 'what would you like me to do about it' I was told my issues had no remedy. …
The contact owns a 2016 Mazda Mazda3.The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact stated that the vehicle's steering wheel would fail to operate as needed. The contact stated that an abnormal, clunking noise would emit from the steering wheel while turning at various speeds. The contact also stated that the steering wheel felt loose while driving at high speeds, fearing that he would lose control of the vehicle if he did not firmly grip the steering wheel. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they acknowledged that the heard the noise coming from the vehicle; however, they could not duplicate or diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
My car started shaking and I lost control of the steering. I pulled over as best I could and called a tow truck. The dealership says that rats have chewed through the engine harness and other wiring. They say they have seen dozens of cases in brooklyn and queens just like this. They said that rats are attracted to the coating on the wires. Mazda won't issue a recall or repair the wiring. It is a fire hazard and dangerous to drive. I guess they are waiting for someone to be injured or die before they fix it? My car is 18 months old with 7,062 miles. I was parked on a city street in brooklyn and had only driven 3 blocks without making any turns when I had to pull over. My car is located at koeppel Mazda [phone]. They should have all of the details of the damage if you need it. I drive the car almost every day and it is parked on a different street every day. …
I went to go step on brakes to slow down as I was coming up on a vehicle that was stopped due to traffic in front of me when my brakes locked up and I slid right into the guy. I tried to turn my wheel to go on shoulder, but vehicle would not move. I was on the freeway and in traffic. I wasn't speeding as there was no possible way to as traffic was in play, but our lane started to move and I stayed back and when I went to step on brakes, they locked up.
Driving on a two lane highway at 65 MPH when the car suddenly pulled to the left. Car went off the highway resulting in a total loss. Part of the steering rack and pinion May have cracked. When looking at the part it appears to have an old crack along with a fresh looking break.
Related recalls (1)
Steering › Electric power assist system
Mazda is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 mazda3 and mazda5 vehicles manufactured from April 2, 2007 through November 30, 2008. These vehicles May have a condition in which a sudden loss of power steering assist could occur at any time while driving the vehicle.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering pump and lines free of charge. The safety recall began on September 15, 2010. Owners May contact Mazda customer assistance center at 1-800-222-5500.
NHTSA investigations
Loss of Electric Power Steering Assist
The subject vehicles have electro-hydraulic power assist steering (EHPAS).The complaint counts shown above alleged a loss of power steering assist in the subject vehicles.Usually, but not always, the loss is accompanied by the simultaneous lighting of an indicator light on the dash.The complaints include 14 alleged crashes involving 6 injuries.On Mazda3 and Mazda5 vehicles manufactured from April 2, 2007 through…
Frequently asked questions
Which Mazda Mazda3 years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (117), 2007 (89), 2009 (35), 2010 (31) and 2006 (28) model years. Steering complaints make up 39% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for Mazda Mazda3 steering problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 10V-374 (electric power assist system, Aug 12, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mazda Mazda3 steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 54,000 miles; 51% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the electric power assist system (13 mentions), followed by the column (2).
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.