2010 Mazda3 Recalls and Problems

NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 686 owner complaints for the 2010 Mazda3. It has 1 open investigation that names this model year.

Recalled components: seats, body structure, and electrical system. Most-reported area: body structure (169 complaints, 25%; median mileage when it happened: 49,000).

Data: NHTSA recall, complaint and investigation filesUpdated Oct 2, 2026

Year to avoid

Includes the sedan and hatchback. Excludes the Mazdaspeed3.

3 safety recalls for the 2010 Mazda3

Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.

Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

NHTSA investigations

NHTSA has opened 1 investigation that names the 2010 Mazda3; it is still open. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.

An engineering analysis is a deeper review, usually opened after a preliminary evaluation. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.

What owners report

Owners have filed 686 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Mazda3. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.

Problems owners describe

• Rust or corrosion27 · 4%
  Median 58,200 miles at failure, from 24 reports with mileage
• Power steering problems or locked steering26 · 4%
  Median 65,000 miles at failure, from 20 reports with mileage
• Shaking, shuddering or vibration17 · 2%
  Median 39,500 miles at failure, from 16 reports with mileage
• Headlight or exterior light problems15 · 2%
• Jerking, lurching or harsh shifting14 · 2%
• Smoke or a burning smell12 · 2%
• Wiring, fuse or short-circuit problems10 · 1%
• Shattered sunroof9 · 1%

Counted from the complaint text: a complaint counts once for each problem it describes (how we match them). Some complaints describe none of these. Compare other models in the problem owners report most for every model year.

Areas named in complaints

• Body structure169 · 25%
  Most named: body (52); interior panels, dashboard (3) · Median 49,000 miles at failure, from 102 reports with mileage
• Seats106 · 15%
  Median 68,000 miles at failure, from 83 reports with mileage
• Visibility/wiper100 · 15%
  Median 59,500 miles at failure, from 58 reports with mileage
• Wheels54 · 8%
  Median 53,000 miles at failure, from 49 reports with mileage
• Electrical system50 · 7%
  Median 82,000 miles at failure, from 37 reports with mileage
• Tires48 · 7%
  Most named: pressure monitoring and regulating systems (19); valve (3) · Median 40,000 miles at failure, from 43 reports with mileage
• Powertrain40 · 6%
  Most named: manual transmission (5) · Median 33,000 miles at failure, from 35 reports with mileage
• Unknown or other133 · 19%
  Median 82,100 miles at failure, from 71 reports with mileage

A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.

Mazda3 recalls and complaints by model year

The highlighted bars are the 2010 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2010 Mazda3 drew the most (83).

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2010 Mazda3 MPG

Questions