What breaks most · 2007 to 2013 model years
Mazda Mazdaspeed3 problems by year
Owners have filed 121 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mazda Mazdaspeed3 across model years 2007 to 2013. Three years stand out: 2007 for powertrain and transmission complaints, 2008 for powertrain and transmission complaints and 2010 for seats complaints. The quietest years are 2009 and 2011.
- Years to check closely: 2007, 2008, 2010
- Fewest complaints: 2009, 2011
- Complaints on file
- 1212007 to 2013, all trims
- Worst year
- 200738 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 42 fires · 5 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 48kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 10Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 1 | 2 | Powertrain and transmission (17) | |
| 33 | 1 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (23) | |
| 4 | 0 | 1 | Wheels (1) | |
| 32 | 0 | 2 | Seats (18) | |
| 5 | 0 | 2 | Body and structure (2) | |
| 6 | 1 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (3) | |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | Seats (2) |
What fails on the 2007 Mazda Mazdaspeed3
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 45% |
17 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 32% |
12 | 0 | Shop all engine and cooling parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Tires | 11% |
4 | 1 | — |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 11% |
4 | 0 | Shop all suspension parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 8% |
3 | 0 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 8% |
3 | 0 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 3% |
1 | 0 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 3% |
1 | 0 | — |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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At 8,811 miles the number 4 engine mount (driver's side transaxle to frame) failed even though recall 4607f had already been performed at 826 miles ~8 months ago.
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Manual shift lever came detached while driving in rush hour traffic. Car stuck in 4th gear. I was up shifting when it happened.
-
I have a 2010 mazdaspeed 3. At only 5 years old the clear coat is already peeling horribly on the hood and now starting on the fenders and trim going along the windshield. I have the velocity red paint and cannot believe the clear coat is peeling this badly within only 5 years. Vehicle is kept under normal conditions.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Mazda Mazdaspeed3 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2007, 2008, 2010 carry the most filings on the Mazda Mazdaspeed3. The 2007 alone has 38 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Mazda Mazdaspeed3 problem?
On the 2007 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 17 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mazda Mazdaspeed3 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mazda Mazdaspeed3 complaints that include mileage is about 48,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.