2011 Mazda Mazda3 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
181 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Mazda Mazda3, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 25/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 71,500 miles.
Typical
Where 2011 sits among all Mazda3 years
What owners report
“Passenger airbag off and it's always on. The icon on the dash is indicating code 16. Nobody is seating on the passenger side.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Mazda3
“My Mazda 3 2011 passenger headlight always had water coming into the headlight itself. It has condensation and it is hard to see when using the headlight itself at night. Have to wait a few days or so to clear up and then my headlights will flicker because of the water seeping inside of it.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 Mazda3
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 122 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 48,275 miles. Half of those reports fall between 25,000 and 80,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2011 Mazda2 and 2010-2011 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles equipped with a manual seat lifter. In the affected vehicles, the seat height adjustment lifter links may break or detach from the seat…
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat lifter links and install a reinforcement bracket to the lifter links, or replace the entire seat adjuster unit, free of charge. The recall…
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles…
Fix: Mazda dealers will replace the both lift gate supports, free of charge, however parts are not currently available. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Technical service bulletins
282 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2011 Mazda Mazda3. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2011 Mazda3 TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2011 Mazda Mazda3 reliable?
The 2011 Mazda Mazda3 drew 181 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 25/100, scored against the model's worst year (2010).
What are the most common 2011 Mazda Mazda3 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2011 Mazda Mazda3 are airbags (30 complaints), electrical (25), and other (23).
At what mileage do 2011 Mazda Mazda3 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2011 Mazda Mazda3 problems around 48,275 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 25,000 and 80,000 miles.
Does the 2011 Mazda Mazda3 have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 Mazda Mazda3. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.