2012 MAZDA MAZDA3 Complaints

MY CAR IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY (ABOUT 20 MPH) AND NOTICED THAT WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE OR SHIFT NORMALLY. INSTEAD, THE CAR STAYED IN LOW GEAR, AND THE RPM REACHED OVER 4000. AT THIS POINT, I NOTICED. THE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD WAS STAYING ON, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR'S STABILITY CONTROL. ONCE I REACHED A PLACE I COULD STOP, I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED - THE PROBLEM APPEARED TO HAVE GONE AWAY - NO MORE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD AND NO MORE WEIRD ENGINE SPEEDS/FAILURE TO SHIFT GEARS. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT BOTH ON THE NHTSA SITE AND ON MAZDA FORUM WEBSITES. I BELIEVE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS PROBLEM IS WARRANTED, AS IT REPRESENTS A DEFINITE SAFETY RISK, AFFECTING THE CAR'S ABILITY TO ACCELERATE APPROPRIATELY. *TR

I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC SKYACTIV 2012 5DR HATCHBACK. I WAS PULLING OUT ON A BACK ROAD THAT WAS 60MPH AND AS SOON AS I PRESSED THE GAS TO SPEED UP WITH TRAFFIC IT WAS AS IF THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR SLOWLY ACCELERATED AS I HAD THE GAS PRESSED TO THE FLOOR. IT VERY SLOWLY SPED UP TO 60MPH AND WOULD NOT GO ANY FASTER. I TRIED PRESSING THE TRACTION CONTROL BUTTON TO TURN IT OFF AND NOTHING HAPPENED. MY WIFE AND I GOT LUNCH AND AFTERWARDS IT WORKED FINE. LAST TIME I WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE STALLING ISSUE AND THAT THEY HAD FIXED IT. THIS WAS ABOUT A MONTH OR SO BEFORE I EXPERIENCED THE STALL. BEFORE THEN I HAD NOT HAD ANY ISSUES WITH STALLING, JUST WITH PULLING OUT ONTO ROADS. THAT LEADS ME TO MENTION THAT THIS CAR DOES NOT DO WELL WHEN PULLING OUT ONTO ROADS. THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND WELL. IT LAGS AND THEN WHEN IT REALIZES YOU HAVE YOUR FOOT PRESSED ON THE GAS IT THROWS YOU BACK INTO YOUR SEAT. IT'S AS IF THE CAR IS IN 3RD GEAR WHEN YOU PULL OUT AND THEN THROWS ITSELF INTO 1ST GEAR. THE CAR FEELS VERY UNSAFE. I WISH I WOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT MAZDA'S 2012 MAZDA3 SINCE, AFTERALL, IT WAS THEIR FIRST ATTEMPT AT THEIR NEW SKYACTIV ENGINE. *TR

MY 2012 MAZDA 3 SKYACTIV HATCHBACK WITH THE 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION IS EXHIBITING UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. AFTER DOWNSHIFTING INTO 2ND OR 3RD GEAR, OR AFTER COASTING IN ONE OF THOSE GEARS WITH THE CLUTCH DISENGAGED, THE ENGINE REVS AND THE CAR "SURGES" FORWARD UPON RE-ENGAGEMENT OF THE CLUTCH. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS ONLY BEING SLIGHTLY PUSHED, BUT THE CAR ACTS AS IF IT HAS BEEN PUSHED ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. DEPENDING ON THE POSITION OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE ENGINE WILL EITHER REV TO 3000 TO 4000 RPM, OR THE CAR WILL ACCELERATE FORWARD UNTIL EITHER THE BRAKE OR CLUTCH PEDAL IS PRESSED. THIS ISSUE WAS PRESENTED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND I TOLD THEM THAT YOU HAVE TO DRIVE IN THOSE CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO RE-CREATE THE PROBLEM. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT I"VE BEEN DRIVING MANUALS FOR THE LAST 28 YEARS AND DON'T THINK ITS A DRIVER ISSUE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME ISSUE ON THIS SITE AND OTHER MAZDA FORUMS. THIS NEEDS TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY MAZDA!!!!!!!!!! *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST POWER AND BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT TURNED ON AT THIS TIME. PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR DID NOTHING. WHEN I SWITCHED THE MANUAL MODE FOR THE TRANSMISSION THE GEAR WAS NOT DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD AND TRYING TO UP OR DOWNSHIFT DID NOTHING. AFTER PULLING OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I WAS ABLE TO PLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK. I LIFTED THE HOOD AND CHECKED FOR FLUID LEAKS OR SPILLS OF WHICH THERE WERE NONE. AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR AND WAITING A COUPLE OF MINUTES I TURNED IT BACK ON AND NOW HAD THE TRACTION CONTROL, AT, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS LIT. AFTER PUTTING THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE AND PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY SLUGGISH IN ACCELERATION AND WOULD SHIFT THROUGH THE FIRST FOUR GEARS BUT AT RPMS MUCH HIGHER THAN NORMAL. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP THE VEHICLE HOME AS THE DEALERSHIP WAS ALREADY CLOSED. AFTER LETTING THE VEHICLE SIT FOR 15 MINUTES OR SO I TURNED IT BACK ON AND NOW ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS LIT. WILL BE TAKING TO THE DEALER IN THE MORNING. *TR

THERE IS A ROTTEN EGG SMELL COMING FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE FROM THE CAR. MAZDA DEALER IS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM WHEN I WENT BACK FOR SERVICE. I CHANGE GAS TO SHELL AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DEALER, AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. DEALER SAID THAT THIS IS COMON PROBLEM AND BLAMED IT ON THE GASOLINE BLEND. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO START THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE POWER STEERING, TRACTION CONTROL, AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED. MOMENTS LATER, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE LOCATED. THE FAILURES RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS AWAITING ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTICS. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

MY 2012 MAZDA 3 SKYACTIV HATCHBACK WITH THE 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION IS EXHIBITING UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE SYMPTOMS EXHIBITED ARE CONSISTENT WITH MULTIPLE OTHER REPORTS IN THIS SYSTEM. AFTER DOWNSHIFTING INTO 2ND OR 3RD GEAR, OR AFTER COASTING IN ONE OF THOSE GEARS WITH THE CLUTCH DISENGAGED, THE ENGINE REVS AND THE CAR "SURGES" FORWARD UPON RE-ENGAGEMENT OF THE CLUTCH. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS ONLY BEING SLIGHTLY PUSHED, BUT THE CAR ACTS AS IF IT HAS BEEN PUSHED ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. DEPENDING ON THE POSITION OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE ENGINE WILL EITHER REV TO 3000 TO 4000 RPM, OR THE CAR WILL ACCELERATE FORWARD UNTIL EITHER THE BRAKE OR CLUTCH PEDAL IS PRESSED. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY MAZDA AFTER MULTIPLE TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. UPON THE LAST VISIT, A DATA RECORDER WAS INSTALLED AND RECORDED 7 SPECIFIC UNINTENDED ACCELERATION EVENTS BETWEEN THE DATES OF 11/13/12 AND 11/20/12. ACCORDING TO AN EMAIL I RECEIVED FROM THE DISTRICT SERVICE & PARTS MANAGER FOR DISTRICT 2 OF MAZDA NORTH AMERICA OPERATIONS (MNAO) ON 12/23/12, "THE CONCERN FOUND ON THE DATA RECORDINGS TAKEN FROM YOUR VEHICLE WERE FOUND TO BE A PCM CALIBRATION ISSUE. MAZDA CORPORATION IS WORKING ON A NEW CALIBRATION FOR THE PCM WITH AN UNKNOWN TIME OF COMPLETION." WHEN I REQUESTED THAT MY VEHICLE BE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER OF THE SAME MODEL, THIS WAS THE RESPONSE FROM THE SAME DISTRICT SERVICE & PARTS MANAGER: "SINCE THE CALIBRATION OF THE PCM IS THE SAME ON A 2013 LIKE MODEL WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION IT WOULD NOT BE ADVISED TO TRADE YOU INTO THAT VEHICLE AS IT COULD POTENTIALLY EXHIBIT THE SAME CONCERN DEPENDING ON YOUR DRIVING HABITS AND CONDITIONS." I AM CURRENTLY AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM MNAO'S MEDIATION DEPARTMENT REGARDING EITHER REPLACING MY CAR WITH ANOTHER MODEL, OR BUYING BACK THE CAR FROM ME. *TR

APPROXIMATELY TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK WHEN DOWNSHIFTING OUT OF A RIGHT OR LEFT HAND CURVE OR TURN, MY 2012 MANUAL TRANSMISSION MAZDA 3 HATCHBACK WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THIS IS CHARACTERIZED BY A VARYING INCREASE OF RPMS: 2100 RPMS TO 4500 RPMS, DEPENDING ON THE INCIDENT, AND A SUDDEN LURCHING OR SURGING FORWARD OF THE VEHICLE ITSELF. WHEN APPROACHING CURVES OR TURNS, AT 30 OR 40 MPH, THAT DO NOT HAVE TO BE TAKEN AT A COMPLETE STOP, I ENGAGE THE CLUTCH, APPLY THE BRAKES, AND SLOW THE VEHICLE TO 15-20 MPH. UPON COMING OUT OF THE TURN I SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO SECOND GEAR. WHEN I SLOWLY RELEASE THE CLUTCH, WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL AT ALL, THE CAR'S ENGINE WILL REV, RPMS WILL SURGE TO AS HIGH AS 4000 - 4500, AND THE CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD UNTIL THE CLUTCH IS ONCE AGAIN DEPRESSED. THESE INCIDENTS ARE RANDOM AND ARE NOT DEPENDENT ON SPEED, WEATHER CONDITIONS, OR LOCATION. THESE INCIDENTS HAVE ONLY BEEN DUPLICATED WITH A MINIMAL INCREASE OF RPMS AND NO LURCHING FORWARD WHEN A MECHANIC IS PRESENT. THESE INCIDENTS CAN NOT BE DUPLICATED FOR THE DEALERSHIP AT THEIR FULLEST AND MOST DANGEROUS. *TR

WHEN DOWNSHIFTING (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) FROM 3RD TO 2ND AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN BECAUSE OF A RED LIGHT, THE ENGINE RPM WENT WAY UP, MAYBE AROUND 4,000 RPM. I PRESSED THE CLUTCH TO AVOID THE CAR JERKING FORWARD AND HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND HAVE ONLY OWNED IT 5 MONTHS. *TR

WHEN THE CAR DECELERATES (BRAKING OR DOWN-SHIFTING) THE HEADLIGHTS FLASH. WHEN I TAKE THE CAR BACK TO MAZDA SERVICE, THEY TELL ME THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT IS EFFECTING MANY OF THE NEW SKYACTIV ENGINES. THEY SAY THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT THAT IS MAKING THE LIGHTS FLASH. THEY STATE THAT MAZDA ENGINEERS HAVE NOT GIVEN THEM A FIX FOR IT YET, SO THEY CAN'T FIX IT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A REAL SAFTEY HAZARD. PEOPLE ON THE HIGHWAY THINK I AM FLASHING MY LIGHTS AT THEM. I BOUGHT A SECOND CAR (SAME MODEL AND YEAR) AT THE SAME TIME AND IT DOESN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WHEN I TELL THIS TO MAZDA, THEY ACT SURPRISED AND STATE THAT I MUST HAVE GOT LUCKY BECAUSE MOST OF THE CARS HAVE THESE FLASHING LIGHTS. THEY SEEM TO JUST WANT ME TO LIVE WITH IT. YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE THIS SINCE THEY ARE SAYING IT IS A COMMON ISSUE. I THINK THESE CARS NEED A RECALL. *TR