HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS FLICKER WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. MY WIFE WAS STOPPED BY A POLICE MAN TO INFORM HER OF THESE CONDITIONS.
2013 mazda Mazda3 electrical problems
moderate 24 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850
Complaints
24
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$850
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
WHENEVER I'M DRIVING AND USING MY HEADLIGHTS AND THEN I STEP ON MY BRAKES MY HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AS IF I WERE FLASHING SOMEBODY AND I HAVE HAD MY BATTERY TESTED AND ALTERNATOR AND CHANGED MY HEADLIGHTS BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS I HAVE ALSO LOOKED ON YOUTUBE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS LIKE THIS AND THEY WERE THE ONLY THING I HAVEN'T TRIED WAS CONTACTING THE DEALER ABOUT IT. THE LIG…
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ENGINE SUDDENLY TURNS OFF. RADIO AND HEADLIGHTS REMAIN ON, BUT POWER STEERING STOPS FUNCTIONING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES, 4 TIMES ON SURFACE STREETS AND ONCE MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY. LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG THE TWO TIMES I HAVE TAKEN IT IN. THERE IS NO CODE BEING DISPLAYED.
WHEN I STARTED DRIVING AND PUT ON MY HEADLIGHTS. EVERYTIME I PUT ON THE BRAKES THE HEADLIGHTS DIM AS THE BRAKE LIGHT IS PUSHED. *TR
I HAVE HAD MY CAR SINCE 2013 AND HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH IT UNTIL I GOT A NEW BATTERY FOR MY CAR. AS SOON AS I GOT A BATTERY MY CAR WOULD DIE EVERY OTHER DAY. I TOOK IT TO MANY MECHANICS AND BACK TO THE MAZDA DEALER TO SEE IF THEY COULD FIX IT. THE MECHANICS DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT AND WHEN I TOOK IT TO MAZDA THEY SAID IT WAS BECAUSE MY CAR DOOR LIGHT WAS ON, EVEN THOUGH IT NEVER WAS. THEY…
HORN GRADUALLY FAILED, BECAME WEAKER AND WEAKER, EVENTUALLY TOTALLY SILENT. LOOKED ON GOOGLE TO FIND LOCATION (IT IS VERY TIGHT IN THERE!) DISCOVERED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF FAILED HORNS FOR THIS EXACT MAKE AND MODEL. HORN IS MADE BY FIAMM (ITALY). EXAMINED HORN, THE ADJUSTMENT SCREW IS SEALED. FAILURE IS INTERNAL. VEHICLE IS TWO YEARS OLD, HAS 39,000 MILES. REPLACED HORN WITH $10 AFTERMARKET IT…
PCM DOES NOT REGULATE ALTERNATOR OUTPUT CORRECTLY CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS TO FLASH/STROBE AND HORN TONE TO FLUCTUATE WHILE BRAKING IN MOTION. THE HEADLIGHTS FLASHING COULD LEAD OTHER DRIVERS TO BELIEVE YOU ARE SIGNALING THEM, AND LACK OF POWER TO HORN REDUCES THE AUDIBILITY AND MAY NOT BE HEARD BY OTHER DRIVERS. DEALERSHIP/MAZDA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND HAS PROVIDED A "SOFTWARE UPDATE" TO FIX THE …
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2013 mazda Mazda3?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 24 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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