This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE Refer to the applicable Workshop Manual or Owner's Manual for vehicle -specific manufacturer scheduled maintenance.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2019 Mazda Mazda3 brakes problems
moderate Owners of the 2019 Mazda Mazda3 have filed 7 NHTSA complaints about the brakes at roughly $450 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See brakes across all vehicles →
Complaints
7
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
| Model year | brakes complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 Mazda3 | 22 |
| 2016 Mazda3 | 8 |
| 2017 Mazda3 | 5 |
| 2018 Mazda3 | 5 |
| 2019 Mazda3 (this page) | 7 |
| 2020 Mazda3 | 3 |
| 2021 Mazda3 | 4 |
When does it fail?
Of the 7 brakes complaints filed for the 2019 Mazda Mazda3, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA brakes complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering brakes on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Some vehicles exhibit brake related concerns such as brake noise, brake judder or brake dragging. If you encounter a customer complaint for any one of these symptoms, refer to the following information to understand why symptoms may occur, and to better assist the customer in resolving their specific brake concern. NOTE: Before following this Service Alert repair procedure, ensure published TSBs in MGSS have been completed per model year.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some vehicles exhibit brake related concerns such as brake noise, brake judder or brake dragging. If you encounter a customer complaint for any one of these symptoms, refer to the following information to understand why symptoms may occur, and to better assist the customer in resolving their specific brake concern.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This information will give you the necessary knowledge to respond to customers concerns of Smart Brake Support (SBS) unintended braking. By educating the customer on the system operation, it should reduce their anxiety or distrust of the vehicle.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Symptom 1: Some customers may complain about hearing a grinding noise and/or vibration occur when applying the brake. This is due to rust on the rear brake disc plate. The brake pad has insufficient disc-rust prevention performance, resulting in the disc plate rusting. To eliminate this concern, the pad material has been improved to prevent rust on the disc surface. Symptom 2: Some vehicles may exhibit a squeal noise from the rear brakes when braking lightly while driving at a slow speed. The squeal noise is caused by the disc pad surface fluctuating. To eliminate this concern, the brake pads have been modified.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
I was driving on us one between ft. Pierce and vero beach, just before christmas, 2019. There was no traffic in front or besides me, although there were cars approaching from the rear. The car suddenly violently shook and came to an immediate stop. I tried to start it, and nothing happened. I could see cars coming up behind me and knew I could easily be hit from the rear. Thankfully they saw…
Dear sir or madam, I leased a new Mazda 3 on 12/20/2019. At the time of signing all documents I was provided with a document to sign that the dealership were not allowed to sell me a car with an open recall. After registering with the Mazda app I found out that there is an open recall. Is this legal and what are my rights? This seems extremely dishonest. I would appreciate your feedback and…
I was accelerating after a traffic light turned green and there were no cars in front of me when the car started braking automatically and came to a full stop. Luckily the car behind me was able to stop in time but there was no warning and no reason. I could have been rear ended. I pulled over and checked the two sensors and neither one was blocked (it had snowed here recently). I'm honestly…
Automatic break system malfunctions often and does a hard break. Also the perimeter sensor gets disabled numerous time out of blue while driving and stop functioning until the car restarts. The break happens without any prior indication or same situation. It just happens on the regular road as well as highway. But the highway just scares me. But there is no way I can tell Mazda with a…
Without cause: the vehicle will suddenly detect the presence of another vehicle and/or sense an imminent collision and subsequently applies the automatic braking system, causing the vehicle speed to suddenly decrease. This has happened repeatedly over the course of driving the car and resulted in being almost rear ended numerous times. This is a very dangerous scenario and could easily cause a…
Had brakes trouble with your 2019 Mazda Mazda3?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the brakes problem on the 2019 Mazda Mazda3?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 7 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $450 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Based on the 7 complaints filed, brakes issues most often appear around 30,760 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes 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 brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes 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.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2019/Mazda/Mazda3.
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. Some links on this page are affiliate links.