Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
Light NHTSA footprint — 49 owner complaints and 1 active recall campaign. Either a clean record or thin data; we'll show what's there.
The 2021 Mazda Mazda3 has 49 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall on file (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). The most-reported system is engine at 16 complaints (~$3,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Mazda3 | 107 | 2 |
| 2019 Mazda3 | 73 | 5 |
| 2020 Mazda3 | 32 | 2 |
| 2021 Mazda3 (this page) | 49 | 1 |
| 2022 Mazda3 | 23 | 0 |
| 2023 Mazda3 | 12 | 0 |
| 2024 Mazda3 | 11 | 1 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Standard · Lane departure warning: Standard
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2021 Mazda Mazda3 5 HB AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 1,903 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 1 active recall on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 8.0/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
Instrument panel display shows a warrning message: Air Bag System Malfunction. Have the Vehicle inspected.
The contact owns a 2021 Mazda Mazda3. The contact received notification of an unknown Class Action Lawsuit Number however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The manufacturer…
Radiators are failing 3 years after the warranty period. Its leading to coolant lost and perhaps overheating the engine.
Purchased car in January 2020 and within a month/few thousand miles the low engine oil light came on. Almost two years later car continues to burn excessive oil triggering low engine oil light. Dealer doesn’t acknowledge an issue, Mazda still doesn’t have a repair. Owners…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A sudden air leak from the tire air valve may cause a loss of vehicle control while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 8.0 out of 10 based on 49 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Mazda Mazda3 is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
On the NHTSA data, the 2021 Mazda Mazda3 does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 8.0/10 — above the segment average; 1 recall campaign on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the engine first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 16 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 8.0 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 49 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is engine. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is engine, with 16 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop.
The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 49 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.