There are 2 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2023 Mazda Mazda3in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I was driving on the highway and decided to switch int the left lane so I sped up and heard a big bang and what sounded like my bumper being dragged against the ground. I see on my dashboard that there’s an electrical and engine malfunction so I pullover and pop the hood. A bunch of smoke comes out and i see a little fire so me and my friends run and call the police. The police and firefighters arrived just as the fire was getting large and it had engulfed the front right side of my car. If the notification that there was a malfunction didn’t come on, I feel as if we could’ve been hurt much worse or even have died. I’m not much of a person that knows about cars and it sounded like my bumper was scraping and by the amount of times i’ve scraped my bumper, i believed it until I saw my notification. The vehicle is still being inspected for cause of fire and this vehicle has never had this problem before.
Automatic emergency braking suddenly engaged while driving on the highway. The car decelerated abruptly to a complete stop, causing the driver behind to rear-end me. There were no vehicles or obstacles in front of the car when the brakes engaged - the closest car was at least 100 feet in front of me. This collision was clearly the result of a faulty automatic emergency braking system. I do not feel safe driving the car knowing this malfunction could happen again, especially at highway speeds. Sudden unexplained braking presents a huge safety hazard to all drivers, increasing the likelihood for collisions and injuries. There were no warnings or symptoms prior to the unexpected brake system activation. After the brakes activated mistakenly, warning beeps and “BRAKE!” message appeared. Car has collision damage and has not yet been inspected by dealer. Police report filed.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026