Third generation (BM/BN)
2018 Mazda Mazda3
The most reported problem on the 2018 Mazda Mazda3 is infotainment, with 44 complaints, usually around 40,000 miles.
- 108owner complaints
- 4recalls
- 6involved a crash
- 32,000median miles at failure
Newest report Aug 26, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your Mazda3 doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2018 model year.
Is the 2018 Mazda Mazda3 reliable?
The 2018 Mazda Mazda3 has 108 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, below the median of 177 for 2018 sedans on this site. Of the 11 Mazda3 model years since 2014, it has the 3rd most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2017 and 2019
- At 12 complaints for each year on the road, the 2018 runs above both the 2017 (8) and the 2019 (9).
- Top problem
- One problem takes up much of the file: infotainment, named in 44 of the 108 complaints (41%). A quarter of the 8 owners who gave a mileage for infotainment saw it by about 32,000 miles, and half by about 40,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 6 of the 108 complaints (6%) report a crash, a fire or an injury, about the 6% typical of vehicles on this site. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 6 reports mention a crash and 5 people were hurt. The reports record 1 death.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- No recall on file is on the same system as infotainment. For those, the complaints are all there is.
- When owners filed
- Filings jumped in 2024, with 43 complaints, 2.7 times the next busiest year. So far in 2026, 5 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: infotainment, screen or backup camera fails, 44 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
108 complaints is 2.6 times fewer than the median 2018 model on this site and 1.6 times fewer than the median 2018 sedan. Among the 4 Mazda3 model years here it ranks 3rd for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2018 Mazda Mazda3
Mazda filed 461 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2018 Mazda Mazda3. 50 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car, 1 of those a warranty extension. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 38 bulletins · 44 complaints
Some vehicles may have one of the following DTCs stored in memory along with a system status notice on the Multi-information display OR display a system status notice with no DTC: C1001:92 - Forward sensing camera (FSC) poor field of view [Gen 6 vehicles] ...
Some customers may complain that the ambient temperature on the instrument cluster is displayed more than 50 °F (10 °C) lower than the actual temperature, resulting in insufficient performance of the air conditioning.
36 more on this problem
Some customers may complain about infotainment center display. Peeling, spider cracks and white dots.
Some vehicles may exhibit a distorted image or no image from the rear mount camera when shifted into reverse. Due to friction, the coating of camera socket terminals may wear out, creating high electrical resistance.
Some customers may complain about infotainment center display: - Ghost Touch - DTC B108E:04 may be stored (Touch screen operates by itself) - Surface Peeling - DTC B108E:04 may be stored - Spider Cracks - White dots IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT replace the ...
Some vehicles may experience the symptoms mentioned below, which can be fixed with the latest software update (Version 74.00.324 or later). The system performance has been improved as follows: Ver.
Some vehicles may exhibit the following symptoms: - Center display touchscreen operates by itself (Ghost Touch). This is due to high-temperature and humidity, the touch panel sensor causes a chemical reaction, which causes the touch sensors to corrode, ...
AUDIO, NAVIGATION AND PHONE CONCERNS WITH MAZDA CONNECT INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM (6TH GENERATION). All Mazda Connect vehicles in new car inventory must be updated to the software version listed below in this TSB as part of the New Car Ready Step 3 process. Make sure the new vehicle specialist receives a copy of this bulletin.
Some customers may experience a SBS/SCBS, LAS/LDWS and/or HBC warning light on. A system error message may also be found in the center display. DTC U3000:04-0A (Forward sensing camera (FSC) internal malfunction).
Some customers may experience the MAZDA CONNECT rebooting or the screen turning black under any temperature. When the concern occurs, MAZDA CONNECT reboots repeatedly, and if the SD card is removed during this reboot cycle, the rebooting cycle ends.
Some customers may complain about the following MAZDA CONNECT¢¢ Temperature Warning message: ¯· Display is too Hot. Screen performance may be decreased until it cools.
Some vehicles may exhibit a Connectivity Master Unit (CMU), a BLUETOOTH® hands-free unit or text messaging related concerns.
Plus 26 older ones not listed here.
Backup camera goes black or freezes 2 bulletins · 18 complaints
Symptom troubleshooting tables to diagnose MAZDA CONNECT concerns. No. 1 Blank Screen No. 2. Rear View Camera is not displayed No. 3 Rebooting No. 4 Infotainment System Has No Sound No. 5 Commander Switch Does Not Work No. 6 Bluetooth device will not pair No. ...
Some customers may complain about a rear view monitor display that is: ¯· Blank (or may have backup camera warning message) ¯· Distorted ¯· Blurry ¯· Fuzzy ¯· Split screen (see attached video) ¯· Grainy. The icons and text are normally displayed.
Windshield cracks or distorts 5 bulletins · 10 complaints
DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may require the replacement of a damaged VIN plate or vehicle certification label. To obtain a replacement VIN plate (bulkhead-mounted and visible through the lower-left area of the windshield), contact DAG (Dealer Assistance Group) ...
Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage such (melted, separating, etc.) when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection.
3 more on this problem
Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection.
Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building. This may be caused by the suns reflection.
Some vehicles may exhibit the cushion tape (1) attached to the front end of dashboard coming off and showing at the base of the windshield.
Engine stalls or loses power while driving 1 bulletin · 9 complaints
Some customers may complain about a tapping or knocking noise coming from the rear seat after fuel fill. The concern will likely occur if the fuel tank is overfilled (more fuel is added after the fuel pump nozzle shuts off automatically) or filled up normally ...
Fuel pump failure 1 bulletin · 7 complaints
CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM CSP12 DENSO LOW-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM WARRANTY EXTENSION: Attention ALL Mazda Dealers: This is a Warranty Extension and not a recall campaign.
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 3 bulletins · 6 complaints
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 ...
Some vehicles may exhibit a rattle / knock noise from the front disc brake caliper (1) when driving on a rough road surface.This is caused by the slide pin (1) hitting the mounting support (2) due to insufficient holding power of the dust boots (3) when a ...
1 more on this problem
Some customers may report a slight clunk/bang/buzz noise or jolt from the front of the vehicle. This concern will most likely occur during the vehicles first forward movement after starting the engine.
Complaints filed by year
43 complaints came in 2024, 2.9 times the year before. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
Recalls that include the 2018 Mazda Mazda3
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Mazda3 and 2016-2021 CX-3 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display properly by showing a flickering or distorted image.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera, as necessary. In addition, dealers will install a wiring harness fastening seal. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 13, 2023. Final owner letters for affected models and model years in the states of CT, MA, MD, NJ, NY, PA and VA were mailed August 14, 2024. The remaining owner notification letters will be mailed at a future date, anticipated on or before May 1, 2025. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 6023G.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Mazda3 vehicles. A defective windshield wiper relay may cause the windshield wipers to become inoperative, reducing the driver's visibility.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front body control module with a new module which uses an improved wiper relay design, free of charge. The recall began May 7, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3219D.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3 vehicles, equipped with an incorrect exhaust valve spring. The incorrect exhaust valve spring may fail while driving, potentially causing an engine stall.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engines and replace any incorrect exhaust valve springs, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 20, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1717K.
All 4 recalls on the 2018 Mazda Mazda3, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide Buying one used? How to research one car’s history before you pay
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2018 Mazda Mazda3?
Infotainment, with 44 of the 108 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 40,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2018 Mazda Mazda3 problems start?
Of the 39 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 11,000 miles and half by about 32,000.
Is the 2018 Mazda Mazda3 better or worse than the 2017 and 2019?
Counted per year on the road, the 2018 has more complaints than both the 2017 and the 2019: 12 a year against 8 and 9.
How many 2018 Mazda Mazda3 complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
6 of them (6%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for infotainment on the 2018 Mazda Mazda3?
No recall on file for the 2018 Mazda Mazda3 is on the same system as infotainment. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.