2020 MAZDA Mazda3

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

Expert Verdict
โœ“Good Reliability

This 2020 model shows good reliability, primarily driven by a below-average recall rate for the MAZDA brand.

Key Factor:below-average recall rate

๐Ÿ“‹Why This Matters

Understanding recall history helps predict future ownership costs. Each unaddressed issue represents potential repair expenses.

Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.

Focus Area:general reliability
๐Ÿ“Š

Expert Analysis

The 2020 Mazda3 analysis highlights key safety metrics.

Safety & Reliability Score

83/100

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-16
Complaint Impact-1.45
Investigation Impact-0

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2020 MAZDA Mazda3

Model Year2020
MakeMAZDA
ModelMazda3
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Jan20
NEWProduction
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Sep20
ISSUEFirst Report
Dec20
RECALLRecall Issued

Consumer Complaint Analysis

โš ๏ธ

Most Reported Issue

14 complaints (48% of total)
โžก๏ธ

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
โœ…

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 29 consumer complaints by severity level.

๐ŸŸกMedium
13(45%)
๐ŸŸขLow
16(55%)
โœ…Good News: No critical or high-severity complaints reported for this vehicle.

Mileage Failure Analysis

โš™๏ธEngineering Insight

Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 0-20k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 38,694 miles.

๐Ÿ“Š Mileage data extracted from 4 of 29 complaints (14% coverage)
0-20k
3 reports (75%)
20k-40k
0 reports (0%)
40k-60k
0 reports (0%)
60k-80k
0 reports (0%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
1 reports (25%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCESERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Official Safety Recalls (2)

Campaign: 19V907000

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

Summary

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Mazda3 vehicles. The Smart Brake System (SBS) can falsely detect an obstacle while driving, activating the automatic emergency braking system and suddenly stopping the vehicle.

Consequence

Stopping the vehicle unexpectedly increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will update the SBS software. In addition, vehicles with certain production dates will receive an instrument cluster software update or replacement and a replacement owner's manual. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2020. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4219L.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Mazda North American Operations

Campaign: 20V346000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

Summary

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2020 CX-30 and Mazda3 vehicles. The front brake caliper mounting bolts may not have been tightened properly during assembly, possibly allowing the calipers to loosen.

Consequence

Loose brake calipers can reduce braking performance or interfere with wheel rotation, affecting vehicle handling. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake caliper bolts, tightening them as necessary. If bolts are missing, the affected brake caliper will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 24, 2020. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4420F.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Mazda North American Operations

NHTSA Investigations

0 investigations
โœ“

No active investigations for this vehicle.

Consumer Complaints

29 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2020 Mazda3.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning48%
Accident24%
Display7%
Acceleration Issues7%
Steering/Suspension๐Ÿ”ต Low
SUSPENSION

I pulled into the driveway (at about 5 mph) of my passenger's home, when a very loud, metallic pop occurred somewhere inside my vehicle. I could not discern the problem by visually inspecting the car. Upon returning to my home, I arranged for the dealership to inspect the car's suspension. They found that both rear springs had snapped off from their lower vehicle attachment points. At the time of the incident, my car was less than 6 years old and had approximately 62500 total miles. I had the dealership replace both rear springs and associated attachment hardware. Prior to this failure, the dealership had routinely inspected the suspension of my vehicle as part of PA annual inspections. I experienced NO warning symptoms prior to the suspension failure.

Steering/Suspension๐Ÿ”ต Low
STEERING,SUSPENSION

TSB 02-003/24 Car front suspension bolts corroded and making metal on metal sounds during turning and braking

Other๐Ÿ”ต Low
EQUIPMENT

See attached document for complaint.

Safety Systems๐Ÿ”ต Low
SEAT BELTS

Passenger seat belt wonโ€™t retract and remains in a locked state.

Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,LANE DEPARTURE

Google search shows Mazda has common problem with their front sensing camera, people are reporting the issue for different Mazda models across the board for the last few years including newer models as well. My car display shows few malfunction warning messages. Following captured from MyMazda app. 1. Forward sensing camera malfunction. i-ACTIVESENSE advanced safety and driver support systems may not operate correctly. 2. High Beam Control System is disabled. Automatic switching between high and low beams is unavailable.

Safety Systems๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

While driving on a residential street the automatic emergency braking system activated and brought the car to a very abrupt stop but there was nothing in the front of the car to activate the system. There were no cars in the on-coming lane and no cars in the lane beside my car. When the car stopped the Brake warning appeared in the windshield and a warning tone sounded. It was in the early evening and it was raining. Fortunately there were no cars behind me so there were no injuries. I took the car to the Mazda dealership and upon inspection they noted that the radar system associated with the automatic emergency braking system was malfunctioning and not correctly calculating the distance between the car and other objects. They are in the process of replacing the radar. If this had happened on the highway at higher speeds or if there had been a car behind me I would have been injured.

Brakes๐Ÿ”ต Low
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

My car's automatic emergency brake is deploying without warning, during driving, when there are no other cars in my forward proximity. I took it to the dealership to have it fixed, and on the drive home, it did it again. There is a recall for similar makes and models for this year, but my car has not been included.

Safety Systems๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

on 3 occasions may 2023, June 2023 and July 2023 the forward Collison camera activated. in May and June it showed the vehicle to near stop like radar cruise control in rush hour speed traffic. in July 2023 it sounded the alarm and came to a full stop in heavy traffic. it occurs on bright hot days going straight no turns no oncoming traffic no traffic around and no obstacles hold or dips. this can cause the car to stop immediately and cause an accident. App detects problem with system but dealer cannot find problem and blame camera or GPS or satellite radio factory equipped.

Visibility๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER

in May 2023 the visors of the vehicle hinge melted causing the visors to hang down to eye level and would not hold up causing visibly issues for driver and passenger. dealer said it is a common issue in heat but it blocks forward visibility and won't hold up and if there were and accident, forward movement of passenger or driver can cause the head to hit the visor causing injury.

Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Automatic safety notification censoring system for the brakes engaged when a stop was not applicable or necessary causing the car to brake on its own in traffic. Luckily no one else was on the road.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2020 MAZDA Mazda3?

Yes, the 2020 MAZDA Mazda3 has 2 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER.

Is the 2020 MAZDA Mazda3 safe to drive?

The 2020 MAZDA Mazda3 has 2 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.

Where can I check if my 2020 MAZDA Mazda3 has open recalls?

You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local MAZDA dealer.

๐ŸŽฏRisk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Forward collision avoidance

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

โœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm forward collision avoidance recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

๐Ÿ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all forward collision avoidance recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:19V907000
2

Service brakes, hydraulic

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

โœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm service brakes, hydraulic recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

๐Ÿ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all service brakes, hydraulic recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:20V346000
๐Ÿ’กVisit NHTSA.gov or contact your MAZDA dealer to verify recall completion status.

๐ŸงญWhat This Means for You

Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

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If You Own This Vehicle

  • Verify all 2 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your MAZDA dealer.
  • If any recalls are open, schedule service immediatelyโ€”recall repairs are always free.
  • Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
๐Ÿ›’

If You're Buying Used

  • Request the VIN before purchase and verify recall status at NHTSA.gov.
  • This model year shows favorable reliability metrics compared to alternatives.

This page is designed to help you decide, not alarm you.

Compare with Similar Vehicles

Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: January 10, 2026.