2007 Mazda MAZDA3 Problems: Steering (217 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2007 Mazda MAZDA3 is Steering (38% of 217 owner reports). There are 3 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Steering — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 217 complaints · 3 recalls

What problems show up on the 2007 Mazda MAZDA3?

82 of 217 filings named Steering (38% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Airbags (31 reports).

There are 3 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Steering and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2006 has 155 reports on file; this year has 217. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2007 Mazda MAZDA3

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 3 campaigns on file below.
  2. Steering. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight.
  3. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  4. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Steering. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Steering 82 complaints · 37.8% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 28
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 28
  • Deaths 0
All Mazda MAZDA3 years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Steering (STEERING) appears in 82 of 217 owner complaints (37.8%) in this vehicle snapshot. Steering (STEERING): 82 complaints, 37.8% of reports Steering (STEERING) 7 crash reports 82 · 37.8% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 31 complaints, 14.3% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 13 crash reports 31 · 14.3% Engine (ENGINE): 22 complaints, 10.1% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 22 · 10.1% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 13 complaints, 6.0% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 13 · 6.0% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 12 complaints, 5.5% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 12 · 5.5% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 10 complaints, 4.6% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 crash reports 10 · 4.6% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 9 complaints, 4.2% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 crash reports 9 · 4.2% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 9 complaints, 4.2% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 2 crash reports 9 · 4.2% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 5 complaints, 2.3% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 5 · 2.3% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 46 complaints, 21.2% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 8 crash reports 1 fire reports 46 · 21.2% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Steering (STEERING) 82 37.8% 7 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 31 14.3% 13 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 22 10.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 13 6.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 12 5.5% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 10 4.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 9 4.2% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 9 4.2% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 5 2.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 46 21.2% 8 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2006; the first recall shown was reported in Apr 2009. 2006-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2007-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2007-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2007-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2008-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2009-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2009-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2010-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q3: 14 owner reports 14 2010-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2011-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2011-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2012-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2013-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2014-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2014-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2014-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2015-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2015-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2015-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2016-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2017-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2019-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2022-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 2006 Jan 2026 Recall campaign 09E011000 ◆ Recall campaign 09E011000 Recall campaign 10V374000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V374000 Recall campaign 21V494000 ◆ Recall campaign 21V494000 Investigation PE10021 ● Investigation PE10021
  • Campaign 10V374000 was reported 1,163 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 21V494000 was reported 5,356 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2006-Q4 Owner reports 2
2007-Q1 Owner reports 3
2007-Q2 Owner reports 3
2007-Q3 Owner reports 3
2007-Q4 Owner reports 3
2008-Q1 Owner reports 2
2008-Q2 Owner reports 5
2008-Q3 Owner reports 1
2008-Q4 Owner reports 3
2009-Q1 Owner reports 2
2009-Q2 Owner reports 4
2009-Q3 Owner reports 1
2009-Q4 Owner reports 5
2010-Q1 Owner reports 2
2010-Q2 Owner reports 4
2010-Q3 Owner reports 14
2010-Q4 Owner reports 2
2011-Q1 Owner reports 7
2011-Q2 Owner reports 3
2011-Q3 Owner reports 3
2012-Q1 Owner reports 3
2012-Q2 Owner reports 3
2012-Q3 Owner reports 5
2012-Q4 Owner reports 2
2013-Q1 Owner reports 3
2013-Q2 Owner reports 5
2013-Q3 Owner reports 3
2013-Q4 Owner reports 2
2014-Q1 Owner reports 7
2014-Q2 Owner reports 3
2014-Q3 Owner reports 3
2014-Q4 Owner reports 9
2015-Q1 Owner reports 4
2015-Q2 Owner reports 11
2015-Q3 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 4
2016-Q1 Owner reports 4
2016-Q3 Owner reports 4
2016-Q4 Owner reports 5
2017-Q1 Owner reports 10
2017-Q2 Owner reports 1
2017-Q3 Owner reports 3
2017-Q4 Owner reports 3
2018-Q1 Owner reports 4
2018-Q2 Owner reports 6
2018-Q3 Owner reports 2
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q1 Owner reports 2
2019-Q2 Owner reports 7
2019-Q3 Owner reports 3
2019-Q4 Owner reports 3
2020-Q1 Owner reports 2
2020-Q3 Owner reports 1
2020-Q4 Owner reports 1
2021-Q1 Owner reports 1
2021-Q2 Owner reports 2
2021-Q3 Owner reports 1
2021-Q4 Owner reports 3
2022-Q1 Owner reports 1
2022-Q2 Owner reports 1
2022-Q3 Owner reports 2
2022-Q4 Owner reports 1
2025-Q1 Owner reports 1
2025-Q3 Owner reports 1
2026-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 09E011000
Recall campaign 1 10V374000
Recall campaign 1 21V494000
Defect investigation 1 PE10021
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (3)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Steering and Airbags.

  1. Recall campaign 09E011000

    Safety recall 09E011000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THIS MAY RESULT IN THE BOLT(S) SNAPPING OFF DURING USE OR WITHOUT A LOAD. THE UNSECURED RACK AND LOAD CAN THEN COME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING CREATING A POTENTIAL ROAD HAZARD, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    THULE WILL MAIL A RETRO FIT KIT ALONG WITH REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS TO OWNERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE APRIL 13, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THULE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-238-2388.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 10V374000

    Steering

    Report date
    Component:
    Steering (STEERING)
    Consequence:
    POWER STEERING ASSIST IS SUDDENLY LOST REDUCING THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE AS TYPICALLY EXPECTED, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    MAZDA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND LINES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-222-5500.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 21V494000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    Plastic fragments can hit occupants during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the air bag module cover, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed between August 28, 2021 and October 28, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4921G.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 217 complaints · page 1 of 9
2026-01-06Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11709075
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2007 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH and making a turn, the steering wheel was difficult to turn to the left or the right. The check engine warning light was illuminated and flashing. The contact stated that the steering then seized. While checking the NHTSA.gov website, the contact associated the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V374000 (Steering). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed there was no recall coverage on the VIN related to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case, and confirmed there was no recall coverage for the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 195,081.
2025-07-26Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11676412
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Intermittently spanning several months, there is a sudden loss of power steering as the vehicle is in motion. Warning lights light up on the vehicle as power steering and power brakes are disengaged. Even though I provided a video of power steering loss, where a slight turn of the steering wheel engages this failure, where the dash board lights flash as power steering fails, the dealership will not fix anything they can’t duplicate in their shop. I guess they don’t believe their lying eyes, and don’t accept the video as proof of anything. It is doing exactly what it was recalled for back in September 15, 2010. Recall #10V374000. Mazda Corporate has been notified. Case # 00342901. There are known fixes for this problem. Mazda has done these repairs on hundreds of thousands of times. Dealership told me they will do nothing unless they can duplicate the problem. In reality it might take a month or more for this to show up at some unpredictable time and place. I have a potentially dangerous scenario awaiting me. Driving this vehicle in it’s present condition is recipe for a crash. This was a problem that Mazda addressed and fixed in the past. Being that it was done hundreds of thousands of times, I’m fairly certain that none of those fixes were predicated by mechanics having to see those issues in their shops before they did the repairs.
2025-03-08ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
NHTSA ODI 11647107
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Radio stopped working.
2022-11-27Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11495046
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My daughter and I were on the way to O'Reilly when we turned at a short curve going under 20 miles and the steering wheel got loose and the brakes wouldn't stop us. The car just kept swerving all over the road and we ended up in a ditch the day after my husband purchased the car.
2022-08-10Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11478672
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2007 Mazda M3. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH, the steering wheel of the vehicle become hard to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to the mechanic for diagnosis, and he stated the vehicle was experiencing the same failure as NHTSA Campaign Number:10V374000 (Steering). The dealer and the manufacturer were contacted, and they both stated that the vehicle's VIN was not under recall NHTSA Campaign Number:10V374000 (Steering) and she had to pay out of pocket. The failure mileage was 206,000.
2022-08-04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
NHTSA ODI 11477503
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Power steering failure causing rust on car components. When turning my steering wheel to the left or right there is a noise the car makes and it jumps gear shifts making it very unsafe to drive this car. Also there is an electrical power issue with the car. I just bought a new battery for the car but there still seems to be a shortage And I have to power jump the car every time I tune the car off and have to start the the car up. This is very unsafe for me as the driver and unsafe for those around my when driving because of the locking steering wheel.
2022-06-27Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11471093
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2007 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 55 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to continue driving to her destination. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V374000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000. The VIN was not available.
2022-01-23Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11448528
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Got a email stating I had a recall on my air bags
2021-12-02Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11442392
CrashFireInjuryDeath
While driving engine started to sound louder and vibrating eventually engine shifted seems that one or more of the engine mounts completely broke.
2021-11-16Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11440584
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The airbag light on Dash comes on and goes off randomly then going on for 6 months. Obviously there's an open circuit in system that others have as well See a lot of others on here with the same problem over 100,000 miles

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2007 Mazda MAZDA3?

Owners named Steering most often — 82 of 217 reports (38%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2007 Mazda MAZDA3?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Steering and Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2007 Mazda MAZDA3?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources