2006 Mazda MAZDA3 - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

The 2006 Mazda3 4-DR manufactured by Mazda has not received an overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, it has received a front crash driver side rating of 4 and a front crash passenger side rating of 4, indicating good protection in frontal collisions. In side crash tests, it received a rating of 3 for both the driver and passenger side.

One notable feature missing from this model is electronic stability control. This technology helps prevent skidding and loss of control in emergency situations, contributing to overall safety. Additionally, this Mazda3 does not have forward collision warning or lane departure warning systems, which can help alert drivers to potential hazards and prevent accidents.

In terms of complaints and recalls, this vehicle has accumulated 165 complaints and has been subject to 2 recalls. While the crash test ratings are decent, the lack of advanced safety features like stability control, collision warning, and lane departure warning may impact the overall safety and accident prevention capabilities of this vehicle. Drivers considering this model should be mindful of these factors and prioritize safe driving practices.

auto generated summary, may be inaccurate.

Top stats at a glance

Complaint Count

165

Recall Count

2

Investigation Count

0

Safety Rating

Not Rated

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Safety Features

2006 Mazda3 4-DR. Safety Features

Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2006 Mazda3 4-DR.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.

No
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.

No
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.

No

2006 Mazda3 4-DR. Safety Ratings

Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2006 Mazda3 4-DR. Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.

Frontal Crash Ratings

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Test 2005 Score 2006 Score 2024 Score
Overall Front Crash Rating Not Rated Not Rated 5
Front Crash Driver Side Rating 4 4 5
Front Crash Passenger Side Rating 4 4 5

Side Crash Ratings

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

Test 2005 Score 2006 Score 2024 Score
Overall Side Crash Rating Not Rated Not Rated 5
Side Crash Drivers Side Rating 3 3 5
Side Crash Passenger Side Rating 3 3 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front Not Rated Not Rated 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear Not Rated Not Rated 5
Overall Side Barrier Rating Not Rated Not Rated 5

Rollover Ratings

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Test 2005 Score 2006 Score 2024 Score
Rollover Rating Not Rated Not Rated 5
Rollover Possibility % 0% 0% 0%
Dynamic Tip Result No Tip
Side Pole Crash Rating Not Rated Not Rated 5

Complaints for the 2006 Mazda MAZDA3

This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.

Component Complaints

Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.

Complaint:
"the contact owned a 2006 mazda mazda3. the contact stated while driving approximately 25 mph when the driver-side airbag deployed without warning which resulted in the contact losing control of the vehicle. the contact was the only injured and sought medical treatment. the contact sustained bruising on the right wrist and chest. a police report was taken and the vehicle was towed to a police lot where it was diagnosed as destroyed. the contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. the manufacturer was not informed of the failure. the failure mileage was unavailable"
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2022-01-10
Complaint:
"my 2006 mazda was in a serious accident last month and my air bag did not inflate properly along with the warning logo a few days before the accident. my car was picked up and released to geico yesterday for inspection from their at fault driver totalling my vehicle. it was a head on collision so the air bag is a big factor in a serious wreck. it was confirmed to have an active recall. the warning logo appeared on my dash right before the accident that caused a broken and dislocated hip resulting into two surgeries and a long recovery period."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2021-06-07
Complaint:
"tl* the contact called on behalf of her son who owned a 2006 mazda mazda3. the contact stated while her son was driving approximately 70 mph and crashed into another vehicle towing a trailer, which flipped the vehicle upside down and dragged the vehicle for unknown miles. the contact stated no air bags deployed. the contact stated her son was had his hand outside of the vehicle and lost 4 fingers on his left hand and had a brain bleed. medical attention was sought for his injuries. a police report was filed. the insurance deemed the vehicle loss. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. a dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer had been informed of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown. *dt consumer stated vehicle flipped 5 or 6 times, it finally ended up upside down after and airbags did not deployed. *jb skidding 600 feet, no airbags deployed.*jb*ln"
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2019-01-05
Complaint:
"letter expressing concerns regarding mazda's recall for takata air bags. *ld the consumer was informed the vehicle was not apart of the recall. *js"
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2021-02-01
Complaint:
"takata airbag recall, my 2006 mazda is listed as one of the cars noted for the takata recall. please advise."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2020-10-08
Complaint:
"takata recall my passenger airbag light came on a few months ago. it has stayed on."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2018-01-11
Complaint:
"airbag light has come one and stays on. there are numerous complaints and discussion of this issue."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2019-01-05
Complaint:
"like the mazda 6 for 2008, my son's mazda 3 2006 had the same problem with the air bag light not turning off. a mazda dealer told him it would cost $400 to fix and the were no guarantees it would be fixed. he had it fixed by a certified mechanic who offered a guarantee. i paid for it and i think it should be recalled like the mazda 6, as it it a matter of serious safety."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2017-02-12
Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2006 mazda mazda3. the contact stated that while driving at a unknown speeds, she rear ended another vehicle and the air bags did not deploy. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the mechanic stated that the vehicle was destroyed. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vin was unavailable. the approximate failure mileage was unavailable."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2015-11-10
Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2006 mazda 3. while driving approximately 30 mph, the contact's vehicle crashed into the front passenger side of another vehicle. the contact stated that the steering wheel air bag deflated immediately after deploying. a police report was filed. the contact sustained bruises and chemical burns to the chest, arms, face, and eyes. the contact received medical attention. the condition of the vehicle was unknown. the manufacturer was not notified. the approximate failure mileage was 57,000."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2015-10-09

Recalls for the 2006 Mazda MAZDA3

Component Recalls

Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.

Recall:
"mazda north american operations (mazda) is recalling certain 2004-2007 mazda3 vehicles. during air bag deployment, the plastic emblem on the steering wheel air bag module cover may shatter, and project plastic fragments into the vehicle."
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.

Component(s) Involved: AIR BAGS > FRONTAL
Date of incident: 2021-07-01

MAZDA Overall Complaint Ranking

This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.

MAZDA ranks 16 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.

Manufacturer Complaint Count Recall Count Ranking
FORD 208,358 3,259 1
CHEVROLET 111,306 2,082 2
TOYOTA 81,019 1,852 3
HONDA 61,937 1,268 4
NISSAN 56,226 930 5
DODGE 45,756 827 6
HYUNDAI 44,150 649 7
GMC 34,441 1,410 8
KIA 29,832 501 9
CHRYSLER 27,698 254 10
TESLA 26,230 730 11
BMW 24,890 1,877 12
VOLKSWAGEN 23,125 829 13
MERCEDES-BENZ 19,066 2,925 14
SUBARU 18,513 703 15
MAZDA 10,599 364 16
PONTIAC 10,430 138 17
CADILLAC 9,434 444 18
AUDI 7,865 1,093 19
BUICK 7,851 279 20
SATURN 7,672 84 21
MERCURY 7,374 135 22
LEXUS 6,373 408 23
LINCOLN 5,897 423 24
ACURA 5,722 382 25
MINI 5,585 366 26
INFINITI 4,000 187 27
MITSUBISHI 3,912 397 28
VOLVO 3,875 727 29
PORSCHE 2,646 1,231 30
SUZUKI 2,272 123 31
FIAT 2,205 80 32
SAAB 1,536 76 33
JAGUAR 1,195 198 34
SMART 528 17 35
GENESIS 436 42 36
ISUZU 249 37 37
ALFA ROMEO 161 37 38
MASERATI 76 46 39
BENTLEY 46 159 40
POLESTAR 42 2 41
LUCID 14 6 42
CODA 4 2 43
MAYBACH 0 0 44

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