2016 Mazda CX-3: owner complaints and recalls

Complaints about the 2016 Mazda CX-3 are still climbing years after launch. The last three full years account for 18 of the 48 filings on record, which usually means a defect that surfaces with mileage rather than a factory fault.

48
Complaints
3
Recalls
4
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
2
Injuries
66.7
Severity index

Severity index 66.7 - Medium. It weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints, so a vehicle attracting serious reports scores above one attracting many trivial ones (how this is calculated).

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 66.7p25 35p75 96cleanestworst
Where the 2016 Mazda CX-3 sits against the quartiles of every vehicle we track.

Among the 140 2016 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2016 Mazda CX-3 ranks 67 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 52% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.

What actually fails

Electrical SystemElectrical System: 11 complaints (22.9%)11 23%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 10 complaints (20.8%)10 21%Exterior LightingExterior Lighting: 7 complaints (14.6%)7 15%Back Over PreventionBack Over Prevention: 6 complaints (12.5%)6 12%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 5 complaints (10.4%)5 10%EngineEngine: 4 complaints (8.3%)4 8%Visibility/WiperVisibility/Wiper: 4 complaints (8.3%)4 8%SeatsSeats: 2 complaints (4.2%)2 4%
Systems named in complaints. One complaint can name several, so shares overlap.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1122.9%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1020.8%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING714.6%
BACK OVER PREVENTION612.5%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM510.4%
ENGINE48.3%
VISIBILITY/WIPER48.3%
SEATS24.2%

Complaints filed per year

0492016: 62017: 22018: 22019: 82020: 62021: 42022: 12023: 82024: 92025: 12026: 1 (partial year)16171819202122232492526
Complaints filed per calendar year, not model year. The hatched bar is the current year and is still incomplete.
YearComplaints
20166
20172
20182
20198
20206
20214
20221
20238
20249
20251
2026 (year to date)1
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 1.6x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
16V64400006/09/2016STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATEMazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 20
16V20300011/04/2016STEERINGMazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 2, 2015, 2013-2014 Mazda2 vehicles manufactured July 3, 2013, to August 8, 2014, 2014-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured January 19, 2013, to December 2,
23V48700014/07/2023BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERAMazda 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.
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.