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Total NHTSA Complaints
4
Owner filings recorded
#1 Reported Problem
Steering System
3 reports (75%)
Crash Incident Reports
0
Zero collision citations
Fire & Injury Reports
0
0 fire • 0 injury filings
Defect Investigation Analysis

Executive Problem Findings

AutoUtility currently tracks 4 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2021 Mazda CX-3. Steering System issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 3 complaints (75% of submitted records). Zero crashes, fires, injury reports, or fatality reports are cited across these complaint records.

Methodology Notice: Consumer complaints are unverified voluntary submissions to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Filings are not normalized for sales volume or vehicle mileage and do not constitute an audited component failure rate.
Incident & Severity Profile
  • • Total Owner Reports: 4 complaints submitted under federal penalty.
  • • Primary Subsystem: Steering System accounts for 75% of submissions (3 reports).
  • • Secondary Systems: Driver Assistance & Safety Tech (1), Brakes & Traction Control (1).
  • • Crash Incidents: 0 filings cite an impact or collision.
  • • Thermal Incidents: 0 filings cite smoke or fire.
  • • Reported Casualties: 0 injury filings • 0 fatality filings.
Category Distribution

Reported Defect Categories for 2021 Mazda CX-3

Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records

Steering System
3
75%
Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
1
25%
Brakes & Traction Control
1
25%
Electrical System
1
25%
#1 75% SHARE

Steering System

3 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
#2 25% SHARE

Driver Assistance & Safety Tech

1 owner complaint submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
⚠️ 1 Associated Recall Campaign
#3 25% SHARE

Brakes & Traction Control

1 owner complaint submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
#4 25% SHARE

Electrical System

1 owner complaint submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
Consumer Filings

Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2021 Mazda CX-3

Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Driver Assistance & Safety Tech ODI #11752506
Filed: 07/23/2026
Defect Report

"The instrument cluster in my 2021 Mazda CX-3 failed at approximately 50,000 miles. While driving, the vehicle displayed multiple warning lights, including Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Smart City Brake Support (SCBS), traction control, and front camera/safety system warnings. These safety..."

Steering System ODI #11622299
Filed: 10/28/2024
Defect Report

"All of the issues listed in Mazda Technical Service Bulletin 06-001/20, however this bulletin does not cover my model. Inspected by dealer, possible solution intended to be relubrication of the worm gear/worm shaft in the steering assembly. Issue presented itself in the last year and is most..."

Steering System ODI #11588265
Filed: 05/11/2024
Defect Report

"The Mazda CX-30 2021 I purchased from Mastria Mazda in Raynham, Massachusetts has a steering problem that is a significant safety concern. The steering wheel has resistance that can most notably be felt at highway speeds (around 65 mph). When making small corrections to the steering wheel to stay..."

Steering System ODI #11576356
Filed: 03/09/2024
Defect Report

"Having the exact same issue as was outlined and allegedly repaired in the prior service bulletin 06-001/20. Obviously this bulletin only applies to vehicles up to model year 2020. I have checked the model number on the steering motor to determine that it is the "updated" design. Obviously, the..."

Multi-Year Trend

Complaint History for Mazda CX-3

Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2016–2026)

Model Year NHTSA Complaints Crash Reports Safety Recalls Detailed Report
2016 Mazda CX-3 48 4 3 View 2016 Problems →
2017 Mazda CX-3 21 2 1 View 2017 Problems →
2018 Mazda CX-3 10 1 1 View 2018 Problems →
2019 Mazda CX-3 27 1 2 View 2019 Problems →
2020 Mazda CX-3 1 1 1 View 2020 Problems →
2021 Mazda CX-3 Current Page 4 0 1 Current
2022 Mazda CX-3 0 0 0 View 2022 Problems →
2023 Mazda CX-3 0 0 0 View 2023 Problems →
2024 Mazda CX-3 0 0 0 View 2024 Problems →
2025 Mazda CX-3 0 0 0 View 2025 Problems →
2026 Mazda CX-3 0 0 0 View 2026 Problems →
Exhaustive System Audit

Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2021 Mazda CX-3

Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 2 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications

Vehicle Component / System Total Complaints Crash Reports Fire Reports Injury Entries Fatality Entries
Steering NHTSA category: STEERING 3 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Common Problems & Reliability Questions for the 2021 Mazda CX-3

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Mazda CX-3

What are the most common reported problems with the 2021 Mazda CX-3?

In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2021 Mazda CX-3 is Steering System, appearing in 3 records (75% of submitted filings).

Secondary reported categories include Driver Assistance & Safety Tech (1) and Brakes & Traction Control (1).

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Is the 2021 Mazda CX-3 a reliable vehicle?

AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 4 consumer defect complaints and 1 safety recall campaign for the 2021 Mazda CX-3.

Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.

Source: NHTSA ODI & Safety Recalls Databases

Are there crash, fire, or injury reports associated with the 2021 Mazda CX-3?

Consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Mazda CX-3 cite zero crashes, zero fires, and zero injuries.

Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Consumer Logs
Official US Government Data Provenance

The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.