2012 MAZDA MAZDA3 Electrical System Problems

2012 Mazda3i 5dr hatchback. Persistent issue with headlights, both low beam and high beam, as well as interior lighting and other lighting. The headlights flicker for several seconds any time the brake pedal is applied. Interior lighting also flickers when brake pedal is applied. Headlights sometimes flicker when vehicle is decelerating and no brake pedal is applied, most notable when vehicle is traveling downhill. Further, the luminosity (brightness) of the headlights visibly dims, but does not flash, when the vehicle is parked and the brake pedal is applied. A high volume of others report the same issue, including documented complaints. These vehicles are unsafe, defective as designed, and do not conform to FMVSS No. 108. NHTSA must investigate further. Many other owners are not aware of the cause of the issue and attempt to fix it by replacing headlights, alternator, etc. Mazda was aware of issue prior to July 2013, when it issued TSB 01-019/13. This document states, "Some vehicles may exhibit the headlights flickering when the vehicle is decelerating (by applying the brakes) with the headlights on. This concern is caused by inadequate alternator output (controlled by the PCM) when the battery is under a heavy load. To correct the problem, the control logic of the PCM has been changed." This appears to be at best a temporary fix. Bommarito Mazda in Missouri required payment of $199.88 to "diagnose" this problem and address it in the manner prescribed in TSB 01-019/13. This service was not covered under warranty. Service Manager M.D. claimed to have never heard of this issue before and that it would need to be diagnosed, despite being informed by the owner of the precise issue, that others reported experiencing the same issue, and that others reported the issue was addressed by reprogramming the PCM. Immediately following this service, the headlights continued to visibly dim when the vehicle is parked and the brake pedal applied.

Headlight flickering and turns off and on randomly.

The contact owned a 2012 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact woke up to the fire department extinguishing a fire in the vehicle. The fire department stated that the fire began under the hood and that the fire was due to the electrical system. The vehicle was deemed totaled by the insurance company. A police report and a fire report were filled out. The vehicle has not been towed yet. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

Mileage: 160,000

Headlights flicker when brakes are applied or when slowing down.

When driving at night with exterior lights on, when brake and or gas pedal is pressed the exterior lights strobe/flashes. The Mazda dealership has been contacted about this issue and there is a technician service bulletin stating that the ECM needs to be reflashed/programmed. No recall has been set for this issue and the Mazda dealership stated that I would have to pay $265 out of pocket to have the problem fixed. I believe that because it's a problem with there programming or software that the company should have to issue a safety recall and fix the factory defect. I'm currently in the process of filing a lawsuit against Mazda because of this and I have already filed a complaint with the better business bureau for this issue.

The contact owns a 2012 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the automatic trans-axle warning light illuminated and the vehicle suddenly stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, the failure reoccurred for a second time that day and she was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the battery cables had detached. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer who diagnosed that the transmission control module had failed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 85,598.

Mileage: 85,598

WHILE DRIVING I HAD NOTICED THAT EVERY TIME I CAME TO A STOP LIGHT OR A STOP SIGN OR TO EVEN SLOW DOWN BY RELEASING MY FOOT OF THE ACCELERATOR, MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD START TO FLASH. I STARTED TO DIN INTO THE PROBLEM BY DOING RESEARCH ONLINE TO SEE IF IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLES MAKE AND MODEL. UPON READING MORE AND MORE INFORMATION I FOUND ON THE ISSUE I WAS HAVING WITH MY CAR. IT ALL SEEMED TO BE LINKED TO AN ALTERNATOR ISSUE THAT MAZDA KNEW ABOUT RELEASED A RECALL ON IT THEN TOOK THE RECALL AWAY. MY CAR IS HAVING THE ISSUE FOR THE RECALL THEY TOOK AWAY. IT POSES A DANGER AND A RISK WHILE DRIVING. IT CAUSES A DISTRACTION TO THE ON COMING TRAFFIC AS WELL AS DISTRACTS THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF YOU. I HAVE HAD CARS BREAK HARD IN FRONT OF ME THINKING I WAS SIGNALING THEM FOR WHATEVER REASON. ONE EARLY MORNING I HAD BEEN DRIVING TO WORK ON THE FREEWAY AND MY WHOLE CAR SEEMED TO HAVE SHUT OFF AND AS SOON AS IT WENT OFF IT CAME BACK ON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MAZDA 3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS POPPING OUT OF THE DISPLAY PANELING. THE FAILURE HINDERED THE VISIBILITY OF THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, AND OIL LEVELS. JOHN HINE TEMECULA MAZDA (42050 DLR DR, TEMECULA, CA 92591, (951) 553-2000) STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

Mileage: 62,000

WHEN THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN OR I HIT THE BRAKES, THE HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKER.

Mileage: 70,000

WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH THE LIGHTS ON AND PUTTING ON BRAKES OR SLOWING DOWN, HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS FLICKER AND DIM NOTICEABLY

Mileage: 139,000

CODE U0101 DESCRIPTION LOST COMMUNICATION WITH TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE CODE SCAN DASHBOARD LIGHT

Mileage: 85,374

WHEN DRIVING, THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER SEVERELY ANYTIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. AT NIGHT, IT LOOKS LIKE I'M FLASHING MY LIGHTS. THIS HAPPENS AT RANDOM TIMES, ANY ROADWAY. WE HAD THE CAR SERVICED AFTER FINDING A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (SB-01-019-13). THE ISSUE WAS FIXED FOR A FEW MONTHS, BUT HAS RETURNED.

Mileage: 75,000

HEADLIGHTS PULSATE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED. IT IS A SOFTWARE ISSUE INVOLVING THE ALTERNATOR AND RE-CALIBRATING THE PCM. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME YOU BRAKE WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON.

Mileage: 56,617

HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY DIM WHEN SLOWING DOWN. COULD BE FROM LETTING OFF ACCELERATOR OR APPLYING THE BRAKES. IT IS DISTRACTING AND MAZDA KNOWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE INCLUDING THE FIX YET HAS NOT MADE COMMINICATIONS TO OWNERS.

Mileage: 60,000

HEADLIGHTS FLICKER/PULSATE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2012-13 MAZDA3 THAT REQUIRES A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO REMEDY. CURRENTLY, MAZDA IS CHARGING A MINIMUM OF $99 TO 'DIAGNOSE' THE ISSUE. SINCE THE ISSUE OCCURS IN MOTION, I DO NOT HAVE PHOTOS, BUT I DO HAVE VIDEOS. GIVEN THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE CAUSED BY FAULTY SOFTWARE THAT ONLY MAZDA CAN UPDATE, THERE IS NO REASON THAT OWNERS SHOULD HAVE TO PAY THEM TO FIX THEIR OWN MISTAKE. IT'S A SCAM, AT BEST. DOCUMENTATION OF OTHERS WITH SAME ISSUE AND CONSISTENT SOFTWARE UPDATE SOLUTION: HTTPS://WWW.MAZDAFORUM.COM/FORUM/MAZDA3-26/MAZDA-3-HEADLIGHTS-FLICKERING-PULSATING-WHEN-BRAKING-34536/ HTTPS://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/AMP/S/AMP.REDDIT.COM/R/MAZDA3/COMMENTS/6AAEIK/20122013_HEADLIGHT_FLICKERING_SOLUTION/ - THIS LINK INCLUDES A MAZDA CANADA SERVICE BULLETIN, INDICATING THAT THE COMPANY IS FULLY AWARE OF THE ISSUE HTTPS://WWW.MAZDAS247.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?123843988-2013-MAZDA-3-HEADLIGHTS-BLINK-WHEN-BRAKES-APPLIED

Mileage: 85,000

MORE THAT ONE PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. 1) IT STARTS HONKING WHILE DRIVING, INSTRUMENT PANEL AND INTERIOR LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF, THE CAR WILL ONLY MAKE RIGHT TURNS AND WILL NOT RESTART WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. YESTERDAY, IT DID IT ONCE AGAIN IMMEDIATELY AS I TURNED RIGHT ONTO THE CITY STREET FROM A PARKING LOT. LUCKILY THERE WAS ANOTHER PARKING LOT ENTRANCE ON THE RIGHT, SO I PULLED IN, PARKED AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. IT CONTINUED TO HONK, FLASH INTERIOR LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL AND IGNITION WOULD NOT WORK NOR CRANK. I TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES OVER A FIVE (5) MINUTES, WHEN IT FINALLY RESTARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE HOME WITHOUT IT HAPPENING AGAIN. THIS VEHICLE HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND IT WILL START HONKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHILE PARKED AND OFF FOR NO REASON. THERE ARE TIMES THAT AS QUICKLY AS IT STARTED HONKING IT WILL STOP, OTHER TIMES, I MUST GO ATTEMPT TO TURN VEHICLE ON AND EVENTUALLY IGNITION WILL CRANK AND ENGINE WILL START. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO MAZDA BUT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND TELL ME THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I AM WORRIED I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TURN ONE OF THESE DAYS AND HIT SOMEONE AND GET HIT BY SOMEONE ELSE WHEN THE CAR DECIDES IT WON'T TURN LEFT. NOT TO MENTION IF THE CAR WILL NOT START WHILE I AM IN A BAD AREA AND BE HARMED WHILE WAITING FOR THE CAR TO STOP HONKING, FLASHING AND REFUSING TO CRANK AND START. 2) WHEN YOU PUT GEAR IN DRIVE, FROM EITHER PARK OR REVERSE, AND TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE THE CAR ACCELERATES AND LUNGES FORWARD WITHOUT PRESSING THE GAS PEDDLE. THE FIRST TIME IT DID IT I ALMOST HIT A PARKED CAR! THANKFUL I ACTED QUICKLY AND REAPPLIED THE BRAKE. NOW I ALLOW ENOUGH SPACE, AS IF I DRIVING A TRUCK AND AM READY TO APPLY THE BRAKE. DEALERSHIP STATES NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT. MAZDA NEEDS TO TAKE THESE MATTERS SERIOUSLY. BUT IT'S GOING BACK!!

Mileage: 55,000

THE HEADLIGHT HAVE BEEN FLICKERING SINCE A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR, & IT CAUSES INADEQUATE ALTERNATOR OUTPUT, IT HAS ALSO CAUSED ISSUES WITH LOSING MY POWER STEERING. THE HEADLIGHT NOT ONLY FLICKER WHEN BREAKING, BUT HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT THEY WILL COMPLETELY GO OUT, & WILL ALSO FLICKER ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS WHEN BRAKING & TURNING THE WHEEL. I HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER DUE TO POLICE THINKING I AM FLASHING MY LIGHTS WHEN BREAKING, BUT WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THE POLICE OFFICER THE SERVICE BULLETIN 01-019/13 & HE LET ME GO WITH A WARNING & STRONGLY ADVISED ME TO GET IT FIXED. IT IS NOW TIME FOR MY CAR TO GO THROUGH INSPECTION, & IT WILL NOT PASS WITH THE LIGHTS FLICKERING & GOING COMPLETELY OUT. THE PROBLEM HAS ONLY CONTINUED GETTING WORSE TO THE POINT THE HEADLIGHT ARE GOING COMPLETELY OFF WHILE DRIVING DURING HOURS WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE NEEDED. I HAVE LOST MY POWER STEERING MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER STARTING MY CAR AND BEGAN DRIVING, WITH A BRAND NEW BATTERY INSTALLED BY A MECHANIC, & WHEN I HAVE LOST POWER STEERING I HAVE ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF MY WORK OFFICE & HAVE HAD TO TRY PULLING OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DUE TO LOSING POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. IT IS TIME FOR ACTION TO BE TAKEN & THIS BE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED, GMC CAN RECALL FOR THE SAME COMPUTER SYSTEM UPGRADE THAT IS NEEDED FOR MY MAZDA 3, BUT HAVE ONLY BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS NOT COVERED AND THAT I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET, WHICH I HAVE GOTTEN QUOTES FROM SEVERAL MAZDA DEALERS OVER THE SEVERAL YEARS I HAVE OWNED & CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE AND IT WILL COST ME OVER $500 TO HAVE REPAIRED!! DUE TO NOT HAVING THE MONEY TO AFFORD TO COMPUTER UPGRADE WHICH I CONSIDER A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE MAZDA'S PROBLEM TO FIX BEFORE THEY HAVE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT BROUGHT AGAINST THEM, BECAUSE SOMEONE DRIVING A MAZDA 3 GET SERIOUSLY INJURED OR SERIOUS INJURE SOMEONE ELSE!

Mileage: 38,000

WHEN BREAKING FROM A SPEED OF 35 MILES PER HOUR THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER TO A VERY DIM DEGREE. IT IS NEARLY A STROBE LIGHT. APPARENTLY THERE IS A SOFTWARE UPDATE FIX FOR THIS FROM A TSB SO WHY ISN'T THIS RECALLED? IT IS CLEARLY DANGEROUS AND COMMON.

Mileage: 82,000

CRUISE QUIT WORKING, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THEN ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH STARTED FLASHING AND WENT INTO LIMP MODE. CAR DECELERATED AND I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. TURNED CAR OFF AND THEN IT WOULDN'T START. WAITED ABOUT 10 MIN AND RESTARTED SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STILL ON. DROVE ANOTHER 70 MILES GOING IN AND OUT OF LIMP MODE WITH DASH LIGHTS FLASHING ON & OFF. TOOK TO DEALER AND REPLACED THE ANGLE (SP?) SENSOR IN STEERING WHEEL. DEALER RESET ALL CODES AND IT'S DONE IT TWICE SINCE GETTING CAR BACK, DEALER CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG. HAVE TO GO IN AND HAVE THE CODES RESET EVERY TIME TO GET IT BACK TO RUNNING AGAIN.

Mileage: 101,000

WHEN DRIVING, THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER/STROBE/DIM WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS ENGAGED OR WHEN MY FOOT IS REMOVED FROM THE GAS PEDAL. USUALLY THE LIGHTS WILL HAVE A MORE PRONOUNCED FLICKER AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 45-60 MPH; HOWEVER, I HAVE NOTICED THE FLICKER AT SPEEDS AS LOW AS 30 MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVERY MORNING/NIGHT FOR A WEEK OR SO AND EVERY DEALERSHIP I HAVE TALKED WITH DOES NOT KNOW OF THIS ISSUE. I RESEARCHED A FEW MAZDA FORUMS AND FOUND MULTIPLE POSTS REGARDING A PROGRAMMING UPDATE FOR THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD BE A FIX. I AM WORKING ON GETTING IN TOUCH WITH MAZDAUSA FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT BECAUSE GOING TO A DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND SUCH IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND NOT AT ALL CUSTOMER FRIENDLY.

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR SENSOR ON THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR. AT RANDOM INTERVALS THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL TURN ON AND THE DASH INDICATES THAT THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR IS OPEN AFTER THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCK DUE TO SPEED. THIS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL I UNLOCK THE DOORS. UNFORTUNATELY THEY RELOCK AUTOMATICALLY IF I STOP FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THEN ACCELERATE. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS COME BACK ON AND THE DASH INDICATES THE DOOR IS OPEN AGAIN AS SOON AS MY SPEED IS SUFFICIENT TO MAKE THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCK AGAIN. THIS IS A NUISANCE DURING THE DAY BUT A MAJOR DISTRACTION AT NIGHT. HAVING THE INTERIOR LIGHTS SUDDENLY TURN ON WHILE DRIVING AT 10 PM IN THE RAIN IS HORRIBLY DISTRACTING AND A LITTLE SCARY. THIS WILL SOMETIMES OCCUR FOR 2-3 DAYS IN A ROW AND THEN NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR 2-3 WEEKS. MY CAR HAS ONLY 38000 MILES ON IT BUT THE DEALER SAYS THIS ISN'T COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY.

Mileage: 36,000

I DROVE OVER BUMPY RAIL ROAD TRACKS, WENT TO GIVE IT GAS TO GO AND ENGINE REVVED BUT NO ACCELERATION. DASH LIGHT THAT NORMALLY SAYS 'D' WAS BLANK. SHIFTED TO MANUAL MODE AND ATTEMPTED TO UP OR DOWN SHIFT BUT DASH LIGHT STILL BLANK AND NO SHIFTING POSSIBLE. THE CAR WAS RUNNING IN NUETRAL BUT THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS IN DRIVE OR IN MANUAL MODE. HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NOTED TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WAS ON WHILE SHIFT SELECTOR INDICATOR WAS BLANK. I PUT THE CAR INTO PARK, TURNED CAR OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN AND SEEMED TO DRIVE OK AT THIS POINT AFTER THIS. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED AND HAD ROOM TO GET OFF THE ROAD. IF I HAD GOTTEN STUCK ON THE TRACKS THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. AND THE DEALER SAYS THEY CAN DO NOTHING UNLESS THERE IS A CODE STORED. NO CODE SO NOTHING I CAN DO. THIS RANKS UP THERE IN LEVEL OF DANGER YET MAZDA CAN DO NOTHING?

Mileage: 35,200

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY - I WAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED. THE CAR LOST SORT OF RESET ITSELF - DASH WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON (ACCORDING TO MY WIFE). RADIO/CD STOPPED MUSIC - ABS LIGHT WENT ON (THAT'S ALL I CAN SEE FROM PASSENGER SIDE). MY WIFE SAID OTHERS TOO BUT SHE WAS FOCUSED ON THE ROAD BECAUSE IT WAS A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. SHE WAS NERVOUS AND SAID THE CAR WAS NOT RESPONDING TO THROTTLE. LUCKILY ALL WENT BACK TO NORMAL AFTER 2 OR MAYBE 3 SECONDS. THE MUSIC CAME BACK ON ALSO. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANY SIGN OF TROUBLE. WE PULLED OVER AND I CHECKED THE FRONT TO SEE IF WE HIT SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED IT. RESTARTED THE CAR - ALL SEEMED NORMAL AND REACHED OUR DESTINATION. THIS WAS OUR FIRST 200 MILE TRIP OR MORE ON THIS CAR. 1 DAY AFTER ARRIVAL - I DID A ONCE OVER SAFETY CHECK (FLUIDS, TIRE PRESSURE, ETC) NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. GOT MY OBD2 CODE READER AND IT HAD THE FOLLOWING U3003 U0140 U0428. SO I WILL TAKE THIS TO OUR DEALER FOR CHECKUP. *TR

Mileage: 16,090

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, ALL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE CAR SHUT OFF FOR A SPLIT SECOND, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE HEADLIGHTS, AUDIO SYSTEM, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND DASHBOARD. THE ELECTRONICS RECOVERED AFTER THE SPLIT SECOND, AND THE CAR RAN NORMALLY. THE ENGINE WAS NOT AFFECTED. THIS ISSUE RECURRED ONE MONTH LATER. *TR

Mileage: 24,000

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 45 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED; THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS THEN CAME BACK ON. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS CAME BACK ON THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE WHOLE ISSUE GAVE THE APPEARANCE OF PART OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LOSING POWER AND THE POWER THEN BEING RESTORED. DURING THE INCIDENT THE ENGINE DID NOT APPEAR TO LOSE POWER, NOR DID THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGE. *JS

Mileage: 13,200