The 2020 Mazda 3 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 59,427 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the forward collision avoidance. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC20V3460002020-06-1224,037 affected
Defect
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2020 CX-30 and Mazda3 vehicles. The front brake caliper mounting bolts may not have been tightened properly during assembly, possibly allowing the calipers to loosen.
Consequence
Loose brake calipers can reduce braking performance or interfere with wheel rotation, affecting vehicle handling. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake caliper bolts, tightening them as necessary. If bolts are missing, the affected brake caliper will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began July 24, 2020. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500,…
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Mazda3 vehicles. The Smart Brake System (SBS) can falsely detect an obstacle while driving, activating the automatic emergency braking system and suddenly stopping the vehicle.
Consequence
Stopping the vehicle unexpectedly increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will update the SBS software. In addition, vehicles with certain production dates will receive an instrument cluster software update or replacement and a replacement owner's manual. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2020. Owners may…
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
2
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
2
SERVICE BRAKES
2
SUSPENSION
2
ENGINE
1
Total complaints50
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Size 21545zr18 93y. Replaced these oem tires with these from costco on feb 27 2025. In dec 5 2025 the tire developed a large bubble. Miles bought was 27790. Current miles 31212. Per tire center steal belting was broken no signs of road hazard or other damage. The belt broke and rubber was stressed…”
“I pulled into the driveway (at about 5 mph) of my passenger's home, when a very loud, metallic pop occurred somewhere inside my vehicle. I could not discern the problem by visually inspecting the car. Upon returning to my home, I arranged for the dealership to inspect the car's suspension. They…”
“My mazda3 began producing a chirp when shifting from 3rd to 4th gear (automatic transmission). The dealer stated that the car needed a new torque converter. At the time the car only 37,000 miles on it, quite low mileage for a torque converter to fail. Mazda has previously admitted to producing…”
“See attached document for complaint.”
“Tsb 02-003/24 car front suspension bolts corroded and making metal on metal sounds during turning and braking”
“Tsb 02-003/24 car front suspension bolts corroded and making metal on metal sounds during turning and braking”
“Passenger seat belt won’t retract and remains in a locked state.”
“Google search shows mazda has common problem with their front sensing camera, people are reporting the issue for different mazda models across the board for the last few years including newer models as well. My car display shows few malfunction warning messages. Following captured from mymazda…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2020 Mazda 3 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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