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2021 Mazda Mazda3 Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 1 NHTSA recall and 49 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

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74/100

Good Choice — 2021 Mazda Mazda3

The 2021 Mazda Mazda3 has an acceptable safety and complaint profile with some areas to monitor. Review the open recalls and known problems below before buying.

1
NHTSA Recalls
1 recall on record
49
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
2
Crashes + Injuries
2 fire reports

Own or buying a 2021 Mazda Mazda3?

Check your specific VIN for open recalls, market value, full specs, and a free AI buyer summary.

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NHTSA Recalls — 2021 Mazda Mazda3 (1)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Mazda dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #21V101000
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Most Common Problems — 2021 Mazda Mazda3

Based on 49 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Engine
16
Electrical System
5
Unknown Or Other
5
Forward Collision Avoidance
4
Service Brakes
4
Air Bags
4
Power Train
3
Wheels
2
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Mazda Mazda3 — Complaints by Year

Spike in a year = known problem year. The 2021 model year is highlighted.

2015 129 complaints 2016 102 complaints 2017 83 complaints 2018 106 complaints 2019 72 complaints 2020 31 complaints 2021 49 complaints 2022 23 complaints 2023 12 complaints 2024 10 complaints 2025 0 complaints

⚠ Years to avoid: 2015, 2016, 2018 — These model years show significantly elevated complaint activity.

✅ Best model years: 2022, 2023, 2024 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2021 Mazda Mazda3

Is the 2021 Mazda Mazda3 reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2021 Mazda Mazda3 has 1 recall and 49 owner complaints. This is generally considered a reliable model year.
How many recalls does the 2021 Mazda Mazda3 have?
The 2021 Mazda Mazda3 has 1 NHTSA recall. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Mazda Mazda3?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2021 Mazda Mazda3 are: Engine, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Forward Collision Avoidance. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2021 Mazda Mazda3 safe to buy?
The 2021 Mazda Mazda3 has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 1 recallis completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Mazda Mazda3 should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Mazda Mazda3 are: 2022, 2023, 2024. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years to avoid: 2015, 2016, 2018.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.