10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 2 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 5,802 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
On April 3rd, around 5:20 PM, while driving with my daughter on a suburban street, my Mazda hybrid experienced sudden brake failure as I approached a stop sign. Attempts to engage the brakes failed, but they unexpectedly resumed, allowing the car to stop safely. This incident triggered multiple dashboard warnings including "Engine Malfunction, " "Hybrid System Malfunction, " and "i-Activesense System Malfunction." The hybrid battery-??s range indicator also fluctuated erratically between 1 and 4 miles. The primary malfunction involved the vehicle-??s braking system, with concurrent issues in the engine and hybrid systems as indicated by the alerts. The vehicle and all related components, along with the computer fault codes, are available for inspection and further testing at the Mazda dealership. The brake failure significantly endangered the safety of both myself and my daughter, as we nearly entered an active intersection uncontrollably, which could have led to a severe collision, posing a grave risk to both occupants and pedestrians. Despite extensive diagnostics and approximately 33 miles of test driving under various conditions, the dealership was unable to replicate the brake failure, raising serious concerns about the braking system-??s reliability and predictability. The dealership's technicians, in cooperation with Mazda corporate engineers, have inspected the vehicle and analyzed the diagnostic data and fault codes. As of April 19th, the car remains with the dealership for further analysis. No additional inspections by police, insurance, or independent service centers have been reported. The inability to reproduce the brake failure and the spontaneous nature of the dashboard warnings underscore the necessity for continuous investigation by Mazda. Without a clear resolution, my trust in the vehicle-??s safety is deeply shaken, especially for driving in high-speed or heavily trafficked areas.
- San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
Vehicle engine suddenly loses significant power, the car violently shakes and the engine starts knocking. When attempting to bring the car to a safe location, the vehicles brakes wouldn-??t work. Then the car displayed a bunch of errors, like -??Engine Malfunction-?? and -??Hybrid System Malfunction-??. The car has been in service twice for this issue and they haven-??t found a fix. This malfunction has happened twice during our commute with our children in the car.
- Wilton, CA, USA
While traveling in the left lane on a 2 lane interstate, 79S, the car suddenly braked as I passed a truck in the right lane entering a curve. The "apply brake now" emergency message also flashed on the display. Had a vehicle been closely following behind, it would have crashed into my rear
- Morgantown, WV, USA
- Colonia, NJ, USA