Selling a junk Mazda Mazda3
Any Mazda3 sells for scrap or parts, running or not. Below: what owners report most often for each model year, the recalls on file, and which of those change the offer. Enter your ZIP for a buyer near you.
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What owners report about the Mazda Mazda3
NHTSA has 3,960 owner complaints on file for the Mazda Mazda3, model years 2004 to 2022, the 114th-most of the 423 models in our data. The most-reported components are other (438, 11%), steering (397, 10%), electrical system (359, 9%). 306 complaints involved a crash, 37 a fire, and 110 say the vehicle had to be towed. The median mileage when the problem was reported is 50,630 miles. The 2010 model year has the most complaints (920). Data as of 2026-10-12.
The guides below explain how each kind of fault changes what a buyer pays.
Mazda Mazda3 by model year
| Year | Complaints | Most reported | Crash | Fire | Recalls | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 185 | Air bags | 25 | 4 | 3 | 59,646 |
| 2005 | 127 | Air bags | 25 | 3 | 3 | 68,647 |
| 2006 | 224 | Steering | 29 | 4 | 2 | 76,000 |
| 2007 | 301 | Steering | 36 | 5 | 3 | 80,600 |
| 2008 | 387 | Steering | 41 | 1 | 3 | 47,750 |
| 2009 | 140 | Steering | 13 | 1 | 4 | 37,125 |
| 2010 | 920 | Body and structure | 26 | 6 | 3 | 60,000 |
| 2011 | 181 | Air bags | 18 | 2 | 2 | 48,550 |
| 2012 | 328 | Transmission and drivetrain | 12 | 1 | 1 | 39,000 |
| 2013 | 176 | Lights | 7 | 2 | 1 | 42,000 |
| 2014 | 181 | Other | 16 | 1 | 4 | 35,000 |
| 2015 | 154 | Other | 13 | 3 | 4 | 35,000 |
| 2016 | 138 | Other | 12 | 2 | 6 | 36,806 |
| 2017 | 105 | Other | 11 | 0 | 2 | 29,346 |
| 2018 | 140 | Electrical system | 9 | 0 | 4 | 31,321 |
| 2019 | 118 | Other | 7 | 0 | 6 | 5,000 |
| 2020 | 51 | Driver assistance | 0 | 0 | 2 | — |
| 2021 | 70 | Engine | 4 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 2022 | 34 | Air bags | 2 | 0 | 0 | — |
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Median miles is the odometer reading owners gave when they reported a problem, shown only where 20 or more reports include it.
Mazda Mazda3 recalls
NHTSA lists 27 recall campaigns across these model years, most often for fuel system (4), air bags (3), visibility and wipers (3). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Before you sell, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a buyer who plans to resell the car will.
- 2014 model year, driver assistance (campaign 23V487000, Jul 2023): Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Mazda3 and 2016-2021 CX-3 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display properly by showing a flickering or distorted image.
- 2018 model year, fuel system (campaign 21V875000, Nov 2021): Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform,…
- 2004 model year, air bags (campaign 21V494000, Jul 2021): Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004-2007 Mazda3 vehicles. During air bag deployment, the plastic emblem on the steering wheel air bag module cover may shatter, and project plastic fragments …
- 2021 model year, tires (campaign 21V101000, Feb 2021): Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2021 Mazda3 and CX-30 vehicles. Air may suddenly leak from the tire air valve.
- 2020 model year, brakes (campaign 20V346000, Jun 2020): 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 …
What a Mazda Mazda3 is worth as a junk car
Buyers price a junk Mazda3 on four things: its weight at today's scrap steel price (the floor), the parts still on it that can be resold, whether it starts and drives, and how far they have to tow it. None of those come from a complaint database, so use this page to describe the car accurately and our junk car value guide to work out a ceiling for the metal. Then get more than one offer.
Guides for selling this car
How to sell a car that doesn't run 
How much is my junk car worth? 
How junkyards price cars 
Catalytic converters and junk cars 
How to prepare your car for the junkyard 
Junk car scams and how to avoid them Other Mazda models
- Mazda CX-5 3,068
- Mazda 626 2,958
- Mazda Mazda6 2,946
- Mazda Tribute 2,831
- Mazda CX-9 1,878
- Mazda CX-7 1,549
- Mazda Protege 1,053
- Mazda RX-8 1,004
Questions people ask
- What is a junk Mazda Mazda3 worth?
- What a yard can recover: the car's weight at the current scrap steel price, plus parts it can resell (the catalytic converter, engine, transmission and wheels if they're good), minus towing and processing. The same Mazda3 gets different offers from different buyers, so compare at least two. Our value guide shows the public benchmark.
- Will a junkyard buy a Mazda Mazda3 that doesn't run?
- Yes. Junkyards and junk car buyers take cars that don't start, and most arrange the tow. Tell them honestly whether it starts, whether the engine and transmission are still in it, and whether the catalytic converter is on; those are what change the price.
- Should I fix an open recall before selling a Mazda Mazda3?
- Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for as long as the car exists. If the car is going for scrap, the repair won't change the scrap price. If a buyer might resell it or pull parts, a completed recall can help. Check your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup first.
- Where do these Mazda Mazda3 numbers come from?
- From the complaint and recall data NHTSA publishes for every make and model, counted by model year on 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and the count rises with how many of the model were sold.