The 2008 Mazda Mazdaspeed3 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 103,300 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 41 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
VISIBILITY11V3290002011-06-15103,300 affected
Defect
MAZDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 MAZDA3 AND MAZDASPEED3 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 7, 2008, THROUGH NOVEMBER 28, 2008. THE GROUND TERMINAL OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN INADVERTENTLY BENT DURING ASSEMBLY. IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS THEN OVER TIME THE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF THE…
Consequence
THE LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION IN ADVERSE WEATHER COULD POTENTIALLY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL GROUND HARNESS ON THE WIPER MOTOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JULY 15, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-222-5500.
Complaints by component
POWER TRAIN
21
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
3
1fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2
SUSPENSION
2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2
WHEELS
2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1
1fires1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
1
ENGINE
1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
1
1fires1injuries
Total complaints41
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I was driving on a city road doing 35-40mph in 4th gear. I let off the gas while in 4th and coasted to about 20mph then shifted to n and stopped at a red light. When the light turned green I tried to shift to 1st an the shifter went half way in between r and 1st, so I shifted back to n and tried…”
“I was on the highway in motion when all of a sudden my shifter broke off and I wasn't able to move. I had to call I tow”
“I began to accelerate my mazdaspeed 3 shifting from 1st gear to second gear. I shifted into third where my shift broke and remained in my hand. My car stalled out in 3rd because I could not shift out. I took off the plastics covering the shifter and pulled the plate back into neautral so I could…”
“Manual shift lever came detached while driving in rush hour traffic. Car stuck in 4th gear. I was up shifting when it happened.”
“While shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear at low speed, the shifter for my manual transmission broke off in my hand. After coasting to the side of the road and removing the console, I discovered it snapped in half at the location of the retention pin.”
“As I was slowing down to make a right turn I placed the car in neutral. After making the turn and going to put the car back in gear the shifter breaks at the point where the pin goes in above the ball. I do not track my car nor shift hard ever. *tr”
“The shift lever complete broke off and no longer had any affect on engaging any of the gears. I was stopped at a light and it broke when I tried to engage 1st gear out of neutral. Luckily I was able to feel for the shift cable mechanism through the leather shifter boot and engage 3rd gear. Limped…”
“I have a 2008 mazdaspeed 3 with a manual transmission. While I was driving to work on 9/9/2014, the steel rod that the shifter knob is attached to sheared off suddenly while I was shifting from first to second. This left the transmission in neutral and I had no power since I couldn't shift into…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2008 Mazda Mazdaspeed3 as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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