2006 Mazda MAZDA3 Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

27Steering complaints

16.3%Of all 166 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

STEERING27 · 16.3%

AIR BAGS25 · 15.1%

ENGINE17 · 10.2%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM16 · 9.6%

POWER TRAIN15 · 9%

Share of the 166 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2006 Mazda MAZDA3 overview page.

What owners report

“POWER STEERING SEEMS TO QUIT - POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. SINCE WE WERE ON A FREEWAY, IT WAS SOME TIME BEFORE WE COULD…”NHTSA complaint 10576700 — filed 04/02/2014

“OVER THE PAST 2 WEEKS, MY POWER STEERING GOES OUT INTERMITTENTLY AND THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASH TURNS ON. THE LOSS OF…”NHTSA complaint 10576455 — filed 04/01/2014

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MAZDA MAZDA3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT…”NHTSA complaint 10567051 — filed 03/04/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Mazda MAZDA3 have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2006 Mazda MAZDA3: 27 of 166 complaints on file (16.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2006 Mazda MAZDA3 have in total?

166 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 21 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 15 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.