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Service bulletin SB-01-019-13

A bulletin is a manufacturer's communication to its dealers, as NHTSA indexes it. The summary is NHTSA's. The document is the manufacturer's: read it at NHTSA. A bulletin is not a recall, and listing a model year does not mean every vehicle of it is concerned.

The communication, as NHTSA indexes it (as of 2026-10-19)
TypeService bulletin
NHTSA id10053740
Published by NHTSA2013-11-20
Manufacturer's numberSB-01-019-13
Manufacturer's date2013-07-17
NHTSA componentSERVICE BRAKES; EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

NHTSA's summary

MAZDA: WHEN VEHICLE DECELERATES (APPLYING BRAKES), THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERS AND CAUSES INADEQUATE ALTERNATOR OUTPUT (CONTROLLED BY PCM) WHEN BATTERY EXPERIENCE HEAVY LOAD. MODEL 2012-2013 MAZDA3. *PE

The document

No address for NHTSA's copy can be built for this communication. Ask the dealer for it by the manufacturer's number.

Components

Brakes, Lighting, Headlights

Vehicles listed
MAZDA MAZDA32012, 2013

Listing a model year does not mean every vehicle of it is concerned: the document says which.

Other bulletins for the same vehicles and component
09-001-172021-01-25. Service bulletin. Excessive condensation or water within the headlamp assembly caustion.
09-003-19-3555a2019-03-20. Service bulletin. Some customers may complain of condensation/fog inside the front (headlamp/headlight) or rear (taillamp/taillight) combination lights. The recent new models have been fitted with a clear lens which can cause the symptom to be more noticeable, however, it does not affect the performance of the light. This condensation/fog is a natural phenomenon that occurs when there is a fairly large temperature difference between the inside and the outside of the light housing. It is normal for very small water drops to appear in certain locations on the light units where the air is stagnant (condensation), making the lens look whitish (fog). This happens mostly in the corners and narrow spaces, and will typically clear during warmer ambient temperatures, or when the lights have been on for some time.
09-011-18-34482018-04-23. Service bulletin. Some customers may complain of condensation/fog inside the front (headlamp/headlight) or rear (taillamp/taillight) combination lights. The recent new models have been fitted with a clear lens which can cause the symptom to be more noticeable, however, it does not affect the performance of the light. This condensation/fog is a natural phenomenon that occurs when there is a fairly large temperature difference between the inside and the outside of the light housing. It is normal for very small water drops to appear incertain locations on the light units where the air is stagnant (condensation), making the lens look whitish (fog). This happens mostly in the corners and narrow spaces, and will typically clear during warmer ambient temperatures, or when the lights have been on for some time.
09-001-17-3296b2017-10-04. Service bulletin. When dealing with customer complaints of excessive condensation and/or water within the headlamp unit, first determine if all the bulb sockets (including O-ring), seals and covers are present and correctly installed. In most cases you will find that the Bulb Seal No. 1 (A) or HID Bulb Seal No. 1 (B) and Bulb Seal No. 2 (C) socket covers have not been correctly installed or are missing due to improper prior repairs (i.e., customer replacing the headlamp bulbs or body shop not transferring them when replacing the headlamp unit(s) due to a collision). Any damage caused by missing socket covers, HID module seal (D), or missing bumper brackets (E) is not covered by warranty policy.
09-008-17-33242017-08-10. Service bulletin. Take caution when cleaning plastic headlight lenses. Damage can occur when using some cleaners that contain strong acid, alkaline cleanser or organic solvent. Damage caused by using these cleaners is not covered by Mazda's New Vehicle Limited Warranty term.
09-003-16-31302017-05-26. Service bulletin. SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF CONDENSATION/FOG INSIDE THE FRONT (HEADLAMP/HEADLIGHT) OR REAR (TAILLAMP/TAIL-LIGHT) COMBINATION LIGHTS. THE RECENT NEW MODELS HAVE BEEN FITTED WITH A CLEAR LENS WHICH CAN CAUSE THE SYMP-TOM TO BE MORE NOTICEABLE, HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE LIGHT. THIS CONDENSATION/FOG IS A NATURAL PHENOMENON THAT OCCURS WHEN THERE IS A FAIRLY LARGE TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE OF THE LIGHT HOUSING. IT IS NORMAL FOR VERY SMALL WATER DROPS TO APPEAR IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS ON THE LIGHT UNITS WHERE THE AIR IS STAGNANT (CONDENSATION), MAKING THE LENS LOOK WHITISH (FOG). THIS HAPPENS MOSTLY IN THE CORNERS AND NARROW SPACES, AND WILL TYPICALLY CLEAR DURING WARMER AMBIENT TEMPERATURES, OR WHEN THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ON FOR SOME TIME. EXPLAIN TO THE CUSTOMER THAT THIS IS A NATURAL PHENOMENON AND NOT A QUALITY DEFECT. DO NOT ATTEMPT REPAIRS AS THIS IS CONSIDERED NORMAL, AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. REPLACING THE LIGHT UNIT WILL NOT CORRECT THIS SYMPTOM.
09-049-14-29802017-05-11. Service bulletin. WHEN DEALING WITH CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS OF EXCESSIVE CONDENSATION AND/OR WATER WITHIN THE HEADLAMP UNIT, FIRST DETERMINE IF ALL THE BULB SOCKETS ARE PRESENT AND CORRECTLY INSTALLED. IN MOST CASES YOU WILL FIND THAT THE BULB SEAL NO. 1 (A) OR HID BULB SEAL NO. 1 (B) AND BULB SEAL NO. 2 (C) SOCKET COVERS HAVE NOT BEEN CORRECTLY INSTALLED OR ARE MISSING DUE TO IMPROPER PRIOR REPAIRS (I.E., CUSTOMER REPLACING THE HEADLAMP BULBS OR BODY SHOP NOT TRANSFERRING THEM WHEN REPLACING THE HEADLAMP UNIT(S) DUE TO A COLLISION). ANY DAMAGE CAUSED BY MISSING SOCKET COVERS, HID MODULE SEAL (D), OR MISSING BUMPER BRACKETS (E) IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY POLICY.
01-019-13-28152017-04-14. Service bulletin. SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DECELERATING (BY APPLYING THE BRAKES) WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON. THIS CONCERN IS CAUSED BY INADEQUATE ALTERNATOR OUTPUT (CONTROLLED BY THE PCM) WHEN THE BATTERY IS UNDER A HEAVY LOAD. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE CONTROL LOGIC OF THE PCM HAS BEEN CHANGED.
SB-09-003-132013-06-19. Service bulletin. MAZDA: ON VARIOUS MODEL YEARS AND MODEL VEHICLES, THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY WOULD HAVE EXCESSIVE CONDENSATION OR WATER WITHIN AND SHOULD BE CHECKED AND REPLACED, IF NECESSARY FOR CORRECT INSTALLATION. *PE