Service bulletin 02-001-18-3486a
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.
| Type | Service bulletin |
|---|---|
| NHTSA id | 10143972 |
| Published by NHTSA | 2018-08-20 |
| Manufacturer's number | 02-001-18-3486a |
| Manufacturer's date | 2018-07-13 |
| NHTSA component | SUSPENSION |
NHTSA's summary
Some vehicles may exhibit one or more of the following noises from the front suspension. A squeaking noise from the front shock absorber when turning the steering wheel at a vehicle stand still caused by stick-slip between the front strut bearing and the coil spring. A popping noise from the front shock absorber when passing over speed bumps caused by the bump stopper contacting the strut bearing when the shock absorber is compressed. A creaking noise from the lower arm when driving over road bumps at 20-40 km/h caused by stick- slip of the front lower arm bushing. The noise occurs when the road surface is wet or after a car washing, and becomes more noticeable as the speed bump gets higher. To correct these problems, the following changes have been made. For the squeaking and popping noise, the shape of the bump stopper has been modified and a protector has been installed onto the coil spring. For the creaking noise, the friction of the lower arm bushing has been reduced by adding a dry coating.
The document
The document is the manufacturer's. This site does not hold it. NHTSA files a document at one of these two addresses; we have not asked NHTSA which.
Components
Suspension
| MAZDA MAZDA3 | 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 |
|---|
Listing a model year does not mean every vehicle of it is concerned: the document says which.
| PF-26-02 | 2026-08-04. Other. Supersession between B60S-34-300G/350G and B60S-34- 300H/350H. Please be advised that the G-level and H-level control arms are not interchangeable. The G-level part cannot be used to repair a vehicle built with the H-level. The H-level part can be used to repair a vehicle built with the G-level, but the ball joint retainer (d- Code 34-552) has been eliminated. |
|---|---|
| SA-051-25 | 2025-12-05. Service bulletin. Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) Diagnostic Guidelines Diagnostic Guidelines When diagnosing NVH concerns, it is essential to first classify the issue into one of three primary categories: Noise, Vibration, or Harshness. Many customer complaints may involve overlapping symptoms, such as both noise and vibration, so identifying the dominant characteristic is critical. Once the primary symptom is determined, follow the appropriate diagnostic path. For example, if a concern includes both noise and vibration but is related to vehicle speed, the vibration diagnostic path should be followed. When considering component replacement during the diagnostic process, it is best practice to start with the lowest cost or most accessible part unless diagnostic evidence clearly identifies a more expensive or complex component as the root cause. This approach helps minimize repair costs and avoids unnecessary part replacements. For example, a growling or bearing whine noise may be mistakenly attributed to internal components in the differential, transfer unit, or transmission, when the actual source is a wheel bearing. Misdiagnosis like this can lead to unnecessary repairs, added time and cost. To help prevent this, always follow the guidelines in the repair procedure. |
| 02-004-22a | 2022-12-02. Service bulletin. Some customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. In most cases the oil that is present is normal, and a result of the oil that remains on the shaft during the normal sweeping process of the shaft seal. Follow the inspection guidelines below to determine if the condition is a result of the normal sweeping process or a failure of the shaft seal. |
| 0200516 | 2022-06-06. Service bulletin. Front/Rear stabilizer noise prevention |
| 0200416 | 2022-06-06. Service bulletin. SHOCK ABSORBER REPLACEMENT GUIDELINES |
| 0200116 | 2022-06-06. Service bulletin. Popping and/or squeaking noise from front shock absorber and or creaking noise from front lower arm bushing |
| 0200115 | 2022-06-06. Service bulletin. Creaking Noise From Front Lower Control Arm Bushings Some vehicles may exhibit a creaking noise from under the front of the vehicle when driving over bumps. The noise occurs at approx. 1225 mph (2040 Km/h) when the road surface is wet or after a car wash. The noise becomes more noticeable when driving over higher bumps. |
| 02-004-22 | 2022-06-04. Service bulletin. Some customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. In most cases the oil that is present is normal, and a result of the oil that remains on the shaft during the normal sweeping process of the shaft seal. Follow the inspection guidelines below to determine if the condition is a result of the normal sweeping process or a failure of the shaft seal. |
| SA-006-22 | 2022-03-04. Service bulletin. There have been warranty claims submitted for growling or bearing whine noise in differentials, transfer units and transmissions where the source of the noise was a wheel bearing. This misdiagnosis can lead to multiple repair attempts, warranty debits, and additional inconvenience and/or cost to the customer. To reduce the chance of this occurring, please follow the steps outlined in the repair procedure. |
| 02-005-17 | 2021-01-25. Service bulletin. Popping and/or squeaking noise from front shock absorber and or creaking noise from front lower arm bushing. Some vehicles may exhibit one or more of the following noises from the front suspension. * A squeaking noise from the front shock absorber when turning the steering wheel at a vehicle standstill caused by stick0slip between the front strut bearing and the coil spring. * A popping noise from the front shock absorber when passing over speed bumps caused by the bump stopper cointacting the strut bearing when the shock absorber is compressed. * A creaking noise from the lower arm when driving over road bumps at 20-40 km/h caused by stick-stick-slip of the front lower arm bushing. The noise occurs when the road surface is wet or after a car washing, and becomes moare noticeable as the speed bump gets higher. * To correct these problems, the following changes have been made. * For the squeaking and popping noise, the fshape of the bump stopper has been modified and a protector has been installed onto the coil spring. * For the creaking noise, the friction of the lower arm bushing has been reduced by adding a dry coating. Customers having this concern should have their vehicle repaired using the following repair procedure. |