Service bulletins for the 2012 Mazda Mazda3
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.
446 on file from NHTSA, as of 2026-10-19.
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| 05-005-13-2735 | 2017-04-24. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL. SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE THE MIL ON WITH DTC P0780 (GEAR SHIFTING MALFUNCTION) AND/OR P1738 (AUTO-MATIC TRANSAXLE INTERNAL MALFUNCTION) WITH/WITHOUT U0401, OR OTHER DTCS STORED IN MEMORY.OTHER DTCS (WITH THE ABOVE DTCS) - P0746:00, P0751:00, P0752:00, P0756:00, P0757:00, P0761:00, P0762:00, P0766:00, P0767:00, P0771:00, P0772:00, P079A:00, P0842:00, P0843:00, P0847:00, P0848:00, P0872:00, P0873:00, P0877:00, P0878:00, P1784:00TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, A NEW PROGRAMMED VALVE BODY HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. |
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| 05-005-13-2735A | 2017-04-24. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL. SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE THE MIL ON WITH DTC P0780 (GEAR SHIFTING MALFUNCTION) AND/OR P1738 (AUTO-MATIC TRANSAXLE INTERNAL MALFUNCTION) WITH/WITHOUT U0401, OR OTHER DTCS STORED IN MEMORY.OTHER DTCS (WITH THE ABOVE DTCS) - P0746:00, P0751:00, P0752:00, P0756:00, P0757:00, P0761:00, P0762:00, P0766:00, P0767:00, P0771:00, P0772:00, P079A:00, P0842:00, P0843:00, P0847:00, P0848:00, P0872:00, P0873:00, P0877:00, P0878:00, P1784:00TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, A NEW PROGRAMMED VALVE BODY HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. |
| 02-004-13-2770B | 2017-04-21. Service bulletin. STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR. SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IS OFF CENTER MORE THAN 3° EVEN WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A FLAT ROAD. |
| 01-019-13-2815 | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS. 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. |
| 01-020-13-2816 | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM). SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT THE ENGINE RPM TEMPORARILY GOING UP ABOVE 3,000 WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS SLIGHTLY PUSHED WHILE SHIFTING AROUND 30 KM/H (19 MPH). THE ENGINE RPM RETURNS TO IDLE IF THE DRIVER TAKES THEIR FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS CONCERN IS CAUSED BY IMPROPER CALIBRATION OF THE PCM FOR TORQUE TRIM CONTROL. TORQUE TRIM CONTROL IS USED ON THIS M/T TO ADJUST THE ENGINE RPM TO A SUITABLE SPEED FOR THE GEAR AFTER SHIFTING. THE FUNCTION ONLY WORKS WHEN THE DRIVER STEPS ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHILE SHIFTING TO HELP ACHIEVE SMOOTH SHIFTS. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE PCM SOFTWARE HAS BEEN MODIFIED. |
| 01-021-13-2817 | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL. SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE THE MIL ON WITH DTC P0128:00 (THERMOSTAT STUCK OPEN). THIS CONCERN IS CAUSED BY IMPROPER CONTROL LOGIC OF THE PCM. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE CONTROL LOGIC OF THE PCM HAS BEEN CHANGED. |
| 01-021-13-2817A | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL. SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE THE MIL ON WITH DTC P0128:00 (THERMOSTAT STUCK OPEN). THIS CONCERN IS CAUSED BY IMPROPER CONTROL LOGIC OF THE PCM. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE CONTROL LOGIC OF THE PCM HAS BEEN CHANGED. |
| 09-018-13-2803 | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL. SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN THAT THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE DISPLAY IS NOT ACCURATE, OR IT TAKES TOO LONG FOR THE DISPLAY TO SHOW ACTUAL TEMPERATURE. WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER A CUSTOMER WITH THIS CONCERN, FIRST VERIFY THE CONDITION WHEN THE CUSTOMER NOTICED THIS SYMPTOM. IF THE CONDITION IS SIMILAR TO THE FOLLOWING “CONTROL LOGIC OF AMBIENT TEMPERATURE” OR “DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TEMPERATURE DISPLAY AND OTHERS”, ADVISE THE CUSTOMER THAT THIS IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE AND NOT A MALFUNCTION. IF THE CONDITION DOES NOT MEET THE FOLLOWING AND THE SENSOR MALFUNCTION IS SUSPECTED, MAKE SURE TO INSPECT THE SENSOR ACCORDING TO MS3 ONLINE OR WORKSHOP MANUAL (SECTION 09-22 AMBIENT TEMPERATURE SENSOR INSPECTION). |
| 09-019-13-2805 | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL. TO IMPROVE HANDLING OF CUSTOMER CONCERNS WITH HANDS-FREE (BLUETOOTH) VEHICLE SYSTEMS, MAZDA LAUNCHED A NEW SERVICE PROCEDURE AND PART EXCHANGE PROGRAM EFFECTIVE FEB. 08, 2010 ON APPLICABLE VEHICLES. DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE AVAILABLE ON VARIOUS CELLULAR PHONES AND CELL PHONE PROVIDER NETWORKS, IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR CUSTOMERS TO CONTACT THE MAZDA HANDS-FREE SYSTEM CUSTOMER CARE NUMBER AT (800) 430-0153 OR, FOR CUSTOMERS REQUIRING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, PLEASE DIRECT THEM TO “WWW.MAZDAUSA.COM/BLUETOOTH.” REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CUSTOMER CARE CENTER ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE ON VERIFYING APPROVED PHONES AND PROPERLY PAIRING (PROGRAMMING) SPECIFIC PHONES TO THE VEHICLE’S BLUETOOTH SYSTEM. THEY ARE ALSO BEST EQUIPPED TO RESOLVE A MAJORITY OF THE PAIRING ISSUES AND OTHER BLUETOOTH RELATED CONCERNS WHEN COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH MAZDA CUSTOMERS. |
| 05-004-13-2800 | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL. SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND A/T WARNING LIGHT ON WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE. AT THE SAME TIME, AN ENGINE INSPECTION REQUIRED MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED ON THE LCD. DTC P0722:00 IS STORED IN THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM) MEMORY. •DTC P0722:00 (OPEN CIRCUIT IN OUTPUT SPEED SHAFT CIRCUIT)THE TCM CONTROL LOGIC HAS BEEN CHANGED TO ELIMINATE THIS CONCERN. |
| 01-013-13-2791 | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. ENGINE. SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A SQUEAK NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTS MOVING AND/OR AT THE TIME OF TRANSMISSION SHIFTING. THIS IS CAUSED BY STICK-SLIP NOISE OCCURRING AT THE CONTACT SURFACES BETWEEN THE NO. 4 ENGINE MOUNT RUBBER AND THE NO. 4 ENGINE MOUNT BRACKET WHEN THE ENGINE SHAKES BACK AND FORTH. |
| 02-004-13-2770A | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR. SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IS OFF CENTER MORE THAN 3° EVEN WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A FLAT ROAD. |
| 00-001-13-2748A | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL. MAZDA HAS DEVELOPED FACTORY RECOMMENDED SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SERVICES THAT SUPPORT ALL MAJOR VEHICLE SYSTEMS. MAZDA RECOMMENDS DEALERS FOLLOW THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE TABLES AS CITED IN THE VEHICLE-SPECIFIC WORKSHOP MANUAL OR OWNER’S MANUAL. SERVICES PERFORMED OUTSIDE OF MAZDA’S FACTORY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ARE NOT RECOMMENDED. THESE SERVICES ARE UNNECESSARY AND CREATE UNNEEDED EXPENSES FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS. |
| 09-003-13-2776 | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL. 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. |
| 05-002-13-2777 | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION; POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:LUBRICANT. ALWAYS BE SURE TO USE THE CORRECT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID WHEN REPLACING ATF. USING THE WRONG ATF MAY CAUSE SHIFT QUALITY COMPLAINTS OR MAY EVEN DAMAGE THE TRANSMISSION.NOTE:•ATF M-V (TYPE M5) IS NOT THE SAME FLUID AS MERCON®V OR MERCON®LV ATF.•ATF M-V (TYPE M5) HAS A GREATER VISCOSITY THAN MERCON®V AND MERCON®LV ATF IN LOW TEMPERATURES. •ATF M-V (TYPE M5) HAS A GREATER ANTI-JUDDER SPECIFICATION THAN MERCON®V AND MERCON®LV ATF. |
| 05-003-13-2778 | 2017-04-14. Service bulletin. POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE NEW SKYACTIV-DRIVE FW6A-EL AT USES “AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID (ATF) TYPE: FZ”. ONLY USE “ATF-FZ” TO FILL OR TOP OFF THE FLUID LEVEL. ATF-FZ IS SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR USE IN THE SKYACTIV-DRIVE SERIES AT. IT IS A LOW VISCOSITY FORMULA WITH LESS FRICTION FOR BETTER FUEL ECONOMY.NOTE:ATF-FZ IS COLORED BLUE FOR EASY IDENTIFICATION.TO CHECK THE FLUID LEVEL, REMOVE THE BOLT, THEN REMOVE THE DIPSTICK. THE DIPSTICK IS MARKED WITH A “FZ” ON SKY-ACTIV-DRIVE FW6A-EL AT. WHEN FINISHED, INSERT THE DIPSTICK AND INSTALL THE BOLT. |
| 05-002-13-2777A | 2017-04-13. Service bulletin. POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:LUBRICANT. ALWAYS BE SURE TO USE THE CORRECT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID WHEN REPLACING ATF. USING THE WRONG ATF MAY CAUSE SHIFT QUALITY COMPLAINTS OR MAY EVEN DAMAGE THE TRANSMISSION.NOTE:•ATF M-V (TYPE M5) IS NOT THE SAME FLUID AS MERCON®V OR MERCON®LV ATF.•ATF M-V (TYPE M5) HAS A GREATER VISCOSITY THAN MERCON®V AND MERCON®LV ATF IN LOW TEMPERATURES. •ATF M-V (TYPE M5) HAS A GREATER ANTI-JUDDER SPECIFICATION THAN MERCON®V AND MERCON®LV ATF.•TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSHING SHOULD ONLY BE PERFORMED WHEN INSTRUCTED BY THE WORKSHOP MANUAL OR ANY OTHER MAZDA PUBLICATION. |
| 09-005-13-2781 | 2017-04-13. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT. THIS SERVICE BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING THE PROPER USE OF THE DRIVER’S FLOOR MAT TO AVOID ANY POTEN-TIAL INTERFERENCE WITH THE FOOT PEDALS. THE FOLLOWING ARE POSSIBLE CAUSES OF FLOOR MAT INTERFERENCE, WHICH CAN BE AVOIDED WITH PROPER USAGE.•FLOOR MAT MOVES FORWARD DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION.•INAPPROPRIATE FLOOR MAT (SUCH AS AFTERMARKET, NON-FACTORY-EQUIPPED, OR NON-GENUINE) IS USED.•FLOOR MAT IS STACKED ONE ON TOP OF ANOTHER. |
| 01-005-13-2738 | 2017-04-13. Service bulletin. ENGINE. SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY WITH ENGINE STARTING IN THE WINTER (CRANKS BUT NO START), BUT CAN BE STARTED USING THE DE-CHOKE MODE WITH NO DTC RECORDED. THIS IS CAUSED BY IMPROPER CONTROL LOGIC OF THE PCM. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE CONTROL LOGIC OF THE PCM HAS BEEN CHANGED.DE-CHOKE MODE1.FULLY DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND CRANK THE ENGINE FOR 4 TO 5 SECONDS.2.TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH TO THE LOCK POSITION AND RELEASE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.3.START THE ENGINE WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. |
| 02-004-13-2770 | 2017-04-13. Service bulletin. STEERING. SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN THAT THE STEERING WHEEL IS OFF CENTER MORE THAN 3° EVEN WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A FLAT ROAD. |
| 02-001-13-2752 | 2017-04-13. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT. 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 TO DETERMINE IF THE CONDITION IS A RESULT OF THE NORMAL SWEEPING PROCESS OR A FAILURE OF THE SHAFT SEAL. |
| 00-001-13-2748 | 2017-04-13. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL. MAZDA HAS DEVELOPED FACTORY RECOMMENDED SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SERVICES THAT SUPPORT ALL MAJOR VEHICLE SYSTEMS. MAZDA RECOMMENDS DEALERS FOLLOW THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE TABLES AS CITED IN THE VEHICLE-SPECIFIC WORKSHOP MANUAL OR OWNER’S MANUAL. SERVICES PERFORMED OUTSIDE OF MAZDA’S FACTORY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ARE NOT RECOMMENDED. THESE SERVICES ARE UNNECESSARY AND CREATE UNNEEDED EXPENSES FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS. |
| 01-003-13-2756 | 2017-04-13. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL. SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A ROUGH IDLE WITH THE MIL ON AND DTC P0015 / P0524 STORED IN MEMORY.•P0015:00 - EXHAUST CMP TIMING OVER-RETARDED•P0524:00 - ENGINE OIL PRESSURE TOO LOWTHIS IS CAUSED BY A DROP IN ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DUE TO A PIECE OF FOREIGN OBJECT STUCK ON THE OIL PUMP PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE OR OCV. THE TEMPORARY ENTRY OF THE FOREIGN OBJECT TRIGGERS A MIL ILLUMINATION, BUT ROUGH IDLE WILL NOT BE PRODUCED UNTIL A LATER TIME. |
| SA289 | 2017-03-01. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS. IF YOU ENCOUNTER THE HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS STAYING ON AFTER A DASH REPAIR, YOU MAY HAVE CROSSED THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH CONNECTOR WITH ANOTHER CONNECTOR, SUCH AS THE BLUETOOTH MICROPHONE CONNECTOR. THE TWO CONNECTORS HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF PINS. |
| SA288 | 2017-03-01. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. IF YOU ENCOUNTER A VEHICLE WITH DTC P0137 (CIRCUIT LOW INPUT), CHECK THE REAR HARNESS AT THE RED CIRCLED AREA IN THE FOLLOWING DIAGRAM. IF AN AFTERMARKET ALARM SYSTEM IS INSTALLED, THE REAR HARNESS MIGHT HAVE RECEIVED DAMAGE FROM ELECTRO-TAP CONNECTORS (A) OR TO THE PROTECTOR TUBE (B). THIS DAMAGE IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. |
The summaries are NHTSA's. Each bulletin's page links NHTSA's copy of the manufacturer's document.