2008 Mazda Mazda3 Mazda Mazda3 2008

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2008 Mazda Mazda3 repairs by problem area

Engine (30%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (10%)

Brakes and Traction Control (5%)

Suspension and Steering (26%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (20%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (5%)

Other (5%)

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Chart based on 438 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2008 Mazda Mazda3.

2008 Mazda Mazda3 transmission repair cost distribution

$2500+ (5%)

$1000 - $2499 (16%)

$500 - $999 (14%)

$100 - $499 (35%)

< $100 (30%)

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Chart based on 43 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2008 Mazda MazdaSpeed3 4dr Hatch

turbocharged 263hp 2.3L I4 6-speed manual FWD

45000 mi

US $300
Stick shift lever snapped! Dealer ruled not warrantied under powertrain, replaced by self. 
54000 mi

US $230
Driver's side front inner CV boot leaking. Bought replacement boot and took to mechanic for install. Mechanic discovered new part not good replacement, did not repair. Driver's side front inner CV boot leaking. Bought OEM replacement boot from dealer and took to independent mechanic for install. 
143900 mi

US $295
The clutch master cylinder was worn out and leaking. It was replaced. 
38000 mi Failure of passenger side drive axle/inner CV joint 
16634 mi 2nd gear, double cone,clutch hub,clutch sleeve,3 ball bearings,3 synchronizer keys,3 synchronizer springs,shifter fork,nuetral start switch 
20948 mi Clutch master cylinder leaking internally, damaged when trans repaired by CRAIN MAZDA. 
60419 mi

US $1060
Motor mount bolts came loose dropping engine on to pass side CV joint, ripping power steering pump apart, Breaking pass side CV joint. 
100000 mi

US $110
Slave cylinder blew rendering the clutch inoperable. 4 days down until part arrived at dealership. 30 minutes to install and bleed. 
135500 mi

US $1000
Dual mass flywheel out of run out tolerance and play tolerance. Clutch slipping at any mph. Replaced clutch, clutch release bearing, pilot bearing and upgraded to single mass light weight flywheel to cut costs. 
23000 mi Transmission slipping. Repaired/ paid in full by original factory warranty. 
37820 mi Axles were clicking when changing rotational force on the drivetrain, changed entire drive axle but did not fix the problem. 

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2008 Mazda Mazda3 4dr Sedan

156-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD

100500 mi

US $650
The transmission had melted upon itself according to dealer. The dealer/manufacturer paid for the transmission after some haggling. We had to pay for the tranny to be installed. 
72000 mi

US $300
The car's CEL and AT lights were on. The transmission would not shift out of 3rd gear and started hesitating. The OBDII code P0753 showed it was a problem with the Shift Solenoid A. The shop drained & flushed the trans fluid, replaced the filter and Shift Solenoid A. After a few miles, the lights came back on. I decided to replaced the TCM unit with Mazda's latest version and the car has not experienced any transmission problems since. Transmission problem was not resolved by the work performed previously by the repair shop. Transmission problem returned 3 days after transmission solenoid was replaced. I replaced the transmission ECU and reset the the main ECU by letting the car idle for 20 minutes. This successfully resolved the limp mode transmission problem. 
76260 mi

C $270
Transmission pan leaking, replaced pan, gasket, fluid. 

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2008 Mazda Mazda3 4dr Sedan

148-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD

23000 mi

US $1000
Replaced clutch (son learned to drive manual with this car so it failed early) 
112000 mi

US $400
Replaced driver's side axle assembly due to torn and leaking outer CV joint boot. 

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2008 Mazda Mazda3 4dr Sedan

148-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed shiftable automatic FWD

97000 mi

US $400
Replaced CV axle and lower control arm, partially solved front end vibrations 
112000 mi

US $500
and CV Axle. 
88000 mi

US $425
Automatic transmission leaking fluid. Tech found leak at seam. Unable to repair. Replaced transmission with Mazda out of warranty assistance. 
50220 mi

$200
Automatic transmission did not work properly and it remained in gear 1 or 2 and no shift to other gears. The problem occurred because of late transmission oil replacement and some plates in the gearbox were out of order. 
96000 mi

US $30
Car would fail to start intermittently while in park (would start in neutral). Diagnosed as rusty lock cable lever per TSB 05-012-08. Temporary fix was penetrating oil and lubricant to loosen stuck part. Parts replced once received. 
80000 mi DIY repair; lube shift linkage as car failed to start in park on occasion. 
93000 mi While in the shop for the rattling, the tech noticed my transmission pan was cracked and leaking badly. They ordered the parts and I returned a week later to have it replaced. Transmission pan replaced. I NEVER noticed liquid in my parking spot at home however. 
93000 mi

US $337
CV axle boot torn 

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2008 Mazda Mazda3 4dr Hatch

156-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD

140000 mi

US $4100
transmission had been on its way out for months as my dad never changed the atx fluid. at the end i couldn't shift properly. glad to have it back though. 
4000 mi Transmission fluid leak noticed by mechanic while in for wiper motor; replaced pan under transmission that had filled with fluid and apparently burned or otherwise destroyed the pan. Got a call the next day saying they'd installed the wrong part to fix the transmission leak; took car back in, correct part installed. 
79000 mi

US $1107
Had the TCM replaced. Before repair, transmission would shift harsh and only shift from 1st through 3rd gear. Shifting into reverse when TCM would fail would cause jerking and violent shift. Light would come on dash "AT" showing transmission module failed. After TCM was replaced with new one, everything worked perfectly. This repair cost also includes new rear shocks. 
86000 mi

US $3200
Transmission completely failed with only 86,000 miles. This was after routine transmission fluid changes and preventative maintenance. Took to Landis Transmission in Lancaster and they said it was a faulty transmission. Had entire transmission replaced with a used one with 51,000 miles. Mazda wanted over $4000 for a new transmission so opted for a used one with a warranty. 
39060 mi Intermittent no-start condition with transmission lever in Park position, started OK in Neutral. Repaired by cleaning, adjusting and lubricating the selector lever cable at the transmission. 
121520 mi

C $129
AT warning light on /off intermittently. Electronic solenoid sticking in transmission, and transmission needs to be replaced. Replacing with rebuild estimated at $5K or so. Two Transmission related CELs stated on diagnosis report. 
123380 mi

C $625
Replaced the old TCM (Transmission Control Module) with a newer version. A CEL and AT light were intermittent - The transmission would go into 'safe' mode and would not shift properly, or it was a harsh shift 1st and 3rd gear only. Shutting the engine OFF and a restart would sometimes cure the problem. This is a common problem with this car, and can occur anytime. AT warning light on /off intermittently. The dealer wanted $5k to rebuild the transmission. Studied a lot of Mazda forums on the internet, and determined the problem was the TCM, but a replacement part from the dealer was $750.00 + HST and labour to install it. I managed to get a new current one from Scarborough Mazda for $550.00 + HST and 2 hours of my time to install it - plug 'n play. Problem solved - it ran and shifted like a brand new car! Mazda has to be aware of the TCM problem by now, and should have issued a TSB to cover the situation, so dealers and their technicians could accurately diagnose and repair this obvious 'long term' reliability issue. 
69000 mi

US $155
Car could be started intermittenly in park and can always start in neutral. Original Neutral, Safety-Starter switch replaced. No trouble codes or info on car's computer. 
76700 mi Transmission going out of 5th gear and 4th gear into 3rd gear at 60 MPH. Dash indicator light for transmission gear out. Replaced Neutral Safety Starter Sensor for AT. Transmission back to normal and dash light operational again. Covered under warranty. N/C 
94198 mi

US $1617
replaced rotten transmission pan and filter, four wheel wheel alignment. 

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2008 Mazda Mazda3 4dr Hatch

156-horsepower 2.3L I4 5-speed manual FWD

110467 mi

US $950
LEFT FRONT DRIVE AXLE. 1ST MAJOR REPAIR IN 12 YEARS OF HARD CITY DRIVING 
33000 mi Shift lever pin BROKE just 8 days after the dealer replaced the entire clutch. They said it was just a coincidence. 
64000 mi

US $600
Car was making a non-metallic rattling when backing off the throttle, which went away when the brakes were applied. Dealer diagnosed as bad driver-side CV and intermediate shafts. Both were replaced. 
75000 mi

US $1400
clutch master cylinder and solenoid 

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See TrueDelta's information for all Mazda models.

2008 Mazda Mazda3 Transmission Problems

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 2008 Mazda Mazda3 problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.