Model year record
2012 Mazda Mazda2 recalls & problems
The 2012 Mazda Mazda2 has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 9 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is air bags (3 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2012 Mazda Mazda2.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2012 Mazda Mazda2 5 HB FWD
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 3 | — |
| Service brakes | 2 | — |
| Steering | 2 | — |
| Service brakes, hydraulicPedals and linkages | 1 | — |
| Electrical system | 1 | — |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 1 | — |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | — |
| Suspension | 1 | — |
| Seats | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Seats
My wife and daughter and I were driving out of the driveway. The driver's seat came completely detached from the frame and I ended up rotated and laying backwards in the driver seat. This is extremely dangerous and could cause serious injury or death. This was a recall for 2010 and 2011 models but this was manufactured in 12/11 so it didn't fall into the recall. This is exactly the issue that was described in the recall.
- Service brakes
STEERING HAS BEEN MAKING A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING. HOWEVER, ON 4/30/2020 UPON TURNING ONTO THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE INTERSTATE, STEERING AND BRAKING BOTH WENT OUT AND SWERVED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE RAMP BARRIERS AND FORTUNATELY MADE IT ONTO A SHOULDER WITH OUT GETTING HIT OR HITTING A BARRIER. HAD TO BE TOWED TO MAZDA DEALER FOR SERVICE.
- Air bags
AFTER 3,000 - 5,000 MILES OF DRIVING EACH TIME, A VIBRATION BEGINS AND QUICKLY LEADS TO VIOLENT VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEN BRAKING FROM ANY SIGNIFICANT SPEED (30 + MPH). ESPECIALLY VIOLENT WHEN BRAKING FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO AN EXIT RAMP. ALSO, THE AIR BAG SENSOR IS ON. AND THE DEALER TRYIN TO FIX IT BUT CAME AGAIN.
- Air bags
TAKATA RECALL
- Air bags
TAKATA RECALL
- Steering
MY 2012 MAZDA HAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000 MILES ON IT. I PURCHASED IT USED IN 2013 WHEN IT HAD 35,570 MILES ON IT. WHEN I BOUGHT IT USED FROM A RENTAL-CAR SALE LOT, I NOTICED A SLIGHT "HITCH" IN THE STEERING IF THE WHEELS WERE TURNED FAR TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. BUT THE ANOMALY WAS VERY SLIGHT AND THE STEERING OTHERWISE FUNCTIONED SMOOTHLY. LATELY THE "HITCH" IN THE STEERING GOT NOTICEABLY WORSE, WITH "HITCHES" DEVELOPING EVERY FEW DEGREES OF TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. THE FACTORY AUTHORIZED MAZDA SHOP THAT DOES MY ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ADVISED ME TO HAVE MY STEERING DIAGNOSED. TODAY, I TOOK IT IN FOR DIAGNOSIS AND WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW STEERING RACK AND A STEERING ALIGNMENT. IN TOTAL THE WORK WILL…
- Service brakes
I PURCHASED A MAZDA2 ON APRIL30TH 2012. AT APPROXIMATELY 850 MILES, I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT AT (TOWSON MAZDA), BECAUSE OF A SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEN BRAKING. SINCE THEN, I HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP APPROXIMATELY EVERY 5,000 MILES FOR THE SAME ISSUE. OVER THE COURSE OF 6-8 VISITS, THE DEALER HAS MACHINED THE ROTORS AND ACTUALLY REPLACED THE ROTORS TWICE (OR SO THEY SAID...). AFTER 3,000 - 5,000 MILES OF DRIVING EACH TIME, A VIBRATION BEGINS AND QUICKLY LEADS TO VIOLENT VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEN BRAKING FROM ANY SIGNIFICANT SPEED (30 + MPH). ESPECIALLY VIOLENT WHEN BRAKING FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO AN EXIT RAMP. I TOOK THE…
- Electrical system
I BOUGHT MY MAZDA 2 NEW FROM RICART MAZDA, AND TAKE IT THERE FOR SERVICE. AS I DRIVE AT A STEADY SPEED, THE TRACTION CONTROL LAMP AND ENGINE LAMPS LIGHT AND STAYS LIT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, I CANNOT ACCELERATE. THE CAR IDLES HIGHER, JUST LESS THAN 2000 RPMS. I MUST TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND RESTART THE ENGINE. ONCE RESTARTED, THE TRACTION CONTROL LAMP IS NO LONGER LIT, BUT THE ENGINE LAMP REMAINS LIT. THE CAR THEN RESPONDS NORMALLY. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TWICE, THEY SAY THE ENGINE CODE IS P2299. THE DEALER (RICART) STATES THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP, I HAD NO PROBLEMS GOING TO WORK (APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES - 2/25/2014). WHEN I LEFT WORK FOR…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled…