Drivers seat feel loose and wiggles. Unknown how it would hold up during a crash.

- Largo, FL, USA

The driver seat began to wobble back and forth while driving the car. The problem is due to a sheet metal piece (approximately 1/8 inch thick) that holds the seat bottom to the seat slide adjustment. The spring retainer had popped off the locating pin allowing the sheet metal to bend and the pin to come out of its retaining hole. I attempted to replace the spring retainer, but the sheet metal snapped due to work hardening. The failure mechanism appears to occur because the sheet metal is stamped during manufacture and a hole approximately 1/2 the width of the sheet metal is punched through the sheet metal drastically reducing its strength. I purchased a new slide mechanism because Mazda does not have a recall or special service program for this failure. However, when I examined the new slide mechanism, I discovered that Mazda has significantly redesigned this part to prevent the type of failure that I experienced. The new piece does not have the punched hole, but instead has a reinforced boss as well as significant amounts of welding to ensure the piece cannot bend or break. My guess is that the new design is at least 100 times more durable than the original design. Obviously, Mazda considered the old design to be substandard. I believe that this should be the subject of a recall to verify that the seat retention has not failed. This is a safety issue because the failure results in only 3 points of retention for the seat and the driver can possibly lose control due to improper restraint in the seat. I can supply pictures of the new design and defective design if you need them. There are two such pieces per seat so the possibility exists for both to fail in sequence creating a more serious safety issue.

- Austin, TX, USA

While driving herd a popping under the drivers seat, the seat then started rocking back in forth. Seat is unsafe to drive. Noticed several other complaints about the exact same thing obviously there is a problem with the weld points on this model. My 3rd Mazda never had any problems with my 1st 2 but the 2010 Mazda 3 quality does not hold up to the previous years.

- Florence, KY, USA

Driver seat is loose and rocks. A piece of metal detached and it looks like very cheap metal and poor welding.

- Merrick, NY, USA

The contact owns a 2010 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that the driver's seat frame became separated from the base. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the technician diagnosed that the seat bracket had fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000 and the current the vehicle was 86,000.

- Lexington, KY, USA

The contact owns a 2010 Mazda3. The contact stated that the driver's seat frame separated from the base. The contact's independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and found a defective welding, which caused the base to separate from the seat. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 60,000 and the current the vehicle was 100,000.

- Chesterfield , MI, USA

Entered the vehicle to go to work. Sat down in the driver's seat, immediately heard a pop and the seat became unsteady (wobbly). After work I looked at the bottom of the seat and saw that a weld broke loose from a bar that stabilizes the seat. It is very disconcerting to the driver while operating the vehicle and may contribute to the possibility of future crashes. The safety of the seat during a crash scenario is compromised.

- Marysville, WA, USA

Driver seat is loose and moves during braking or turning a corner. This can make it hard to control the vehicle. If this would break loose during a crash how would this effect air bag operation.

- Cuyahoga Falls, OH, USA

As I was driving I felt an unease movement of the driver's seat. Suddenly it started a kind of a "rocking chair" movement. Then it felt like something snapped and broke. I move my self forward to keep control of the car and stopped. As soon as I raised my body from the seat I completetly fell backwards. As I looked under the seat there was a piece of metal covered with a clean type of grease or lubricant of about 4" long laying under my seat.

- Barceloneta, PR, USA

Noticed movement/loose drivers seat, took to dealer, said basic warranty had expired, but mileage low so Mazda may cover. Mazda covering part, but not labor. The seat is loose, bracket is cracked that holds seat. Is this a safety issue that should be covered under the safety warranty?

- Foster City, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2010 Mazda 3I. The contact stated that the driver's side seat would independently move back and forth when the contact was driving at any speed. The contact stated that the seat became separated from the base due to defective welding. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 81,160.

- Cicero , NY, USA

Driver side seat appeared to have bad welding on the slider and it snapped. Mazda has denied fixing the faulty seat, citing the warranty being expired.

- Vista, CA, USA

While coming off a turn at 35 mph and braking slightly, there was pop noise and the drivers side seat began to rock back and forth. Once I had an opportunity to check the seat it had appeared that the welding of the seat had snapped and there was a piece of metal that was once part of the track that had snapped clean off. There was not an accident or hard braking. However, this seems to be a defect in the workmanship of the track that the seat sits on or how it is attached.

- King Of Prussia , PA, USA

While driving my Mazda3, came to a stop, upon accelerating my seat began to rock slightly, about a week or so later, came to a stop and upon accelerating my whole seat rocked backwards, to the point I could no longer reach the pedals. Took the car into the dealership and was told the welds that attach the seat to the seat track had broken. The seat is no longer stable and safe to drive. Several calls into Mazda, but getting no where because the car is out of warranty. Obviously the welds connecting the seat to the seat track, and the subsequent breaking of those welds is a manufacturing defect that causes huge safety risks for all drivers of Mazda3S. It is unknown where/when the welds will break.

- East Syracuse, NY, USA

While accelerating from a stop sign I hit a small pot hole and suddenly my seat flew back. The seat broke completely free from the mounting brackets at the two from mounting points. Upon inspection the welds on the mounting bracket snapped clean off. Due to the sudden reclining motion my neck was extremely sore from the sudden and abrupt rearward reclining motion this caused. If this were to happen on the highway to a person who is shorter then myself, loss of the control of the vehicle is very possible. Once I was able to reach my destination I notified Mazda who claims they have never heard of such a problem. Upon further searching the internet I found many other Mazda 3 owners are having the very same issues. I purchased the car brand new in July of 2009 and it has been maintained. I have not had any other issues with the vehicle.

- South Bend, IN, USA

The vehicle involved is a 2010 Mazda Mazda3. I sat in the front drivers seat and felt the drivers seat shift backwards. From that point on the seat was unsteady and rocked forward and backward depending on which I was doing, accelerating or breaking. Upon examination, it was found that the weld on the seat bracket had broken. In my opinion, this is a very unusual break and could be very hazardous if it happens upon braking. This issue happened on 03/15/13.

- New Fairfield, CT, USA

The contact owns a 2010 Mazda Mazda3. The contact stated that the driver's side plastic height adjuster for the seat broke, causing the seat to move whenever the contact completed a turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the height adjuster needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 47,000.

- Haltom City , TX, USA

From the start my drivers seat was loose. I have taken it to the dealer and each time the problem was not solved, the replaced the track assembly, tightened things up and after a few hundred miles the problem returned. On the day of my accident, I was stopped at light and was the car behind me. A different car smashed through the car behind me causing that vehicle to hit me from behind and forcing me into the car in front of me. No air bags deployed and no one was hurt. After the incident, I got back into my car and the seat rocked as if it was a rocking chair. Driving the car home, the seat rocked to every bump in the road. I have reason to believe if I was impacted with higher force the seat would have came loose from the base.

- Royal Oak, MI, USA

I was driving along and felt the drivers seat shift backwards. From that point on the seat was unsteady and moved forward and backward depending on which I was doing, accelerating or breaking. Upon examination, it was found that the weld on the seat bracket had broken. In my opinion, this is a very unusual break and could be very hazardous if it happens upon braking.

- Houston, TX, USA

Drivers side seat broke at welded attachment point to adjuster rail

- Decatur, AL, USA