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2023 MAZDA MAZDA3 — STEERING

crash1 injured · 2169033 · 2026-01-22

Vehicle

Make
MAZDA
Model
MAZDA3
Year
2023
Manufacturer
Mazda Motor Corp.
Component
STEERING
Speed
60 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
Yes
Vehicle towed
Yes

Narrative

On 14th, 2026, while traveling at approximately 60 mph on the northbound 55 Freeway near the Katella exit, my vehicle suddenly began to shake violently without any prior warning. In response, I attempted to slow down by applying the brakes; however, the speedometer rapidly increased even as I maintained firm pressure on the brake pedal. Immediately afterward, the vehicle pulled sharply to the left, causing a complete loss of steering control and resulting in a collision with the center median barrier. Despite the force of the impact, the airbags did not deploy, raising additional concerns about potential safety system failures. At no point before the incident were there warning lights, alerts, or indications of mechanical or electronic issues. The vehicle had also undergone its regularly scheduled maintenance at the Tustin Mazda dealership on January 2nd, 2026, just prior to the accident. Given the sudden shaking, unintended acceleration, loss of braking effectiveness, steering failure, and non‑deployment of airbags, I believe this incident may involve one or more manufacturer defects affecting critical safety systems. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this matter. I also believe the vehicle’s Event Data Recorder (EDR) may contain information relevant to identifying the root cause of these failures.

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
11712753
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown