Discover Vancouver

I own a Mazda 3 and for any owners who does not know yet, your car is prone to break and enter without smashing any glass or tampering with the key hole. I'm not gonna say how your car can get unlocked but just be aware and always keep valuables NOT in your car. My car got broken into and I lost a pair of $400+ sunglasses, I never felt so stupid in my life and so angry. Other than this I love this car.

Now I gotta deal with ICBC ugh..

Tell us how it's done!

I don't want to for the protection of all Mazda 3 owners, even myself. I heard many stories... many mazda 3's near where I parked got broken into.. also some guy on the bcmazda3 forum mentioned that in his parkade, all mazda3's got broken into.  The theft even stole my deodorant and CD's. Next time I'm gonna park my car in the east side coz that's where it got broken into, no offense to the east siders, and i'll be waiting on the side with a bat.

But you're saying half a story here.

If anyone has criminal intentions they'll find this stuff out anyway.  For the worried mazda 3 owners reading this they'll want to do something to protect their car, but they won't yet know what the problem is...

Lets just say Mazda Canada will not do anything to fix this problem until it does happen to your car. So in other words, there's nothing much you can do except park in a well lit area, remove all valuables, try not to park on the streets late at night if you have a garage. Installing an aftermarket alarm would help, it would just make them loot faster and hopefullly u can come out fast enough to beat the living daylights out of them.

Well I have a good security system in my car and I live in a decent area with little crime, so I am not too worried about my mazda 3 being broken into.

What year is your's Jay?

"But you're saying half a story here.

If anyone has criminal intentions they'll find this stuff out anyway.  For the worried mazda 3 owners reading this they'll want to do something to protect their car, but they won't yet know what the problem is..."


I disagree with this statement. I work in the lock industry & bumping has been done for years & no one knew. Now its come out on the news "for your protection" & everyone now knows & is trying to figure it out.

The vulnerable people are to cheap or think it couldnt happen to them so they dont fix it but some JD is also paying attention & he or she will pursue it.

I think your correct to keep it hush. Really concerned Mazda owners will take it upon themselves to do further research.

Who the heck would buy a Mazda? Mazda 3 is just another Protege which is another Ford platform car. Nothing amazing. Mazda 3 = Poor man's BMW 3 series.

Well, thanks for letting evryone know about the security flaw. I suppose there will be a few more mazdas out there with dented passenger doors.

It doesn't take Sherlock to do a google search!

Interesting vulnerability...and yes Google is your friend.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/19/mazda3-may-be-vulnerable-to-break-ins/

Sorry about your $400 sunglasses. Mine were $15, and the difference between you and me is i still got my $385.

I guess nobody's mentioned the fact that you can also access the rear hatch release cable through the rear wheel well. It doesn't make as much noise and doesn't do any damage to the vehicle itself.

I just thought I would mention that to save the car owners from having to pay an insurance deductable.

I live in Calgary and recently over the past 3 weeks my Mazda 3 has been broken into once a week.  In my case however, there are no signs of forced entry and no dents on the doors.  In my case it looks like the theif had a remote key and has been letting themselves in that way.  There has been no dammage to my car.  Though some stuff from inside my car was stolen.  Last night someone broke in between when I got home and after dinner when I went out to get my gym bag.  However they're getting in, it's quick and easy.  And I don't believe it's the method described in most of these posts.  I'm going to install a car alarm system now (I thought the GT models came with one, but apparently it's not good enough).  Does anyone know of any good security systems they could recommend?  I have a manual transmission and previously when I wanted to get a remote car starter there were some issues getting around the manual transmission, so I'm not sure if this is a problem installing security systems as well?..

there was something on TV about this... mazda are aware of the problems, and apparently they will fix it if you take your car to them and complain...

mazdas are pieces of shyt anyway, stick with toyota, nissan and hondas or lexus, infinitis and acuras...

my gf's car got broken into a couple weeks ago. after getting the car repaired, we went to mazda and they put in a steel plate that supposedly fixes this vulnerability. i asked why they didnt do a recall. i forget what the guy said. i wasnt really listening because i suspected he would bs and the real reason is because they're too cheap. he did say that enough ppl have complained that if you bring ur car in, they'll fix it.

the shitty thing is that even if you do get it fixed, there's no way to tell. so lowlifes would still probably try to break into ur car. they wont be able to get in but they can still cause a lotta damage which will leave u on the hook for the deductible. well done mazda

Guess what??!!  The damn plate doesnt work.  The thieves just have to hit the door area harder and presto, the freaken door locks unlock.  Time for a class action lawsuit against Mazda.  Unfortunately, a lot of the pretty boyz at the local mazda forum are against going after their lovely mazda corporation.

shit thats not good. did that happen to u, meh2?

yeah, i had to get an alarm now. more $$

that blows monkey balls. i dont know why insurance companies dont go after mazda. we have to pay the $300 deductible but it cost over $800 to repair the car

Kristen,

I'm also in Calgary and I thought originally someone had a remote key to break in to my Mazda. But then I noticed there are a couple slight dents above the door handle, look in the right light and you might see them also. I think a car alarm is useless. I video taped a break in this morning and it took the guy 20 secs from the time he got out of his car to him leaving. I'm not sure at 5:30 in the morning I'll be able to grab the guy. Granted if the issue happens will your awake and the alarm goes off then might have a chance. 

I wonder what it is about Calgary and Mazda 3s. Alot of people including myslef have had a bad experience taking our 3s to Calgary.

Spacedan

Posted - 4/20/2007 12:01:29 PM Kristen, I'm also in Calgary and I thought originally someone had a remote key to break in to my Mazda. But then I noticed there are a couple slight dents above the door handle, look in the right light and you might see them also. I think a car alarm is useless. I video taped a break in this morning and it took the guy 20 secs from the time he got out of his car to him leaving. I'm not sure at 5:30 in the morning I'll be able to grab the guy. Granted if the issue happens will your awake and the alarm goes off then might have a chance.

Wrong.  It is not useless.  If the MF sees a 3 with an alarm and one without, who's he going to attack?  Right.  The alarm is only a deterrent.  It won't stop anyone from breaking-in but if they do break in, the alarm will attrack noise.  That's better then nothing.   And you will know that your car has been broken into.  That's all an alarm is, is a deterrant.  If you think that way, then leave your doors unlocked.  The price of an alarm with install is the cost of one ICBC deductable if you have the lowest. 

Kristen,

My Mazda stock alarm did go off during one incident and he still got in and out. I've found most people find alarms as just a nuisance with the noise they create. I realize it is a deterrent, just not sure for the price if it will help me. If I spend $1000 on a great alarm and they're still breaking into my car then that's a waste of my money. If it does deter them then it's a good use of my money. From the video of my car being broken into I don't think an alarm would've deterred him as it only took him 20secs. Get an alarm and let us know if the hits on your 3 stop, if it does I'd consider getting one (to add to my stock alarm).

Spacedan

Posted - 4/20/2007 12:54:32 PM Kristen, My Mazda stock alarm did go off during one incident and he still got in and out. I've found most people find alarms as just a nuisance with the noise they create. I realize it is a deterrent, just not sure for the price if it will help me. If I spend $1000 on a great alarm and they're still breaking into my car then that's a waste of my money. If it does deter them then it's a good use of my money. From the video of my car being broken into I don't think an alarm would've deterred him as it only took him 20secs. Get an alarm and let us know if the hits on your 3 stop, if it does I'd consider getting one (to add to my stock alarm).

That where you made a your  mistake.  Spending $1000 on alarm.  Your expectations were way tooooo high.  That's why you say alarms are a waste of money.  You shouldnt have paid more than  $300 but you got one with all the bells and whistles when it wasnt any more efficient than a basic one.

 And if anyone is adamant on getting in to your car, they will.  Clearly, you had something they wanted or it may have been someone you pissed off.  It's frustrating yes, but having an alarm IS better than NOT having one.  Besides, it makes no difference if people don't pay attention to the alarm, it attracts attention one way or another and it spooks the thief.  If he's that's determined, your fckued anyways.

I have a stock alarm from Mazda. I had looked at an aftermarket one to supplement the sotck and found the more expensive ones are the only ones with the 2 way paging (I want to know when the alarm goes off if I'm not near it).

I don't think it was something specific they wanted from my car as I don't leave anything in view and for the first time I happened to leave my ipod in my glove box. That was the first time. The next 5 times I've had nothing of value in the car (just a pen and a map). The MF's just see a 3 and see it as easy pickings. I saw another 3 around my neighbourhood with the same door dent. The 3's are just an easy target. As of yesterday I got  a nice dent on my passenger side door, the dumb MF didn't know the method doesn't work on the GT models on that side. So i got a nice dent for nothing....lol it's really just frustrating....

Spacedan

Posted - 4/21/2007 9:19:26 AM I have a stock alarm from Mazda. I had looked at an aftermarket one to supplement the sotck and found the more expensive ones are the only ones with the 2 way paging (I want to know when the alarm goes off if I'm not near it).

Too bad.  You don't need the 2 way paging.  Are you a Rambo kinda guy?  

But, try not to bitter about it.  Who knows how many times you could've already been broken into and your very expensive alarm saved you.

meh2:

nah, not a 'Rambo kinda guy' and I don't need to be. 2 way would be nice to be alerted in the middle of the night and get a shot of his license plate. Don't assume everyone who wants 2-way is a 'rambo kinda guy'!

Hey peeps, I just learned today that the reason my car had a little dent on it was due to a break in. I was wondering where my sunglasses and Helly Hanson coat went off too. You bastard if I catch you I can guarantee you i'll arrest you myself and excort you downtown in person.

Mazda says that the alarm system that comes with the car will not help you at all, not sure if purchasing an alarm would help either.

Calgary Sheriff

it happened to one of my coworkers too. same story, she came to her car in the morning and all her cds and sunglasses were gone but the car was still locked and no windows were broken...clever trick but a lotta ppl are gonna get screwed 

yep same thing happend to my friends she parked her car left her laptop just to grab a coffee she was gone for 10mins to starbucks come back her stuff was all gone but no break in or dents nothing.