The Lemon Index
Mazda's 2.3 L turbo inline-4, DOHC in the Mazdaspeed6, CX-7 turbo and Mazdaspeed3, model years 2006–2013. YouTube likes the 2006 best.
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone 48/100, #85 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); 1 engine-related recall on record, 1 known issue listed below.
Everyday cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
- Mazda3 Mazdaspeed32007200820092010201120122013
- Mazda CX-7 turbo200720082009201020112012
- Mazda6 Mazdaspeed620062007
Model years from EPA version lists. Only years we have a car page for.
Reliability by year
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2006 (49) and least about the 2009 (47); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Mazdaspeed6 | 0 | 49 (43 videos) | 0 |
| 2007 | CX-7 turbo, Mazdaspeed3, Mazdaspeed6 | 38 | 49 (144 videos) | 2 |
| 2008 | Mazdaspeed3, CX-7 turbo | 33 | 49 (116 videos) | 1 |
| 2009 | CX-7 turbo, Mazdaspeed3 | 4 | 47 (116 videos) | 1 |
| 2010 | Mazdaspeed3, CX-7 turbo | 32 | 49 (120 videos) | 2 |
| 2011 | Mazdaspeed3, CX-7 turbo | 5 | 47 (117 videos) | 2 |
| 2012 | Mazdaspeed3, CX-7 turbo | 6 | 48 (118 videos) | 1 |
| 2013 | Mazdaspeed3 | 3 | 49 (117 videos) | 1 |
Recalls on cars with this engine 5
1 of them is about the engine, fuel, cooling or powertrain. They come first.
07V295000 Engine And Engine Cooling · Mazda MAZDASPEED3 2007
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE NO. 4 LEFT SIDE ENGINE MOUNT BOLT MAY LOOSEN IF A SUDDEN RAPID ACCELERATION IS REPEATEDLY PERFORMED.
17V082000 Seats · Mazda MAZDASPEED3 2010–11
In the affected vehicles, the seat height adjustment lifter links may break or detach from the seat frame and the seat angle may incline causing.
16V644000 Structure · Mazda MAZDASPEED3 2010–13
11V329000 Visibility · Mazda MAZDASPEED3 2008–09
MAZDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 MAZDA3 AND MAZDASPEED3 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JANUARY 7, 2008, THROUGH NOVEMBER 28, 2008.
07V052000 Equipment · Mazda MAZDASPEED3 2007
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL ACCESSORY ALL WEATHER FLOOR MATS, THERE IS INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE FLOOR MAT AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
NHTSA recalls by model and year. A recall counts here when every confirmed version of that model-year had this engine, or the recall names it. Check a car's VIN for its own open recalls.
Engine problems Mazda told dealers about
Mazda sent dealers 16 repair notes about the engine on these cars, including:
- Some vehicles may experience the check engine light on with dtc p0300:00 (random misfire detected) stored in…
- Some vehicles may have a MIL illumination with DTC's P0441, P0442, P0455, or P0456 stored in memory
- Determining evaporative system leak location for dtcs p0441, p0442, p0455, p0455
NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins), matched by model name and year like the complaints, engine-related ones only. A repair note is not a recall: ask a seller whether it was done.
Known issues on record
- Revised in 2010: cylinder head, faster engine computer, timing-chain tension and turbo seals. Source
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Mazdaspeed6 6 · Mazda6, every year | 2006–07 |
| Mazda CX-7 turbo CX-7 2WD, CX-7 4WD · Mazda CX-7, every year | 2007–12 |
| Mazdaspeed3 3, Speed 3 · Mazda3, every year | 2007–13 |
Engine code: L3-VDT (DISI turbo). Power: 263 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Mazda L engine.
Quick answers
What cars have the Mazda L3-VDT 2.3 turbo engine?
In the US: the Mazdaspeed6, Mazda CX-7 turbo, Mazdaspeed3, model years 2006–2013. See the version table for each one.
Is the Mazda L3-VDT 2.3 turbo reliable?
Mostly, with known issues to check. YouTube owner tone 48/100, #85 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); 1 engine-related recall on record, 1 known issue listed below. Owners filed 121 complaints we can tie to it, about any part of the car. Its cars had 5 recalls (1 about the engine, fuel or powertrain). Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the Mazda L3-VDT 2.3 turbo make?
263 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.