Mazda bulletin 02-003-23
What it saysSome customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Mazda filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Oct 17, 2023, received Nov 1, 2023, about the suspension. It names 17 model years (2016–2024). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationSome customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. In most cases the oil that is present is normal, and a result of the oil that remains on the shaft during the normal sweeping process of the shaft seal. Follow the inspection guidelines below to determine if the condition is a result of the normal sweeping process or a failure of the shaft seal.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02-003-23 | Service bulletin | Oct 17, 2023 | 10244671 | PDF, 359 KB |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 17 model years this bulletin names have filed 2,159 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 8 of them name Suspension — the same broad component group this bulletin is filed under. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so that means the same area of the vehicle, not necessarily the same fault.
Structural bolt (p#: 9-YA01-1401-A) connecting the lower control arm assembly to subframe has rusted apart. The head of the bolt was found in my driveway, otherwise there would be no indication of this potentially catastrophic failure. Vehicle is only 3 years old, was a cpo purchase, and has just 55k miles. Underbody is clean of rust.
2023 Mazda CX-9 · Suspension · filed with NHTSA Sep 29, 2026 · ODI 11767718
I purchased this vehicle with 19K miles on July 31, 2020. I noticed on April 12, 2022, that there was a knocking noise coming from the left front suspension after leaving a Mazda dealership for an oil change. I called Mazda service and was told they only did an oil change.
2017 Mazda CX-9 · Suspension · filed with NHTSA Jul 16, 2022 · ODI 11474277
The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and turning, there was a popping sound coming from the front end of the vehicle. The front-end popping sound also occurred while driving over bumps in the roadway.
2021 Mazda CX-9 · Suspension · filed with NHTSA Oct 1, 2024 · ODI 11617410
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the suspension
Source: same model, same component group3 other manufacturer communications filed against these Mazda models under the same component group (suspension), newest first.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SA-051-25 | Service bulletin | Nov 8, 2025 | Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) Diagnostic Guidelines Diagnostic Guidelines When diagnosing NVH concerns, it is essential to first cla… |
| SA-013-24 | Service bulletin | Feb 16, 2024 | Some vehicles may exhibit a steering shimmy or body vibration during the PDI test drive or during the first few miles of driving after the v… |
| SA-044-23 | Service bulletin | Jul 28, 2023 | Some customers have reported experiencing a one-time popping or clunking sound while driving their vehicle. The noise is most noticeable whe… |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Mazda, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Mazda 02-003-23 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the 02-003-23 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way. Every Mazda warranty extension on file lists the ones Mazda has filed.
Which vehicles does 02-003-23 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 17 model years: 2024 Mazda CX-5, 2023 Mazda CX-5, 2022 Mazda CX-5, 2021 Mazda CX-5, 2020 Mazda CX-5, 2019 Mazda CX-5 and more. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.