1998 Mazda Mpv

Routine

Owners filed 19 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags › frontal. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System3
010
Air Bags › Frontal3
304
Steering2
010
Visibility › Windshield1
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Tires › Tread/Belt1
000
Suspension › Rear › Springs › Air Suspension System1
000
Suspension › Rear1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip1
100
Seat Belts1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Electrical System › Ignition › Switch15V674000
Filed Oct 19, 20151,368,500 vehiclesMazda North American Operations

Defect. Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.

Risk. If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

Remedy. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System
Filed Apr 28, 2016100,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA MPV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEY FAILED TO TURN IN THE IGNITION SWITCH INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORST. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR MONTHS AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Electrical System
Filed Jan 28, 2016217,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA MPV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION SWITCH STARTED TO EMIT SMOKE AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 217,000.

EngineFire
Filed Jan 14, 2016300,000 milesSC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 MAZDA MVP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300,000.

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jan 8, 2016101,000 milesMD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA MVP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE IGNITION BEGAN TO SMOKE. NO FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE FLAMES. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 101,000.

Seat Belts
Filed Nov 12, 2010154,162 milesMI

BOLT HOLDING THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH SNAPPED IN TWO AND LEFT THE LATCH HANGING FREE. *TR

SteeringFire
Filed Jan 21, 2009113,000 milesMT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA MPV WAGON. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR PROVIDE A REMEDY. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE FLAMES. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF RETRIEVING A REPORT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 113,000.

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Sep 8, 2007107,845 milesFL

TRAVELING 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 275 NORTH OF TAMPA, FLORIDA AT 10:30 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2006 WHEN THE TREAD SEPARATED ON A NEARLY NEW (6 WEEK OLD) FIRESTONE TIRE. I NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SKIDDING SIDEWAYS TO THE LEFT AND THEN TO THE RIGHT, ALMOST OVER TURNING BEFORE BEING ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I ALSO ALMOST COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE SEPARATING TREAD HIT THE LEFT BACK WHEEL WELL, TEARING OUT THE WHEEL WELL COVER, DAMAGING THE BACK BUMPER BEYOND REPAIR AND DAMAGING THE FRONT OF THE WHEEL WELL COVER AND LEFT BACK PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL WAS CALLED AND A TROOPER KEPT HIS VEHICLE BEHIND ME WITH HIS EMERGENCY LIGHTS FLASHING WHILE I CHANGED THE TIRE BUT HE DID NOT WRITE A REPORT. REPAIRS WILL HAVE TO BE MADE. *JB

Steering
Filed Jul 11, 2005137,000 milesCT

(1) IT WAS RAINING. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AT AS THE HIGHWAY TURNED SLIGHTLY. (2) WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL THERE WAS A DELAY FOR THE WHEELS TO RESPOND. CONSEQUENTLY, I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE WHEEL TURNED, THEN I TURNED THE WHEEL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 5 TIMES. AS I SLOWED DOWN TO BELOW MINIMUM HIGHWAY SPEED, I FINALLY GAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. (3) I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE & HAVE DONE NOTHING SO FAR EXCEPT TO CALL MAZDA, AS I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jan 3, 200466,000 milesCA

PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WITH ONLY 66,000 HIGHWAY MILES, TRANSMISSION STARTING SLIPPING.VEHICLE HAS TRANSMISSION COOLER AS PART OF FACTORY TOWING PACKAGE.*AK

Visibility › Windshield
Filed Mar 19, 2003NH

CRACKED FRONT WINDSHIELD : A CRACK DEVELOPED AT THE BOTTOM CENTER. NO SIGN OF AN OBJECT HITTING IT. IT IS SYMMETRICAL, STRAIGHT UP APPROX. 2" AN ARC THEN STRAIGHT ACROSS 6-8" THEN AN ARC AND STRAIGHT DOWN. THE CRACK IS SMOOTH AND STRAIGHT. *NLM

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 7, 2001CA

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE INTO DEALER A FEW TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Sep 5, 2001MI

WE DO NOT FEEL THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE FOWLERERS WHEN IT IS PART OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER 50,000 MILE AND THE INSERVICE DATE IS 5-29-1998. ITS ONLY 3 MONTHS AFTER THE FACTORY WARRANTY. WHICK MEANS IT WAS PROBLAY BAD AT THE TIME IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. WE HAD ONLY HAD IT 2 WEEKS BEFORE WE HEARD TAPPING COMING FROM THE ENGINE,. WE TOOK IT TO ROSE CITY MOTORS AND THEY TOLD US IT WAS BAD FOWLERS AND MAZDA SAID WE SHOULD REPLACE ALL FOWLERERS WHICK COST 1,500.00 DOLLARS. THEY ARE WILL TO ONLY CHARGE US HALF. WE DO NOT CONSIDER THIS AS FAIR. THE ENGINE IS A MAJOR PART OF A VEHICLE. ITS SCARY TO THINK YOUR BUYING A GOOD VEHICLE AND SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE MOTOR ALREADY.*AK

Air Bags › FrontalCrash
Filed Jun 18, 2001NY

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CUT IN FRONT OF HIM. CONSUMER HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE ON THE SIDE. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN FRONT END CRASH. NO INJURIES. *AK *JB

Air Bags › FrontalCrash3 injured
Filed Nov 27, 2000TX

WHEN VAN WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS.

Suspension › Rear
Filed Aug 16, 2000NJ

REAR ANTI-SWAY BAR BRACKETS SNAPPED OFF (BOTH) FROM REAR AXLE HOUSING - MAZDA SERVICE REFERRED TO AUTO BODY - DETERMINED BY AUTO BODY THEY WERE NOT WELDED ENTIRE LENGTH OF BRACKET (ENGINEERING/PRODUCTION OVERSIGHT) - MAZDA CONSUMER COMPLIANCE HAS DENIED RESPONSIBILITY

Suspension › Rear › Springs › Air Suspension System
Filed Jan 27, 2000FL

WITH THE TOW PACKAGE, THE OPTIONAL FEATURE LOAD LEVER WHICH IS USED BY AN AIR PUMP FAILED, CAUSING THE REAR SUSPENSION TO DROP AND MISALIGN. THIS MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. ALSO REAR PASSENGER SEATBELT DOES NOT "RECOIL" PROPERLY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipCrash
Filed Dec 21, 1999TX

ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, VAN STARTED ROLLING FORWARD AND HIT A COMMERICAL TRUCK TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH. VAN WAS TOTALLED. ALSO, AIR BAGS FAILED TO INFLATE. *AK

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Feb 3, 1999CA

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE, CAUSING A REAR-END COLLISION. NO WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON DASHBOARD. VEHICLE BEHIND ME NOTED REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ON. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Air Bags
Filed Feb 1, 1999CA

AIRBAG SENSOR FAILED ONE DAY AFTER PURCHASE. MJS

19 of 19 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200612200Do not drive
200536300Do not drive
200471510Do not drive
2003113420Routine
2002124450Routine
200170320Routine
2000149530Routine
19992000Routine
1998 — this page19130Routine
199722130Routine
199618100Routine
199519100Routine
199436100Routine
199351130Routine
199261100Routine
199166310Routine
199047330Routine

Compare every Mpv year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Oct 19, 2015. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.