WHEN CAR IS STARTED AFTER NOT USED FOR SEVERAL HOURS, THE AIR BAG LIGHT DISPLAYS CONTINUOUSLY DURING START PERIOD BUT THEN CHANGES TO BLINKING. CONTINUES BLINKING UNTIL CAR IS STOPPED AND IGNITION TURNED OFF. WHEN CAR IS IMMEDIATELY STARTED AGAIN, LIGHT TURNS OFF AFTER INITIAL START PERIOD, AS EXPECTED, BLINKING DOES NOT RE-OCCUR UNTIL CAR HASN'T BEEN RUN FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE BEING STARTED AGAIN. CAR IS NOT USED DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
1992 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Owners filed 22 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. No safety recall has been issued.
| Component | Reports | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | |
| Visibility › Glass, Side/Rear | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Tires › Sidewall | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Electrical System › Ignition | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Visibility › Rearview Mirrors/Devices › Exterior | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What owners reported
Newest filingsTAKATA RECALL MY 1992 MAZDA MIATA'S AIRBAG LIGHT IS FLASHING ON THE DASH, AND THERE IS A SOFT BEEP HEARD,WHICH IS INTERMITTENT. THE FLASHING STARTS AS SOON AS THE CAR IS STARTED, AND IT CONTINUES WHILE IN MOTION. THERE IS A PAUSE BETWEEN A SERIES OF AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHES. THE BEEP IS SOFT AND STARTED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING; HOWEVER, NOW THE BEEPING IS HEARD ALONG WITH THE AIRBAG FLASHING LIGHT. THE CAR IS IN GREAT CONDITION AND LOOKS LIKE A NEW CAR. IT IS KEPT GARAGED. IT WAS IN A SLIGHT ACCIDENT WHEN TWO CARS IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES. I TRIED TO TURN AROUND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND THAT CAR TURNED AROUND THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME. I HIT THE CAR WITH MY RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT. THE AIR BAG DID NOT EMPLOY.
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN A PEDESTRIAN DARTED OUT INTO A CROSSWALK. THE FIRST CAR SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS. THE CAR BEHIND IT SLAMMED ON THEIR BREAKS, AND I WAS THE CAR BEHIND THE SECOND CAR. I TRIED TO AVOID THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, BUT MY CAR DID NOT STOP IN TIME. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON A SIDE STREET. I HAD MY SEATBELT FASTENED. MY NOSE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND STARTED TO BLEED PROFUSELY. I WENT TO EMERGENCY, AND THEY ADVISED ME TO SEE MY DOCTOR FOR A CHECKUP. THE DOCTOR ORDERED AN X-RAY OF MY NOSE. I HAVE A TINY FRACTURE AND CONTUSION, WHICH LED TO TWO VERY BLACK EYES AND SWELLING. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND TO MY FACE. THE AIRBAG DID NOT INFLATE.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT UNLATCHED SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED, BUT THE CONTACT PLANNED TO NOTIFY THEM SOON. UPDATED 10/4/2006 - REPLACEMENT BELT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *NM
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHING [6 FLASHES] SINCE EARLY 2003. FOUR REQUESTS AT DEALER REPAIR SHOPS HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS/REPAIR. 1992 MAZDA MX-5 [MIATA]. *JB
CONSUMER STATES WHILE HE WAS DRIVING ALONG ABOUT 45-50 MPH DUNLAP TIRE S/P SPORT A2 SIZE 185 60 14 COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE INSIDE OF THE SIDEWALL ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE. THIS CAUSED HIM TO LOSE CONTROL, AND RUN INTO A SMALL DITCH. HE STATED THAT THESE TIRES WERE JUST PURCHASED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND HAVE ONLY ABOUT 7500 MILES ON THEM. THIS WAS A DEFECT, BUT THE PLACE WHERE HE PURCHASED THE TIRES CHARGED HIM TO REPLACE THIS TIRE.*AK
ON JUNE 28, 2003 A FRIEND AND I WERE DRIVING TO LAKE GENEVA ILL. WHEN MY LEFT REAR TIRE INSIDE WALL SEPERATED FROM THE TIRE COMPLETELY. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING ON THE ROAD THE TIRE WHEN IT BLEW OUT MADE ME LOSE CONTROL AND I WENT INTO A SMALL DITCH.*AK I CHANGED TO THE MINI SPARE AND WENT HOME. I CONTACTED DUNLOP ABOUT THE TIRE AND THEY SAID THAT SINCE THE TIRE HAD A PATCH ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE THAT THE SIDE WALL SEPERATED BECAUSE OF THE PATCH, THE PATCH IS LOCATED ON THE TREAD AREA ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. I CONTACTED THE PERSON THAT SOLD ME THE TIRES AND HE SAID THAT MANUFACTURES PUT PATCHS IN TIRES SO THEY WILL HAVE BETTER BALANCE. DUNLOP SAID THAT THEY WILL GIVE ME A NEW TIRE IF I PAY THE STORE $33.00 PLUS MOUNTING AND BALANCING. I TOLD THEM THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT AT NO COST TO ME, THEY SAID THATS THE ONLY OFFER THAT THEY WILL GIVE TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. MY CAR IS ONLY DRIVEN IN THE SUMMER TIME, AND IS PUT AWAY IN THE WINTER ON BLOCKS AND UNDER A COVER. THE MILES ON THIS 92 MIATA ARE ONLY 39,000 MILES, THE MILES ON THE TIRES ARE ABOUT 7,000 MILES. I FEEL THAT I'M ENTITLED TO A REPLACEMENT AT NO CHARGE, BECAUSE THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE.
MR
THE OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY CAME OFF THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTED THAT A METAL WASHER OR MOUNTING WAS RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE MIRROR TO COME OFF. NLM
CONSUMERS HEARD A WHINNING SOUND. TOOK OFF AT LIGHT IN 1ST GEAR & IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE, LIKE GRINDING METAL. DEALER DETERMINED DIFFERENTIALS WENT OUT IN THE REAR END. *AK
BACK WINDOW WASTURNING BROWN. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE BACK WINDOW. TOO VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID WINDOW HAD DARKENED BECAUSE OF THE SUN. *AK
REAR WINDOW HAS TURNED BROWN, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE BACK WINDOW, AND FELT THAT IT WAS VERY UNSAFE TO BE DRIVING UNDER SUCH CONDITION. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THAT THE DARKNESS WAS COMING FROM THE SUN. *AK
CONSUMER HAS A DIFFICULT TIME FASTENING SEAT BELT., ALSO, AT TIMES SEAT BELTS COME UNDONE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT GETS VERY TIGHT, MAKING IT VERY IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE ANY TYPE OF MOVEMENT WHEN DRIVING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK
AIR BAG SENSOR CORRODED.
DISTRIBUTOR CAP WIRES WORE OUT PREMATURELY.
WHILE DRIVING,THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BECOME DETACHED FROM THE BELT BUCKLE.*AK
SPARK PLUG WIRES BLEW OUT AT 30,300 MILES. TT
FRONT BRAKES SQUEAL. *DH
EXCESSIVE FORCE REQUIRED TO REMOVE SHOP INSTALLED LOCKING LUG NUT, CAUSING IT TO BREAK. *DSH
20 of 22 complaints, reproduced as filed.
Across model years
Worst on record: 1999| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Deaths | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2004 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2003 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | Routine |
| 2002 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 2001 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 2000 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Routine |
| 1999 | 74 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1997 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
| 1996 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1995 | 30 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Routine |
| 1994 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1993 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1992 — this page | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1991 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Routine |
| 1990 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Routine |
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.
Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.