1996 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Routine

Owners filed 29 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags14
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline2
000
Air Bags › Frontal2
000
Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs1
000
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal1
000
Tires › Sidewall1
000
Structure › Body1
000
Steering1
100
Power Train › Automatic Transmission1
000
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Air Bags
Filed Sep 12, 202378,000 milesWA

The contact owns a 1996 Mazda MX-5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the failure was due to the Takata air bag module. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

Air Bags
Filed Jul 15, 2021100,000 milesCA

The contact owns a 1996 MAZDA Miata. The contact stated that the air bag warning lights was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed but not yet repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Air Bags
Filed Sep 14, 20206,969 milesCA

WHEN ENGINE IS STARTED, AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON

SteeringCrash
Filed Apr 4, 2020MO

THE VIN IS FOR MY 1996 MAZDA MIATA. MY COMPLAINT IS THE M291 GOING WEST BOUND TO 350 HIGHWAY IN RAYTOWN THAT VEERS TO THE WEST. THE EXIT, SEEMS TO DANGEROUS WITH CONCRETE BLOCKS SEPERATING LANES. MY SECOND INQUIRY IS A POSSIBLE CAR WRECK THAT MY DAUGHTER, [XXX] MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN. SHE DROVE A GREEN AND BLACK MUSTANG FORD CONVERTIBLE. WE LIVE APART AND AS SHE IS A YOUNG ADULT LIKE MOST, AS A MOTHER, I DON'T GET ENOUGH INFO, SOMETIMES. 2006 FOUND ME WITNESSING HER CAR OR ONE THAT LOOKED LIKE IT OVERTURNED ON 350 HIGHWAY GOING WESTBOUND ON THE CLOVERLEAF TO M291/470 HIGHWAY. AN AMBULANCE WAS THERE AND THE PASSENGER, HER FRIEND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. I HAVE SEEN HER SINCE THEN, SO OBVIOUSLY SHE SEEMS ALRIGHT AND SAFE, HOWEVER, I WOULD SURE BE APPRECIATIVE IF SOMEONE COULD FOLLOW UP ON THAT IF ANYTHING SEEMS ASKEW. HER ADDRESS AT THE TIME WAS [XXX] WHERE SHE LIVED WITH HER OWN FATHER, [XXX]. HER DATE OF BIRTH IS 1/29/89. I AM [XXX]- OF [XXX]. MY DRIVER'S LICENSE # IS [XXX]. THANK YOU. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Air Bags
Filed Mar 7, 2018MD

TAKATA RECALL. AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON CONTINUOUSLY AFTER TURNING ENGINE ON, NEVER GOES OFF. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW, AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER. DEALER SAID THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED ON ANY RECALLS. I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE LATE 1995 MODELS, BUT NOT THE EARLY 1996 ONES. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST ME $900 TO $1000 TO FIX. AT THAT TIME, IT HAD TO REMAIN UNFIXED, AND THE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON CONTINUOUSLY SINCE. I AM STILL APPREHENSIVE WHEN I TURN THE KEY AND DRIVE IT.

Air Bags
Filed May 23, 201764,000 milesMN

AIR BAG COMES ON AND STAYS ON AFTER STARTING VEHICLE. DIAGNOSTIC CODE INDICATES SRS MODULE IS AT FAULT OR COULD BE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION PER DEALER. DEALER INDICATED SRS MODULE IS NOT AVAILABLE EVEN IF IT IS DETERMINED AS THE FAILURE AFTER REMOVING DASH TO ACCESS MODULE. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 64, 000 MILES. VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS SAFETY INSPECTION IN SOME STATES WHICH MAKES A MINT CAR WORTHLESS AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

Air Bags
Filed Mar 17, 201753,000 milesVA

WHEN I START MY CAR, ALL THE INDICATOR LIGHTS COME ON BRIEFLY AND THEN GO OUT - BRAKES, ABS, SEAT BELT, OIL, ETC. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ALSO COMES ON, AS IT SHOULD. BUT THEN IT STAYS ON AND DOES NOT GO OUT. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A FAULTY AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE, WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. BUT THEY THEN TOLD ME THAT MAZDA NO LONGER MAKES THIS PART AND THAT IT IS NOT AVAILABLE. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY UNLESS THE MODULE IS REPLACED AND THAT IT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION IN VIRGINIA.

Air Bags
Filed Jun 29, 201639,500 milesGA

THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AT START AND STAYS ON. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS THE BACK-UP BATTERY IN THE AIR BAG MODULE IS SHORTED OUT.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 30, 2015125,000 milesNC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN PARK, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 30, 2015125,000 milesNC

SITTING IN DRIVER SIDE OR CAR WHILE VEHICLE WAS IDLING WHILE IN DRIVEWAY. AIRBAG DEPLOYED.

Air Bags
Filed May 21, 2015137,215 milesAL

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY ALL OF THE TIME. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT AIRBAG FAILURE BUT NO RECALL INFO EXISTS. ALSO MY POP-UP HEADLIGHTS ARE RANDOMLY RETRACTING DOWN WHENEVER THEY FEEL LIKE IT. NO AMOUNT OF TWISTING ON AND OFF AT THE STEERING COLUMN SWITCH WILL MAKE THEM COME BACK UP AND I HAVE TO RESORT TO THE MANUAL POPUP BUTTON LOCATED UNDER THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH SEVERAL TIMES WHEN DRIVING AFTER DARK!

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Aug 27, 200956,000 milesMD

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MAZDA MIATA. HE STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 00V004000, AIR BAGS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 56,000.

Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module
Filed Jul 23, 2007123,000 milesHI

THE AIRBAG COMPUTER FAILED, AS INDICATED BY THE "AIRBAG" LIGHT REMAINING ON CONSTANTLY. REPAIR COST OVER $1200. THOUGHT YOU MIGHT TRACK THE FAILURE HISTORY OF AIRBAGS. *TR

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 5, 2007123 milesOH

THIS INCIDENT CONCERNS A SAFETY VIOLATION CAUSED BY A NATIONALLY FRANCHISED TRANSMISSION SHOP IN CAMP HILL PA. I CANNOT ADEQUATELY DESCRIBE THIS SCENARIO IN 2000 CHARACTERS, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION FACILITY DAMAGED MY CAR SO THAT IT WAS UNSAFE, AND RETURNED IT TO ME IN THAT CONDITION WITHOUT TELLING ME. THEY DAMAGED THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE TO THE POINT THAT IT COULD HAVE BOTH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND THE RESULTS OF THAT ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE AS A RESULT OF THAT CONDITION. *NM

Air Bags
Filed Jun 1, 2005CA

FOIA REQUEST ALL DOCUMENTS TO FROM MAZDA AND OR NHTSA RELATING TO RECALL CAMPAIGN NO 00V004000 RE MAZDA AIRBAG SYSTEMS AND INFO RE INADVERTENT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT IN 1996 MAZDA MIATA.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR *NM

Tires › Sidewall
Filed Oct 9, 2003VA

I AM NOT SURE THAT THIS A COMPLAINT, RATHER THAN AN INFORMATION REGARDING A PROBLEM THAT I HAVE ENCOUNTERED WITH GOODYEAR TIRES. REAR TIRES ARE FINE; HOWEVER, TWO FRONT TIRES ARE SPLIT AT THE SEAM ON THE SIDEWALL. I HAVE DIGITAL PHOTOS THAT I WILL PROVIDE. I AM REPLACING THE TIRES THIS WEEKEND. *LA

Air Bags
Filed May 8, 2002NY

PERMISSION TO SWITCH OFF THE AIR BAG

Air Bags
Filed Jul 26, 2000TX

AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON AT ALL TIMES. CONSUMER STATED THAT HE NEEDED A NEW AIRBAG MODULAR.*AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery
Filed Feb 18, 2000OR

THERE IS STRONG FUEL SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNINGS. DEALER HAS REPLACED FUEL TANK AND LINES. *AK

Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs
Filed Feb 16, 2000CA

REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE LUGS: NUTS: BOLTS SHEARED OFF, CAUSING WHEEL TO FALL OFF WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. AFTER THE SECOND TIME THIS OCCURRED, MAZDA PAID FOR THE TOW AND REPAIR. *AK *ML

20 of 29 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1999
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20054000Routine
20048000Routine
200314030Routine
200220010Routine
200122000Routine
200029020Routine
199974000Routine
19981000Routine
199711010Routine
1996 — this page29000Routine
199530020Routine
199418000Routine
19938000Routine
199222000Routine
199121000Routine
199028010Routine

Compare every MX-5 Miata 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.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.