I HAVE A 1997 MAZDA MIATA WITH 113,000 MILES. IT HAS BEEN A GREAT CAR UP UNTIL THIS RECENT PROBLEM. IT STARTED OUT THAT THE "METER" FUSE WAS FAILING INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE 15 AMP FUSE WAS REPLACED IT WOULD WORK FINE FOR APROXIMATELY 2-3 MINUTES (MAYBE LESS) AT WHICH POINT I NOTICED THE "SERVICE ENGINE" LIGHT IS NOW ON AND THEN THE FUSE WILL FAIL AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL NOW. NOW WHEN THE FUSE IS REPLACED AS SOON AS THE IGNITION CYLINDER IS CYCLED THE FUSE FAILS INSTANTLY. I AM AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN, AND CHECKED A WIRING SCHEMATIC AS TO WHAT THIS "BLACK-YELLOW" WIRE ON THE "METER" FUSE SUPPLIES. BY THE WAY, AT THIS TIME I HAVE NO TURN SIGNALS, TACHOMETER, GAUGES OR WARNING LIGHTS. THIS PROBLEM IT DRIVING ME INSANE!!! I WENT THROUGH THE MANUAL AND DISCONNECTED EACH COMPONENT INDIVIDUALLY TO TEST THE CIRCUIT AT WHICH EACH TIME THE FUSE STILL FAILED. THE LIST OF COMPONENTS I TRIED ARE THE OXYGEN SENSORS, THE ECM, THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH, AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (CRUISE CONTROL IS ALSO ON THIS CIRCUIT, BUT THE VEHICLE IS NOT SO EQUIPED) ALL TO NO AVAIL!!!! AM I MISSING SOMETHING? IS THERE A SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS ITSELF, IF SO, ANY SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHERE I SHOULD EXTEND MY SEARCH? THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS NOW AND I AM UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH THE ABOVE STATED CONCERNS. ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN GIVE ME REGUARDING THIS CONCERN WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!.*AK
1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Owners filed 11 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the fuel system, gasoline › storage › tank assembly. No safety recall has been issued.
| Component | Reports | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Structure › Body › Roof and Pillars | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Air Bags › Frontal | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
What owners reported
Newest filingsWE TOOK THE CAR IN TO SUNNYVALE MAZDA TODAY BECAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOOSE AND THEY SAID THE SAFETY CLAMPS ARE BROKEN AND THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (PLUS THE SAFETY CLAMPS) AND THAT WE MUST HAVE RUN OVER A "BUMP" TO CAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I WONDER HOW MANY OTHER MAZDA MIATA'S HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THE STEERING COLUMN AT APPROXIMATELY 18,000 MILES.*AK
THE THREAD ABOUT TO SEPARATE FROM THE TIRE (TIRESIZE: P185-60R14)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P185-60R14 )
AT ALL TIMESTHERE IS A STRONG GASOLING ODOR IN VEHICLE AND IN TRUNK WHICH CAUSES OCCUPANTS TO GET SICK. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 35-40MPH, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES. *AK
DRIVER'S FLOORMAT IS CONSTANTLY WORKING WAY ONTO GAS PEDDLE CAUSING ACCELLORATOR TO STAY ON FLOOR, HOOK WOULD SOLVE PROBLEM, SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS
CELL PHONE USAGE IN VEHICLE, CAUSES BATTERY TO FAIL. *YC
PARKING AND DIRECTIONAL LIGHT FAILED. MJS
DURING VEHICLE COLLISION NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG.
CONVERT ABLE HARD TOP FLEW OFF CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
THE VEHICLE'S GAS TANK IS EXPANDING, CAUSING STRESS TO THE TANK. DEALER PUT STRESS TABS ON TANK. *AK
11 of 11 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 — this page | 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 | 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.