2008 Mazda MX-5

Routine

Owners filed 7 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System2
100
Unknown or Other1
000
Tires › Pressure Monitoring and Regulating Systems1
000
Tires1
000
Structure › Body1
000
Power Train › Clutch Assembly1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Structure › Body
Filed Oct 20, 201940,000 milesTX

WHEN IT RAINS WATER WILL POOL IN PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. MAZDA DEALS SUGGESTS ADDING DRAINS AND FILTERS THAT ARE NOT PART OF ORIGINAL VEHICLE DESIGN. (THIS ISSUE IS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW AND NO OTHER REASON), THIS HAPPENS REGARDLESS IF CAR IS MOVING OR STATIONARY. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING ISSUE SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 11/2012. . DOOR SEALS AND WINDOW SEALS ARE NOT DAMAGED.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 13, 2019131,000 milesPA

WATER ACCUMULATION IN FOOTWELL/PLUGGED SOFT TOP DRAINS. MAZDA HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OF HOW THEIR COMPANY CAN FIX IT BUT MUST BE PAID BY OWNER. I SPOKE TO ALISHA AT MAZDA AND IT IS NOT RECALLED OR A SERVICE PROGRAM. ON THE INTERNET MANY ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO MAZDA AND SHOULD BE COVERED SINCE THEIR FIX FOR THIS IS ADDING A DRAIN VALVE ASSEMBLY, SEVERAL DRAIN COVERS AND VALVES AND FILTERS.

Power Train › Clutch Assembly
Filed Jan 16, 201991,000 milesKY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MX-5. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS DETECTED UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL FELL TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE GEAR REMAINED IN NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PUSHED INTO A PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WYATT JOHNSON MAZDA (2425 WILMA RUDOLPH BLVD SUITE C, CLARKSVILLE, TN 37040, (931) 648-1098) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WELD ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL FRACTURED AND THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

Electrical System
Filed Nov 18, 201540,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM DRAINED THE BATTERY OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 1/19/16 LN UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ *CN

Tires › Pressure Monitoring and Regulating Systems
Filed Aug 23, 201400

UNFORTUNATELY I HIRED A CAR FROM ATWEST RENT A CAR IL LAX FOR A 3 WEEKS! THE CONVERTIBLE CAR MAZDA MIATA THAT THE COMPANY RENT ME WAS, THAT I SAW FIRST, COVERED IN SCRATCHES, NOT WASHED, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE! BUT THIS IS NOT THE EXTREMELY SERIOUS MATTER!! I CALLED MANY TIMES TO REPORT YOU THAT THIS CAR IS A DANGER!!! AFTER A FEW DAYS OF DRIVING, THE BALANCE OF THE CAR WAS MASSIVELY UPSET BY HAVING USED TYRES!!!! EACH MILES I DRIVE, PUTS MYSELF AND OTHERS IN DANGER: IT IS IN PRECISELY THOSE AREAS THAT I NEED TO ACT. THERE IS ALSO NO LIQUID TANK AND THE WINDSHIELD WASHER DAMAGED!!!!!!!!. I RANG ATWEST TO EXPLAIN THAT I WAS IN DANGER....I LEAST THE EMPLOYEE DID NOT LESSON TO ME......EXCEPT TO PAY FOR THE PROBLEMS OF THE CAR!!!!! THAT IS NOT MY CAR, AND THIS IS THE COMPANY RESPONSIBILITIES TO RENT CARS AS A MATTER OF CAR RENTING POLICIES IN THE UNITED STATES...THIS IS CRIMINAL ACT TO PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER....THAT IS CALLED FAILURE TO ASSIST A PERSON IN DANGER, A CRIME THAT IS PUNISHABLE BY LAW!! I ALSO PAID THE THIRD INSURANCE THOUGH I WAS ALREADY COVERED BY MY GOLD CREDIT CARD! YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T SERVICE YOUR VEHICLES, AND JUST WAIT THE CUSTOMER PAY OUT FOR IT! I JUST COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS....IF I HAD YOU DO IT...I WANT TO SUE THEM! MANY THANKS TO ANSWER ME AND TELL ME WHAT TO DO KIND REGARDS *TR

Tires
Filed Jun 18, 201440,000 milesAL

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE TIRES OR WHEELS. RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP, SAID IT THROUGH A WEIGHT. STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OF FEELING WOBBLY ESPECIALLY BETWEEN START AND 35 MPH. HAVE TOLD SERVICE MANAGER SEVERAL TIMES, I THINK TIRES OR WHEELS NEED REPLACING...UPDATED 07/01/14 *BF STATUS UPDATE 09/09/14

Electrical SystemCrash
Filed Apr 9, 20091,300 milesPA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE ACCIDENTALLY PLACED THE GEAR INTO REVERSE AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS AND CRASHED INTO A TRAFFIC SIGN. SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS A KEYLESS REMOTE ENTRY, SHE WAS NOT WARNED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN ITS PROPER PARKED POSITION PRIOR TO EXITING. SHE CALLED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, BUT WAS NOT PROVIDED WITH ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1,300.

7 of 7 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2016
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20261000Routine
20253100Routine
20245100Routine
20237100Routine
20225100Routine
20211100Routine
20203100Routine
201911300Routine
20183300Routine
201711200Routine
201634300Routine
20151000Routine
20146000Routine
20132000Routine
20125000Routine
20111000Routine
20104000Routine
20093000Routine
2008 — this page7000Routine
200717000Routine
200625100Routine

Compare every MX-5 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.