RoadVitals

1990 Mazda 323 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
19
Latest Mar 4, 2010
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
6
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
4

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1990 Mazda 323, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Seat belts1361.9%
  • Driver assistance29.5%
  • Engine29.5%
  • Transmission29.5%
  • Brakes14.8%
  • Powertrain (other)14.8%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

13
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

THE DRIVER WAS SITTING AT AN INTERSECTION WITHOUT WARNING ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE LEFT SIDE AND RIGHT SIDE SEAT BELTS DISENGAGED ON THEIR OWN,THE SEAT BELTS RETRACTOR WAS NOT RETRACTABLE. NO INJURIES TO REPORT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE SEAT BELTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID 10107219 · filed Jan 11, 2005

CONSUMER STATES DEALER TOLD HER THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT HER RECALL NOTICE BECAUSE CAR WAS TO OLD AND SEAT BELT WILL NOT STICK.*JB

NHTSA ID 8014803 · filed Jul 25, 2002
All 13 reports naming seat belts →

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 MAZDA 323. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IDLED EXCESSIVELY THE RPMS ALSO INCREASED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. THE DEALER ALSO TOLD HIM TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. THERE WAS ONLY ONE DEALER IN HIS AREA WHICH IS NOT A CERTIFIED MAZDA DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

NHTSA ID 10316723 · filed Mar 4, 2010

ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK, RESULTING IN ACCIDENT. TT

NHTSA ID 967993 · filed Jun 29, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

PLASTIC RADIATOR MELTED AND SPLIT OPEN, SPEWING OUT FLUID.

NHTSA ID 513738 · filed Jan 16, 1997

CAM GEAR/BOLT SECURING CAM GEAR BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *SD

NHTSA ID 505029 · filed May 28, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Transmission

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. AW

NHTSA ID 781067 · filed Oct 9, 1998

CAM GEAR/BOLT SECURING CAM GEAR BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *SD

NHTSA ID 505029 · filed May 28, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

BRAKES HAVE VERY HIGH METALLIC SOUND WHEN BRAKING ON WET/DRY SURFACE; FOLLOWED BY INCREASE IN BRAKING; ANY SPEED. TT

NHTSA ID 972703 · filed Sep 29, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Powertrain (other)

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

CAM GEAR/BOLT SECURING CAM GEAR BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *SD

NHTSA ID 505029 · filed May 28, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .