1996 Mazda Millenia Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1996 Mazda Millenia, 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
- Transmission425.0%
- Electrical318.8%
- Engine318.8%
- Airbags318.8%
- Exterior lighting16.3%
- Other / unspecified16.3%
- Suspension16.3%
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
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
I HAVE A 1996 MAZDA THAT HAS HAD TWO TRANSMISSIONS IN IT. AFTER RESEARCHING I HAVE FOUND THAT BETWEEN 1994-2002 THESE TRANSMISSIONS HAVE FAILED GREATLY. MY TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AT A SPEED OF 55MPH AND MY FAMILY AND I ALMOST WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE BY MAZDA TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AND COMPENSATE THE VICTIMS OF THIS POORLY DESIGNED MACHINE. *TR
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR WAS TURNING OFF WHEN STOPPED, TOOK TO A MAZDA DEALER CABLES WERE REPLACED, PROBLEM CONTINUED. MAZDA BURNED, FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD, FIREFIGHTERS COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE.
ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY ALONG WITH THE HOLD AND TCS LIGHTS, TWICE WHEN THE HOLD AND TCS LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, THE CAR REFUSED TO GO INTO OVERDRIVE, DEALER STATES THE ECM COMPUTER NEEDS REPLACED BUT MEPP CLAIMS OFFICE REJECTED THIS. *SLC
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED FUEL OIL PRESSURE WAS LEAKING. *AK
DEAR SIRS -I AM AN ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1996 MAZDA MILLENIA PURCHASED NEW IN SEPT 1996 ON MAY 20TH 2002 WHILE TRAVELLING ON I-17 20 MILES SOUTH OF FLGASTAFF ,AZ , THE MOTOR SUDDELY SEIZED WITH NO IDIOT LIGHTS GOING OFF ,WATER TEMP GAUGE WAS READING NORMAL ..LUCKILY , I WAS IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE AND 250YDS FROM AN EXIT WHICH I COASTED TO ..MAZDA USA HAS REFUSED TO ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY CITING THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY (36/50,000). MAZDA HAS REVIEWED THE SERVICE RECORDS AND FOUND THEM TO BE AT INTERVELS FAR EARLIER THAN SCHEDULED MAINTENACE ...THE REFUSAL BY MAZDA TO STAND BEHIND THEIR MOTORS WITH 34,372 MILES DOES NOT SPEAK WELL OF MAZDA..TO THIS DATE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE "MELTDOWN"*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS STOPPED AT STOPLIGHT AND BOTH AIRBAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. I HAVE A 1996 MAZDA MILLENNIA S AND NO OTHER PASSENGERS WERE IN THE CAR. THE FORCE OF THE AIRBAG TORE SOME SKIN OFF MY LEFT ARM AND THE INSIDE OF MY LEFT ARM IS VERY BRUISED FROM THE ELBOW TO THE WRIST. THE FORCE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SHATTERED MY WINDSHIELD. *TR
SOMETHING POPED LOUD IN THE REAR OF THE CAR AND THEN SKIDDED SIDEWAYS DOWN THE ROAD, HIT THE DITCH WITH THE NOSE OF THE CAR, THEN PROCEEDED TO FLIP 5 TIMES, AND HIT A HOUSE. BUT THE PROBLEM IS THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. WHY DID THE AIR BAGS FAIL?*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE LOW BEAM ILLUMINATION IS VERY DEFICIENT. LIGHTING GOES OUT A SHORT DISTANS THEN STOPS ABRUPTLY, LIGHT CARRIES ONLY ABOUT TWO TO THREE CAR LENGHTS AHEAD OF VEHICLE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEEL RIMS CORRODED REQUIRING REPLACEMENT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
SUSPENSION DOES NOT ISOLATE FEEDBACK FROM ROUGH ROADS. DASHBOARD GETTING LOOSE. INTERIOR TRIM GETTING LOOSE. SOMETIMES (ON THE BUMPY ROADS), TRACKTION CONTROL SYSTEM DISABLES WHILE DRIVING. *AK
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .