Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 28 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata, most frequently naming the seat belts, airbags and transmission categories. 7 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1995 | 1 | 1 |
| Mar 1995 | 1 | 2 |
| May 1995 | 1 | 3 |
| Jun 1995 | 1 | 4 |
| Mar 1996 | 1 | 5 |
| Apr 1996 | 1 | 6 |
| Jan 1997 | 1 | 7 |
| Aug 1997 | 1 | 8 |
| Nov 1997 | 1 | 9 |
| Mar 1998 | 1 | 10 |
| Oct 1998 | 1 | 11 |
| Oct 1999 | 2 | 13 |
| Jan 2000 | 1 | 14 |
| Jun 2000 | 2 | 16 |
| Nov 2000 | 2 | 18 |
| Mar 2001 | 1 | 19 |
| Apr 2001 | 1 | 20 |
| May 2001 | 1 | 21 |
| Jun 2003 | 2 | 23 |
| Oct 2003 | 1 | 24 |
| Sep 2006 | 1 | 25 |
| Sep 2015 | 1 | 26 |
| Apr 2021 | 1 | 27 |
| Jul 2022 | 1 | 28 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
car has had multiple airbag lights come on I have fixed them all I cannot buy parts to fix my airbag new so I have to go and find used parts that just keep breaking I know many people with this problem almost every owner of one of these cars has this exact problem
WWW.SOUTHBAYMAZDA.COM HAWTHORNE BLVD. X ATRESIA BLVD MANHATTAN BEACH CA 91246-0762 3103235712 FAX
I WAS DRIVING TO THE GAS STATION TO GET SOME TEA AND ON MY WAY BACK AS I WAS SHIFTING INTO 5TH GEAR I FELT A POP AND I FINALLY GOT IT INTO GEAR BUT I HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP I STARTED TO DEPRESS THE CLUTCH BECAUSE OF THE POP I FELT AND WITH EVERY PUSH IT LOST MORE AND MORE PRESSURE AND EVENTUALLY AFTER THE 4TH PUSH THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE AT ALL TWO PEOPLE HELPED PUSH ME TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND I HAD TO DRIVE HOME BY SHUTTING OFF THE CAR AND SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR AND TURNING IT OVER AND PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO START IT AND WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT A BOLT CAME LOOSE AND FELL INTO THE SLAVE CYLINDER DAMAGING IT WHICH CAUSED ALL MY CLUTCH FLUID TO LEAK OUT AND THESE CARS ARE KNOWN TO CAUSE SOME BOLTS TO VIBRATE OUT AND THIS PROBLEM COULD SIMPLY BE FIXED WITH A LITTLE LOCTITE THREAD LOCKER AND THAT WOULD HAVE SAVED OVER 1,000 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS IF I DIDN'T HAVE GREEN LIGHTS ALL THE WAY HOME THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SHIFTING FROM 5TH GEAR OR REVERSE TO NEUTRAL, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GO INTO REVERSE. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE SWING ARM WAS BAD ON THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED.
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO LATCH IT OFTEN TAKES MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO CAUSE IT TO HOLD. *LA
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AIR BAG INDICATION LIGHT FLASHED . DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED FRONTAL SEAT BELTS WILL NOT LOCK IN PLACE. DEALER AND MANUFATURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WHEN PRESSING ON BRAKES THERE BE NO DIFFERENCE IN BRAKE LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS. CONSUMER FEELS BRAKE LIGHTS ARE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH. *AK
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
Speedometer replacement procedure
STEERING
CONDITIONS WITH STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY OFF CENTER. *YC
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
PRE-PAINTING PREPARATIONS FOR FRONT AND REAR BUMPERS. *YC
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
USE OF A/C TRACER DYE. *TW
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
MAINTENANCE FREE BATTERY - DIAGNOSTIC AND CHARGING PROCEDURE. *TW
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WIPER MOTOR INOPERATIVE - CIRCUIT BREAKER ACTIVATION. *TW
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.