RoadVitals

1991 Mazda MX-5 Miata Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints 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.
10
Latest Jan 10, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
48%
of 21 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1991 Mazda MX-5 Miata submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Jan 10, 2020

AIR-BAG WARNING LIGHT BLINKS WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING. TOOK IN FOR REPAIR AND SAID PART IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. WHAT IS MY RECOURSE?

NHTSA ID
11298375
Incident
Apr 8, 2019
Mileage
19,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Oct 15, 2018

AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING FOR NO REASON

NHTSA ID
11140362
Incident
Jun 1, 2018
Mileage
65,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 19, 2018

FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE AIR BAG LIGHT BLINKS. THE AIR BAG HAS NEVER BEEN DEPLOYED. THE CODE FROM THE LIGHT INDICATES A FAULTY ACTUATOR. THE CAR HAS 65000 MILES AND IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. ALWAYS GARAGE KEPT SINCE ORIGINAL PURCHASE.

NHTSA ID
11063813
Incident
May 23, 2017
Mileage
64,500 mi
Airbags
Filed May 9, 2017

THE VEHICLE'S AIRBAG WARNING IS ON. THE WARNING LIGHT FLASHES A NUMBER OF TIMES, THEN PAUSES FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN BEGINS AGAIN. THE PROBLEM IS PROBABLY DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE CONTROL MODULE AND THIS PART IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR FROM REMANUFACTURERS. THE AIRBAG IS A SAFETY ITEM AND THUS MUST BE OPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER, MAZDA, MUST MAKE THIS REPAIR OR MAKE THE PART AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10984406
Incident
May 1, 2017
Mileage
123,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 27, 2017

IN 2015 THE SRS LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND I TOOK THE CAR IN TO JOHN WINE MAZDA FOR REPAIRS. ON 10/28/2015 THEY REPLACED THE CLOCK SPRING MODULE FOR $634.45 WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ON 11/2/2015 THEY REPLACED THE DIAGNOSTIC MODULE OF $485.00 WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY STATED PARTS WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND ON 11/13/2015 THE SAID THE BATTERY AND BACKUP BATTERY MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACE BUT THE MODULE HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. I RESEARCHED AVAILABILITY AND ONLY USED MODULES WERE AVAILABLE AND JOHN HINE MAZDA SAID THEY COULD NOT INSTALL USED PARTS.FINALLY ON 3/16/2016 THEY HAD A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE CHECK OUT THE AIR BAG AND HE SAID IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AS IT HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. AT THIS TIME THEY SAID I NEEDED TO PROVIDE A NEW AIR BAG-WHICH I OBVIOUSLY CAN'T- AND THE DISCONNECTED AIR BAG MODE AND TAPED THE WIRING SO IT WAS NO LONGER CONNECTED. I NOW AM EXPECTED TO DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT THE PROTECTION OF AN AIR BAG WHICH I CONSIDER A SAFETY VIOLATION. *JS

NHTSA ID
10957333
Incident
Mar 16, 2016
Mileage
88,225 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 16, 2017

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND SHOWS THE MODULE HAS FAILED. MODULES ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY PROBLEM WITH MAZDA MIATAS.

NHTSA ID
10955121
Incident
Feb 16, 2017
Mileage
165,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 15, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE AIR BAG CODE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE FAILED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS NO LONGER BEING PRODUCED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

NHTSA ID
10610650
Incident
Aug 8, 2013
Mileage
39,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Mar 10, 2001

I WANT TO GET RID OF MY AIR BAG AND NO ONE WILL HELP ME. I AM ONLY 4 FEET 8 INCHES TALL AND I KNOW THAT IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT IT IS GOING TO HURT ME TERRIBLY. I AM BY MYSELF AND I DO NOT HAVE THE $500 IT TAKES TO GET THE ON/OFF SWITCH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. I WANT TO STATE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA THAT THE WAY THEY ARE DOING THIS IS NOT RIGHT. I SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUST HAVE A SHOP DISCONNECT IT FOR ME, BUT OF COURSE NO ONE WILL DO IT...NOT EVEN WITH AUTHORIATION. SO NOW, WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? NOTHING, BUT WAIT TO BE DECAPITATED. THEY WARN NOT TO PUT YOUR CHILD IN THE FRONT SEAT, YET HERE I AM THE SIZE OF ONE AND NO ONE WILL HELP ME.*AK

NHTSA ID
742203
Airbags
Filed Jun 6, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
723641
Incident
Jun 6, 2000
Airbags
Filed Aug 4, 1997

AIR BAG LIGHT: AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES CONSTANTLY, WILL NOT GO OFF UNTIL TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF. DEALE R SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. *AK

NHTSA ID
814958
Incident
Jul 15, 1997

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 .