1992 Mazda MX-5 Miata 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 1992 Mazda MX-5 Miata, 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 belts520.8%
- Airbags520.8%
- Visibility312.5%
- Electrical312.5%
- Tires & wheels28.3%
- Exterior lighting14.2%
- Other / unspecified14.2%
- Body & structure14.2%
- Brakes14.2%
- Heating & air conditioning14.2%
- Powertrain (other)14.2%
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT UNLATCHED SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED, BUT THE CONTACT PLANNED TO NOTIFY THEM SOON. UPDATED 10/4/2006 - REPLACEMENT BELT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. *NM
CONSUMER HAS A DIFFICULT TIME FASTENING SEAT BELT., ALSO, AT TIMES SEAT BELTS COME UNDONE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *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
WHEN CAR IS STARTED AFTER NOT USED FOR SEVERAL HOURS, THE AIR BAG LIGHT DISPLAYS CONTINUOUSLY DURING START PERIOD BUT THEN CHANGES TO BLINKING. CONTINUES BLINKING UNTIL CAR IS STOPPED AND IGNITION TURNED OFF. WHEN CAR IS IMMEDIATELY STARTED AGAIN, LIGHT TURNS OFF AFTER INITIAL START PERIOD, AS EXPECTED, BLINKING DOES NOT RE-OCCUR UNTIL CAR HASN'T BEEN RUN FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE BEING STARTED AGAIN. CAR IS NOT USED DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
TAKATA RECALL MY 1992 MAZDA MIATA'S AIRBAG LIGHT IS FLASHING ON THE DASH, AND THERE IS A SOFT BEEP HEARD,WHICH IS INTERMITTENT. THE FLASHING STARTS AS SOON AS THE CAR IS STARTED, AND IT CONTINUES WHILE IN MOTION. THERE IS A PAUSE BETWEEN A SERIES OF AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHES. THE BEEP IS SOFT AND STARTED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING; HOWEVER, NOW THE BEEPING IS HEARD ALONG WITH THE AIRBAG FLASHING LIGHT. THE CAR IS IN GREAT CONDITION AND LOOKS LIKE A NEW CAR. IT IS KEPT GARAGED. IT WAS IN A SLIGHT ACCIDENT WHEN TWO CARS IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES. I TRIED TO TURN AROUND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND THAT CAR TURNED AROUND THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME. I HIT THE CAR WITH MY RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT. THE AIR BAG DID NOT EMPLOY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY CAME OFF THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTED THAT A METAL WASHER OR MOUNTING WAS RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE MIRROR TO COME OFF. NLM
REAR WINDOW HAS TURNED BROWN, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE BACK WINDOW, AND FELT THAT IT WAS VERY UNSAFE TO BE DRIVING UNDER SUCH CONDITION. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THAT THE DARKNESS WAS COMING FROM THE SUN. *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
WHEN CAR IS STARTED AFTER NOT USED FOR SEVERAL HOURS, THE AIR BAG LIGHT DISPLAYS CONTINUOUSLY DURING START PERIOD BUT THEN CHANGES TO BLINKING. CONTINUES BLINKING UNTIL CAR IS STOPPED AND IGNITION TURNED OFF. WHEN CAR IS IMMEDIATELY STARTED AGAIN, LIGHT TURNS OFF AFTER INITIAL START PERIOD, AS EXPECTED, BLINKING DOES NOT RE-OCCUR UNTIL CAR HASN'T BEEN RUN FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE BEING STARTED AGAIN. CAR IS NOT USED DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.
DISTRIBUTOR CAP WIRES WORE OUT PREMATURELY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER STATES WHILE HE WAS DRIVING ALONG ABOUT 45-50 MPH DUNLAP TIRE S/P SPORT A2 SIZE 185 60 14 COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE INSIDE OF THE SIDEWALL ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE. THIS CAUSED HIM TO LOSE CONTROL, AND RUN INTO A SMALL DITCH. HE STATED THAT THESE TIRES WERE JUST PURCHASED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND HAVE ONLY ABOUT 7500 MILES ON THEM. THIS WAS A DEFECT, BUT THE PLACE WHERE HE PURCHASED THE TIRES CHARGED HIM TO REPLACE THIS TIRE.*AK
ON JUNE 28, 2003 A FRIEND AND I WERE DRIVING TO LAKE GENEVA ILL. WHEN MY LEFT REAR TIRE INSIDE WALL SEPERATED FROM THE TIRE COMPLETELY. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING ON THE ROAD THE TIRE WHEN IT BLEW OUT MADE ME LOSE CONTROL AND I WENT INTO A SMALL DITCH.*AK I CHANGED TO THE MINI SPARE AND WENT HOME. I CONTACTED DUNLOP ABOUT THE TIRE AND THEY SAID THAT SINCE THE TIRE HAD A PATCH ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE THAT THE SIDE WALL SEPERATED BECAUSE OF THE PATCH, THE PATCH IS LOCATED ON THE TREAD AREA ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. I CONTACTED THE PERSON THAT SOLD ME THE TIRES AND HE SAID THAT MANUFACTURES PUT PATCHS IN TIRES SO THEY WILL HAVE BETTER BALANCE. DUNLOP SAID THAT THEY WILL GIVE ME A NEW TIRE IF I PAY THE STORE $33.00 PLUS MOUNTING AND BALANCING. I TOLD THEM THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT AT NO COST TO ME, THEY SAID THATS THE ONLY OFFER THAT THEY WILL GIVE TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. MY CAR IS ONLY DRIVEN IN THE SUMMER TIME, AND IS PUT AWAY IN THE WINTER ON BLOCKS AND UNDER A COVER. THE MILES ON THIS 92 MIATA ARE ONLY 39,000 MILES, THE MILES ON THE TIRES ARE ABOUT 7,000 MILES. I FEEL THAT I'M ENTITLED TO A REPLACEMENT AT NO CHARGE, BECAUSE THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE.
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 ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN A PEDESTRIAN DARTED OUT INTO A CROSSWALK. THE FIRST CAR SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS. THE CAR BEHIND IT SLAMMED ON THEIR BREAKS, AND I WAS THE CAR BEHIND THE SECOND CAR. I TRIED TO AVOID THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, BUT MY CAR DID NOT STOP IN TIME. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON A SIDE STREET. I HAD MY SEATBELT FASTENED. MY NOSE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND STARTED TO BLEED PROFUSELY. I WENT TO EMERGENCY, AND THEY ADVISED ME TO SEE MY DOCTOR FOR A CHECKUP. THE DOCTOR ORDERED AN X-RAY OF MY NOSE. I HAVE A TINY FRACTURE AND CONTUSION, WHICH LED TO TWO VERY BLACK EYES AND SWELLING. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND TO MY FACE. THE AIRBAG DID NOT INFLATE.
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
EXCESSIVE FORCE REQUIRED TO REMOVE SHOP INSTALLED LOCKING LUG NUT, CAUSING IT TO BREAK. *DSH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN A PEDESTRIAN DARTED OUT INTO A CROSSWALK. THE FIRST CAR SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS. THE CAR BEHIND IT SLAMMED ON THEIR BREAKS, AND I WAS THE CAR BEHIND THE SECOND CAR. I TRIED TO AVOID THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, BUT MY CAR DID NOT STOP IN TIME. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON A SIDE STREET. I HAD MY SEATBELT FASTENED. MY NOSE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND STARTED TO BLEED PROFUSELY. I WENT TO EMERGENCY, AND THEY ADVISED ME TO SEE MY DOCTOR FOR A CHECKUP. THE DOCTOR ORDERED AN X-RAY OF MY NOSE. I HAVE A TINY FRACTURE AND CONTUSION, WHICH LED TO TWO VERY BLACK EYES AND SWELLING. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND TO MY FACE. THE AIRBAG DID NOT INFLATE.
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONT BRAKES SQUEAL. *DH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE. *AW
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMERS HEARD A WHINNING SOUND. TOOK OFF AT LIGHT IN 1ST GEAR & IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE, LIKE GRINDING METAL. DEALER DETERMINED DIFFERENTIALS WENT OUT IN THE REAR END. *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 .