RoadVitals

1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata Electrical Problems

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

Data refreshed

Electrical 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 Sep 10, 2008
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.
14%
of 74 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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 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 electrical

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

Electrical
Filed Sep 10, 2008

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF IGNITION "COIL PACK" LEADING TO COSTLY REPLACEMENT OF CAT. CONVERTER, O2 SENSOR, AND COIL PACKS. MFR NEVER COVERED THIS UNDER ANY SORT OF EXTENDED WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS NOT UNCOMMON, AND EVIDENTLY BAD PARTS ARE STILL IN THE SYSTEM. MULTIPLE FAILURE DATES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10241741
Incident
May 12, 2008
Mileage
76,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 2, 2006

1999 10TH ANNIVERSARY MAZDA MIATA CURRENTLY WITH 33,900 MILES ON IT. ABOUT 600 MILES AGO CAR SUDDENLY STARTED AND RAN ROUGH WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. HAD CODE CHECKED AND REVEALED P0300 (RANDOM MISFIRE I.E.IGNITION COIL PACK FAILURE). CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT AFTER READING CODE. SYMPTOM REAPPEARED RECENTLY WITH SAME CODE P0300. REPLACED SPARK PLUG WIRES WITH NGK OEM WIRES ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND SYMPTOM REAPPEARED THIS AFTERNOON. I UNDERSTOOD THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE EMISSION CONTROL WARRANTY BUT THE SUBSEQUENT CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE IS COVERED UNDER THE 8/80.000 EMISSION WARRANTY. IF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF IGNITION COIL THEN WHY IS THE IGNITION COIL NOT COVERED UNDER THE EMISSION WARRANTY. THIS IS ANOTHER BUREAUCRATIC SNAFU. THE CAUSE OF THE EMISSION FAILURE IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EMISSION CONTROL WARRANTY. SO MAYBE I SHOULD WAIT UNTIL THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND HAVE MAZDA (FORD) REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THEN REPLACE THE IGNITION COIL PACK THEN BECAUSE IT WILL COST ME THE SAME BUT OVER $1000 FOR MAZDA (FORD). *NM

NHTSA ID
10169711
Incident
Oct 1, 2006
Mileage
33,300 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Apr 1, 2005

1999 MAZDA MIATA HAD PROBLEM WITH IGNITION COILS. THE SENSORS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AS WELL. CONSUMER IS REFERENCING COMPLAINT 10093484.*MR *NM

NHTSA ID
10117243
Incident
Jan 1, 1901
Electrical
Filed Oct 2, 2004

THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT READ IN THE THE MIATA'S FORUM. MY 19'99 MIATA IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION COIL, AND THE SENSORS WILL SAY ABOUT A PROBLEM IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I RECENTLY GOT MY CAR, AND IS ONLY 35K, BUT THE LIMITED WARRANTY FROM THE DEALER JUST EXPIRED A WHILE AGO. FROM THE LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM ALONG THE INTERNET (YOU CAN READ IT HERE: HTTP://WWW.MIATAFORUM.COM/CGI-BIN/ULTIMATEBB.CGI?UBB=GET_TOPIC&F=27&T=000103), I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MAZDA IS NOT DOING A RECALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
10093484
Incident
Jul 17, 2004
Mileage
30,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Aug 10, 2004

THE COIL PACK HAS FAILED ON MY 1999 MAZDA MIATA WITH LESS THAN 42000 MILES. MY INFORMATION IS THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON 1999 MAZDA PROTEGES FOR THE COIL PACK FAILURE AND THAT THE MIATA PART IS IDENTICAL EXCEPT FOR THE MOUNTING BRACKET.

NHTSA ID
10086548
Incident
Aug 8, 2004
Mileage
41,730 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jan 26, 2004

1999-2000 MIATAS HAVE AN ESTABLISHED INTERMITTENT IGNITION COIL FAILURE PROBLEM PER SEVERAL OWNERS FORUMS. THE IGNITION COIL FAILS WHICH CAUSES A MISFIRE CONDITION, THIS RESULTS IN UNBURNED FUEL REACHING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHERE IT BURNS AND OVERHEATS THE CONVERTER. THIS OVERHEATING CAN DESTROY THE CONVERTER AND POTENTIALLY DESTROY THE OXYGEN SENSORS. THIS EXACT SCENARIO HAPPENED TO ME ON THE INDICATED DATE. MY VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 37K MILES ON IT BUT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOW I MUST REPLACE THE COIL AND CONVERTER. I BELIEVE THIS SITUATION WARRANTS A RECALL. *LA

NHTSA ID
10054906
Incident
Jan 12, 2004
Electrical
Filed Oct 27, 2003

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE BATTERY, REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT.*MR BATTERY DIED AT 5800 MILES.

NHTSA ID
10044852
Mileage
5,800 mi
Electrical
Filed May 20, 2003

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THE COIL PACK FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10020169
Mileage
30,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 20, 2003

WHILE DRIVING, THE COIL PACK WOULD CUT OFF, LEAVING THE ENGINE WITH ONLY 2 OPERATING CYLINDERS. THIS WOULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, BUT USUALLY WHEN TRYING TO GAIN SPEED, NECESSITATING PULLING OFF THE ROAD SO AS TO NOT GET HIT FROM BEHIND. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10018979
Incident
Mar 5, 2003
Mileage
30,500 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 28, 2003

HERE IS A LIKE TO MANY PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR MAZDA MIATA 99+. AROUND MILES THE CAR STARTS TO HAVE IGNITION PROBLEMS CAUSED BY A FAULTY COIL. *JB

NHTSA ID
10008245
Incident
Feb 21, 1999
Mileage
25,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .