2000 Mazda MX-5 Miata

THE TRUNK SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE. THE CABIN SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE. WHILE RESEARCHING ONLINE, THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT A GAS SMELL ON THESE CARS.

NHTSA ID

11045602

Incident

Mar 29, 2017

Mileage

44,000 mi

ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING BADLY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO MAZDA DEALER SHOP AND WAS TOLD A SPARK PLUG WIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND BURNED UP. IN ACTUALITY, THE IGNITION COIL HAD FAILED AND CAUSED THE PROBLEMS. THE DEALER REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, IGNITION WIRES, AND COIL. TWO MONTHS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS CLOGGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE POOR RUNNING DURING THE TIME WHEN THE IGNITION COIL HAD BEEN MISFIRING. SO THE DEFECTIVE COIL CAUSED A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE, AND MAZDA HAS TAKEN NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS OR THE DAMAGE THEY HAVE CAUSED. IF YOU READ COMPLAINTS FOR 1999 MODELS, YOU'LL SEE MANY FAILURES OF THE IGNITION COIL, SOME CAUSING DAMAGE TO OTHER PARTS COSTING A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY. APPARENTLY, SIMILAR COILS WERE USED ON 2000'S WITH SIMILAR FAILURES. BUT NO RECALL AND NO INVESTIGATION.

NHTSA ID

10764038

Incident

Aug 15, 2012

Mileage

40,000 mi

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS CAR WITH ONLY 44,000 MILES ON IT. I RECEIVED THE COMPLETE SERVICE RECORD, AND IT HAD BEEN MAINTAINED THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP AND THROUGH A PRIVATE GARAGE AND BODY SHOP ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THOROUGHLY INSPECTED ON EVERY SERVICE AND BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. NO MENTION HAD EVER BEEN MADE OF RUST IN THE FRONT FRAME RAILS. I PULLED THE FRONT WHEELS TO CLEAN UP RUST AND ALL CONNECTIONS AND FOUND PATCHES OF RUST ON BOTH FRAME RAILS BETWEEN THE SWAY BAR BRACKET AND STRUT BRACKETS. I CAN PUNCH A SCREWDRIVER THROUGH THE RUST ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I LOOKED INSIDE HOLES AND SAW RUST INSIDE THE FRAME RAILS. I FOUND MANY ONLINE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING SIMILAR RUST ON NB MODELS 1999-2005. THIS RUST WILL WEAKEN THE FRAME RAILS AND COULD CAUSE THEM TO BREAK DURING A FRONT END COLLISION, THUS COMPROMISING CRUMPLE ZONES. IT WILL ALSO COMPROMISE THE BRACKETS HOLDING SWAY BARS, STRUTS, AND OTHER VITAL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE RUST BEGINS INSIDE FRAME RAILS SO CAN'T BE SEEN IN EARLY PHASES--UNTIL IT APPEARS ON OUTSIDE OF RAILS. SEEMS CLEAR THAT MAZDA KNOWS OF THESE PROBLEMS SINCE IT REDESIGNED THE FRAME IN 2006 AND SELLS REPAIR PARTS THAT DON'T INVOLVE THIN SANDWICHED SHEETS OF METAL WITH MATERIALS IN BETWEEN THAT HOLD MOISTURE, ROAD SALT, AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS. NUMEROUS HOLES IN THE FRAME RAILS ALSO SEEM TO TAKE IN WATER AND CONTAMINANTS. MIATAS ARE MADE TO PERFORM ON CURVES AND HAVE STIFF SUSPENSION, SO A LOT OF STRESS COMES ON THE FRAME AND BRACKETS. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY MIATA LIKE A SPORTS CAR SINCE THAT WILL CAUSE FURTHER FRAME CRACKING. FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN ONLINE, REPAIRS ARE COMPLEX AND EXPENSIVE. DON'T KNOW WHY THIS SAFETY ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN THE SUBJECT OF INVESTIGATIONS AND RECALLS. THE PROBLEMS SEEM TO RESULT FROM POOR QUALITY FRAME MATERIALS AND INADEQUATE ENGINEERING DESIGN.

NHTSA ID

10761937

Incident

Sep 1, 2015

Mileage

46,200 mi

1999>2000 MAZDA MIATAS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE HAD A BAD BATCH OF COIL PACKS PUT IN THEM, RESULTING IN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, (HAS HAPPENED TO ME THREE TIMES), NOT WHILE DRIVING, BUT UPON RESTARTING AFTER A BRIEF STOP, LIKE AT A STORE, WHEREVER. ANYWAY THE CODE SAYS, RANDOM MISS FIRING, WHICH RESULTS IN A VERY LEAN UNBURNED MIXTURE OF FUEL, WITH MANY OWNERS HAVING THEIR CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND/OR 02 SENSORS GET BURNT OUT AS A RESULT. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE ENGINE RUNS VERY VERY ROUGH, AND COULD STALL. IF THIS HAPPENS IN THE WRONG SITUATION, LIKE ON THE FREEWAY, IT COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATH. MAZDA KNOWS ABOUT THIS AND HAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN OUT ON IT, BUT IT IS AROUND A $300 PART (DEALER) AND VERY NEAR THAT EVERYWHERE ELSE (I.E. AUTOZONE $260) AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON THIS. IMO SINCE THIS CONDITION CAN AND WILL RUIN THE POLLUTION SYSTEM, THEY OUGHT TO ISSUE A RECALL, AND REFUND ANY MONEY ALREADY SPENT ON THE NEW COIL PACK FOR THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD IT CHANGED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10596434

Incident

Jun 6, 2013

Mileage

40,000 mi

AREA OF THE FRONT FRAME SUPPORT RAILS (CORE SUPPORT IS OFFICIAL NAME) RUSTS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE CONSTRUCTION METHOD IS A SANDWICHED MATERIAL WITH SOME SORT OF TARPAPER IN THE MIDDLE WHICH TRAPS MOISTURE WHICH, IN TURN, HASTENS FRAME RUSTING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IN THE 1999 - 2005 YEARS AND USUALLY NOT EASILY IDENTIFIED UNTIL THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. A GOOGLE SEARCH OF THE ISSUE RETURNS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. ONCE THE FRAME RUSTS THROUGH IT CAUSES A REAL SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE OCCUPANTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10567825

Incident

Mar 7, 2014

Mileage

131,000 mi

AFTER DRIVING AROUND IN HEATED CONDITIONS (ROUGHLY 80 DEGREES OR MORE) FOR ABOUT 10+ MILES, SOMETIMES LESS, THE CAR WILL NOT START. IT WILL CRANK AND ATTEMPT TO START BUT FAILS TO DO SO. IN ORDER TO GET IT TO START I HAVE TO POP THE HOOD OPEN AND LET IT SIT FOR 10-15 MINUTES. ONCE IT STARTS IT IS VERY ROUGH AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON. IF I STOP DRIVING IT FOR THE DAY, THE NEXT MORNING, THE LIGHT WILL BE OFF AND IT WILL DRIVE FINE, UNTIL I DRIVE DURING THE DAY, OR OVER A LONG DISTANCE. THRE HAS ALSO BEEN AN INSTANCE WHEN I WAS DRIVING AND STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR JUST STALLED, HAD TO PERFORM THE SAME THING, POP THE HOOD AND WAIT, IT WAS BACK RUNNING. THIS ALSO HAPPEND AT A DRIVE THRU IN 100 DEGREE WEATHER, CAR STALLED AS SOON AS I GOT MY FOOD AND HELD UP THE ALREADY LONG LINE OF CARS BEHIND ME. I HAD TO PUSH IT TO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. I HAVE READ ON NUMEROUS FORUMS AND POSTS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND THAT IT'S EITHER A) IGNITION COIL B) SPARK PLUGS C) SPARK PLUG WIRES OR D) CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR.. WELL.. I CHANGED OUT THE FIRST 3 OPTIONS, WITH NO SUCCESS.. STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I RECENTLY BOUGHT A CPS AND WAITING FOR IT TO ARRIVE. IF THIS DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL. I DRIVE CONSTANTLY ON HIGHWAYS TO GET AROUND AND IF IT STALLS THEN, I WILL BE IN A LOT OF TROUBLE. I DO NOT HAVE A WARRANTY SO I AM DOING ALL THESE REPAIRS MYSELF.

NHTSA ID

10542383

Incident

Jul 20, 2013

Mileage

79,500 mi

1999 TO 2000 MAZDA MIATA THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE LOW/HIGH BEAM HAS BEEN SHOWN TO GENERATE HIGH TEMPERATURES AND ON ONE OCCASION, CAUSE A FIRE. I PERSONALLY HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS WITH MY 1999 MIATA WHICH PROMPTED ME TO REPLACE THE FORWARD SECTION OF THE H4 HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS. OTHERS ON THE MIATA.NET FORUM ( SEE HTTP://FORUM.MIATA.NET/VB/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=360101 HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS, AND ONE MEMBER WHO STARTED THE THREAD EXPERIENCED A FIRE AND DAMAGE. ) I URGE THE NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER WITH MAZDA USA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10297262

Incident

Dec 27, 2009

RATTLING SOUND FROM ENGINE BAY WITH A CHANGE IN TONE AND/OR PITCH WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS ENGAGED/DISENGAGED. RESULT: CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER CAUSING THE CONNECTING ROD (AMONG OTHER INTERNAL ENGINE PARTS) TO BE DRIVEN DIRECTLY THROUGH THE OIL PAN. RECOMMEND PROCEDURE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE: COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $4,600 *CN

NHTSA ID

10216233

Incident

Jan 7, 2008

Mileage

61,000 mi

In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealer’s responsibility to comply with Federal, State, and local laws concerning odometer and related documentation requirements when providing a repair or replacement. Mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers. When a speedometer is replaced, the new speedometer will read zero (0) miles. This procedure is extremely important to accurately represent actual vehicle mileage. Prior to speedometer removal, complete the information required on the “Speedometer Replacement Label”. Labels can only be ordered through Mazda eStore. In an effort to achieve a higher level of Customer Experience and retain the value of Mazda’s vehicles, MNAO Warranty Operations is allowing all Mazda dealers to utilize a third party, SPECMO Enterprises, Inc., for Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) odometer setting service. With the use of SPECMO’s services, it is possible that the odometer will be set between 10 to 31 miles over the odometer mileage at the time of replacement for both warranty and customer pay repairs. Please make sure that the customer is aware that there may be a slight variance to the odometer, in which case the customer may have to accept the slightly higher mileage. Since odometer setting service is not part of the warranty repair, it is not warrantable nor required, but optional. However, Mazda Warranty policy provides after- warranty assistance (AWA) or DSA that can be utilized to cover this service expense.

Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers.

Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers.

Speedometer replacement procedure

This service bulletin provides information regarding the proper use of the driver’s floor mat to avoid any potential interference with the foot pedals. The following are possible causes of floor mat interference, which can be avoided with proper usage.

The Mazda DCA-8000PM is required for all warranty battery testing. If the Mazda DCA-8000PM is not used, incorrect battery testing may result in unnecessary battery replacement. Use the following test procedures in this Service Bulletin to test Mazda vehicle batteries and to generate a Warranty Code.