RoadVitals

2008 Mazda MX-5 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
7
Latest Oct 20, 2019
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Apr 9, 2009

What this page shows

Our database holds 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2008 Mazda MX-5. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–7 of 7

Body & structure
Filed Oct 20, 2019

WHEN IT RAINS WATER WILL POOL IN PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. MAZDA DEALS SUGGESTS ADDING DRAINS AND FILTERS THAT ARE NOT PART OF ORIGINAL VEHICLE DESIGN. (THIS ISSUE IS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW AND NO OTHER REASON), THIS HAPPENS REGARDLESS IF CAR IS MOVING OR STATIONARY. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING ISSUE SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 11/2012. . DOOR SEALS AND WINDOW SEALS ARE NOT DAMAGED.

NHTSA ID
11269756
Incident
Oct 12, 2019
Mileage
40,000 mi
Filed Jun 13, 2019

WATER ACCUMULATION IN FOOTWELL/PLUGGED SOFT TOP DRAINS. MAZDA HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OF HOW THEIR COMPANY CAN FIX IT BUT MUST BE PAID BY OWNER. I SPOKE TO ALISHA AT MAZDA AND IT IS NOT RECALLED OR A SERVICE PROGRAM. ON THE INTERNET MANY ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO MAZDA AND SHOULD BE COVERED SINCE THEIR FIX FOR THIS IS ADDING A DRAIN VALVE ASSEMBLY, SEVERAL DRAIN COVERS AND VALVES AND FILTERS.

NHTSA ID
11219807
Incident
Jun 10, 2019
Mileage
131,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 16, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MX-5. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS DETECTED UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL FELL TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE GEAR REMAINED IN NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PUSHED INTO A PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WYATT JOHNSON MAZDA (2425 WILMA RUDOLPH BLVD SUITE C, CLARKSVILLE, TN 37040, (931) 648-1098) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WELD ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL FRACTURED AND THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

NHTSA ID
11170390
Incident
Jan 8, 2019
Mileage
91,000 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed Nov 18, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM DRAINED THE BATTERY OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 1/19/16 LN UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ *CN

NHTSA ID
10794629
Incident
Oct 26, 2015
Mileage
40,000 mi
Heating & air conditioningTires & wheels
Filed Aug 23, 2014

UNFORTUNATELY I HIRED A CAR FROM ATWEST RENT A CAR IL LAX FOR A 3 WEEKS! THE CONVERTIBLE CAR MAZDA MIATA THAT THE COMPANY RENT ME WAS, THAT I SAW FIRST, COVERED IN SCRATCHES, NOT WASHED, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE! BUT THIS IS NOT THE EXTREMELY SERIOUS MATTER!! I CALLED MANY TIMES TO REPORT YOU THAT THIS CAR IS A DANGER!!! AFTER A FEW DAYS OF DRIVING, THE BALANCE OF THE CAR WAS MASSIVELY UPSET BY HAVING USED TYRES!!!! EACH MILES I DRIVE, PUTS MYSELF AND OTHERS IN DANGER: IT IS IN PRECISELY THOSE AREAS THAT I NEED TO ACT. THERE IS ALSO NO LIQUID TANK AND THE WINDSHIELD WASHER DAMAGED!!!!!!!!. I RANG ATWEST TO EXPLAIN THAT I WAS IN DANGER....I LEAST THE EMPLOYEE DID NOT LESSON TO ME......EXCEPT TO PAY FOR THE PROBLEMS OF THE CAR!!!!! THAT IS NOT MY CAR, AND THIS IS THE COMPANY RESPONSIBILITIES TO RENT CARS AS A MATTER OF CAR RENTING POLICIES IN THE UNITED STATES...THIS IS CRIMINAL ACT TO PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER....THAT IS CALLED FAILURE TO ASSIST A PERSON IN DANGER, A CRIME THAT IS PUNISHABLE BY LAW!! I ALSO PAID THE THIRD INSURANCE THOUGH I WAS ALREADY COVERED BY MY GOLD CREDIT CARD! YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T SERVICE YOUR VEHICLES, AND JUST WAIT THE CUSTOMER PAY OUT FOR IT! I JUST COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS....IF I HAD YOU DO IT...I WANT TO SUE THEM! MANY THANKS TO ANSWER ME AND TELL ME WHAT TO DO KIND REGARDS *TR

NHTSA ID
10627691
Incident
Aug 5, 2014
Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 18, 2014

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE TIRES OR WHEELS. RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP, SAID IT THROUGH A WEIGHT. STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OF FEELING WOBBLY ESPECIALLY BETWEEN START AND 35 MPH. HAVE TOLD SERVICE MANAGER SEVERAL TIMES, I THINK TIRES OR WHEELS NEED REPLACING...UPDATED 07/01/14 *BF STATUS UPDATE 09/09/14

NHTSA ID
10599077
Incident
Oct 1, 2013
Mileage
40,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 9, 2009
Crash reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE ACCIDENTALLY PLACED THE GEAR INTO REVERSE AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS AND CRASHED INTO A TRAFFIC SIGN. SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS A KEYLESS REMOTE ENTRY, SHE WAS NOT WARNED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN ITS PROPER PARKED POSITION PRIOR TO EXITING. SHE CALLED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, BUT WAS NOT PROVIDED WITH ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1,300.

NHTSA ID
10264796
Incident
Mar 31, 2008
Mileage
1,300 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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .