2018 Mazda MX-5

2018 Mazda Miata MX-5 Club Sport, manual transmission Heading home from a friends house that evening, transmission started whirring/whining in 6th gear, then 5th, and so on through 2nd - 1st gear seems to be unaffected. I was forced to apply hazard flashers and travel well below the speed limit in the right lane of the PA turnpike until I made my way to local roads. As I got closer to home, there was also a slight crunch between gears. All of the symptoms above got worse until arriving home, where the vehicle was parked to await diagnosis/repair. 2016+ Mazda Miata MX-5 manual transmissions are infamous for being fragile, but I never expected my transmission to fail before I reached 20,000 miles on the odometer. Mazda also refused to refund it due to my car being just months out of warranty. I am now out $2000+ from sourcing a new transmission and having it installed on a relatively new car, which is unheard of.

NHTSA ID

11595229

Incident

Apr 28, 2024

I'VE OWNED MY 2018 MAZDA MX-5 FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS. THE PROBLEMS SLOW STARTED ARISING. AT FIRST I HADN'T NOTICED, BUT WHEN GOING IN AND OUT OF 'DRIVE' THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS EITHER GOING TO STALL OR ACCELERATE. I HAD INITIALLY THOUGHT WAS BECAUSE IT'S A 'SPORTS CAR.' IN AUGUST OF 2020 THE WINDOW REGULATOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD MALFUNCTIONED. FAST FORWARD TO DECEMBER 2020, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR HAS MALFUNCTION AS WELL. I'VE BEEN DOING RESEARCH AS TO WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO A VEHICLE THAT'S ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD. I'VE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE OCTOBER OF 2018. INTERNET FORUMS SUGGESTED FAULTS WITH THE ELECTRICAL WIRING. I'VE INFORMED THE MAZDA OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THESE ISSUES AND INFORMED THEM OF THE INCONVENIENCE. MAKE NOTE I HAVE ONLY MADE A COMPLAINT TO THE WINDOW REGULATORS FAILING. I'VE PROVIDED THEM WITH MY VIN AND YET TO HEAR FROM THEM SINCE. IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME TO DO RESEARCH ON MY VIN, SO I DID AND MUCH TO MY CHAGRIN AFTER APOLOGIZING FOR POSSIBLY BEING RUDE, I FIND THAT MY VEHICLE HAS HAD A SERIOUS RECALL SINCE FEBRUARY 01ST OF 2019. A YEAR AND 10 MONTHS AND NO RECALL NOTICE WHAT SO EVER! SHOULDN'T THE DEALERSHIP KNOW OF THE PROBLEMS! SERIOUSLY I COULD HAVE DIED! I QUOTE, DIRECTLY FROM NHTSA, 'THE SUDDEN UNEXPECTED DOWNSHIFT WHILE DRIVING MAY NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE STABILITY OF THE VEHICLE, AND COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.' THIS IS INCREDIBLY DEPRESSING, SINCE THIS IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. THEY HAD CLOSE TO 2 YEARS TO INFORM ME OF THIS RECALL AND I HAD TO FIND OUT MYSELF.

NHTSA ID

11384229

Incident

Jul 1, 2020

STARTED FROM CREAK NOISE AS CAR START TO MOVE, ACCELERATE OR STOP. NOW IT DEVELOPED TO SOME TICKING NOISE EVERY TIME CAR ACCELERATE OR DECELERATE. THE CAR IS ONLY AT ABOUT 9700 MI WENT TO SPREEN MAZDA LOMA LINDA CA TO INSPECT THE CAR. THEY SAID IT IS NORMAL AND COME BACK WHEN IT GETS WORSE

NHTSA ID

11281684

Incident

Nov 1, 2019

Mileage

9,700 mi

This SA supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. SA-061/25 12/17/25 DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. Examples: 1. Devices connected to the DLC-2 (battery discharge/DTC stored) 2. Devices plugged into the 12V outlet 3. GPS tracking device (engine no start/battery discharge) 4. Dash cam (DTC stored) 5. Non-certified USB cable (Apple Carplay™/ Android Auto™ will not connect) 6. Over-sized wheels/tires (incorrect GPS location) 7. DTC C0023:14 8. Decorative trim and/or cover on the START/STOP ENGINE button Example 1: Some electrical devices connected to the DLC-2 connector by insurance or mobile phone companies may cause: Battery discharge. The device may disrupt the CAN system battery saver mode. • IDS/MMDS will not communicate with the vehicle due to poor DLC-2 connection. The aftermarket device may cause DLC-2 female terminals to spread open.

DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may exhibit scratches (1) on the rear of the seat back bar garnish (2) from contact with the convertible top (3). Due to assembly variations, the clearance between the seat back bar garnish and the convertible top is too small on some vehicles. REPAIR PROCEDURE 6. Install the seat back crossmember assembly from the vehicle according to the instructions on MGSS online or the Workshop Manual (section 09-10 SEAT BACK CROSSMEMBER ASSEMBLY REMOVAL/INSTALLATION). 7. Reinstall the rear seat back bar garnish while twisting the garnish so that the garnish can be kept closer to the seat back bar and away from the convertible top (for both left and right sides).

This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red. 01-008/23 06/05/23 Some vehicles may exhibit rattling noises from the engine compartment and oil leakage from the drive belt auto tensioner. This may be caused by insufficient sealing at the drive belt auto tensioner damper when the auto tensioner fully operates under both high ambient temperature and high load conditions. To eliminate this concern, the shape of the drive belt auto tensioner damper has been changed. REPAIR PROCEDURE If the tensioner is found to be "No Good" after completing the Drive Belt Auto Tensioner Inspection, replace it with a modified part according to the instructions on MGSS online:

DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may require the replacement of a damaged VIN plate or vehicle certification label. To obtain a replacement VIN plate (bulkhead-mounted and visible through the lower-left area of the windshield), contact DAG (Dealer Assistance Group) using VIN Plate Request Form available on One Mazda. To obtain a replacement vehicle certification label (located on the B􀀀pillar or front door), contact your assigned DSM (District Service Manager) to place the order. If DSM contact information is not available, refer to the Dealer & Field Contact Directory.

This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION 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. SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE Refer to the applicable Workshop Manual or Owner's Manual for vehicle -specific manufacturer scheduled maintenance. Workshop Manual - Refer to section 00-00 SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. Owner's Manual - Refer to section 8 Maintenance and Care. b. Note: Please refer to the information below outlining the services not included in Mazda's Factory Scheduled Maintenance: IMPORTANT: Recommending fluid flushes when not necessary can lead to customer confusion and dissatisfaction. Fluid flushing for preventive maintenance purposes is strongly discouraged, unless otherwise specified in a published procedure (Owner’s Manual, Workshop Manual, Technical Service Bulletin, etc.).

This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued M-Tip(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. MT-002/19 09/30/19 and 12/19/19 DESCRIPTION If an engine assembly is replaced after a catastrophic internal mechanical failure, clean the intake manifold internally before installing a replacement engine assembly. If the intake manifold is not cleaned properly, the replacement engine may fail prematurely. Metallic debris from the old engine (with catastrophic internal mechanical failure) may rest inside the intake manifold. When the new engine assembly is installed, debris in the intake manifold will be ingested into the new engine and cause internal damage. Clean the intake manifold internally to remove any debris from old engine before installing the new replacement engine assembly. If the intake manifold cannot be properly cleaned internally, replace it.