1993 Mazda MX3 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 1993 Mazda MX3, 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 belts3048.4%
- Electrical69.7%
- Transmission69.7%
- Airbags34.8%
- Brakes34.8%
- Driver assistance34.8%
- Suspension34.8%
- Visibility34.8%
- Engine23.2%
- Fuel system11.6%
- Exterior lighting11.6%
- Powertrain (other)11.6%
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
DRIVERS SIDE AUTOMATIC BELT DOES NOT WORK. CAN ONLY USE LAP BELT. HAD DEALERSHIP CORRECT DURING INITIAL RECALL BUT THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM THEN. YEARS LATER PROBLEM BEGAN AND MAZDA WILL NOT CORRECT. SEAT BELT KEEPS MOVING BACK AND FORTH IN TRACK AND WILL NOT LOCK IN PLACE. I HAVE TO REMOVE FUSE BECAUSE IT IS CONSTANT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MAZDA MX-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ORDERED THE SEAT BELT REPLACEMENT KIT AND REPLACED THE PART YEARS AGO, BUT THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO SECURE AND RETRACT AFTER THE REPAIR. BROWNING MAZDA (18827 STUDEBAKER RD, CERRITOS, CA 90703, (562) 924-1414) INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE PART FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 97V211000 (SEAT BELTS) BECAUSE THE OEM SEAT BELTS HAD BEEN REPAIRED BY AN OUTSIDE SOURCE. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE SEAT BELT KIT WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MAZDA MX3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE BATTERY CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT CALLED NORTH KANSAS CITY MAZDA (LOCATED IN NORTH KANSAS CITY, MO) WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD RETRIEVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER PICKED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MAZDA MX3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
EVER SINCE I GOT MY CAR IT SEEMS ALL WE'VE HAD TO DO IS RELPLACE PARTS. WE HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM THE START. UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN OUR CAR WAS FAILING TO GO AND GETTING STUCK EVEY TIME WE CAME TO A STOP LIGHT, I GOT THE IDEA THAT IT WASN'T HOW I WAS HANDILING IT, THAT THEIR WAS A MANU. PROBLEM. I SAW MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MAKE ON THE TRANSMISSION, AND I DON'T THINK I SHOULD PAY ANYMORE TO GET IT REPLACED. EVERYTIME I TRY TO PUT ON THE GAS IT FAILS TO ACCELERATE. NOW IT MAKES A CLICKING NOISE EVERYTIME I PRESS THE GAS.
EVER SINCE I GOT MY CAR IT SEEMS ALL WE'VE HAD TO DO IS RELPLACE PARTS. WE HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM THE START. UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN OUR CAR WAS FAILING TO GO AND GETTING STUCK EVEY TIME WE CAME TO A STOP LIGHT, I GOT THE IDEA THAT IT WASN'T HOW I WAS HANDILING IT, THAT THEIR WAS A MANU. PROBLEM. I SAW MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MAKE ON THE TRANSMISSION, AND I DON'T THINK I SHOULD PAY ANYMORE TO GET IT REPLACED. EVERYTIME I TRY TO PUT ON THE GAS IT FAILS TO ACCELERATE. NOW IT MAKES A CLICKING NOISE EVERYTIME I PRESS THE GAS.
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
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG DURING ACCIDENT CAUSED INJURY TO PASSENGERS. SAFETY HARNESS FOR THE SHOULDER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BROKE FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR CAUSING PASSENGER TO BE THROWN AROUND THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. NLM
DRIVER INVOLVED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
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
WHENEVER APPLYING BRAKES SUDDENL THEY WOULD LOCK UP EACH TIME. BRAKES WOULD WORK FINE WHEN NOT APPLIED SUDDENLY. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE MECHANIC CHECK THEM OUT. *AK
LEFT REAR CALIPER WAS REPLACED 7/98, RIGHT REAR CALIPER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED 2/99. I HEARD THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME RECALL ON THE REAR CALIPER'S FOR MAZDA'S PRE '95. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR IS WANTING TO STALL EVERY TIME I COME TO A STOOP. MUST PUT IN NEUTRAL TO KEEP FROM DOING. MECHANIC CLAIMED IT WAS THROTTLE BODY CARBON BUILD UP BUT THAT DID NOT FIX PROBLEM. SEEMS LIKE THIS MIGHT BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THIS HAS BEEN FIXED IN PAST AND NOT LET MECHANIC KEEP GUESSING.*AK
SEAT BELT INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASH INOPERATIVE. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
I BOUGHT A 1993 MAZDA MX3 BASE 4 CYLINDER AND IT WAS MAKING A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL WHICH WAS FOUND OUT TO BE A BROKEN COIL SPRING ON MY PASSENGER SIDE, IT IS THE FACTORY STRUT AND SPRING ASSEMBLY.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MAZDA MX3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING PUNCTURED THE TIRE AND CAUSED IT TO EXPLODE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V116000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: SPRINGS: COIL SPRINGS); THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT WILL HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 150,000.
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 DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT RESTRAINT IS STUCK MIDWAY ON THE RAIL WHICH IS A VERY DANGEROUS POSITION IF A WRECK WERE TO OCCUR. THE POWER SUNROOF OPENS ALL THE WAY BUT WILL NOT CLOSE. IT REQUIRES A MANUAL CRANK IN ORDER TO CLOSE IT. *AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 97V22600. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE RECALL REPAIRED, CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE TOOLS TO FIX THE VEHICLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING CAR STALLS FOR NO REASON, IN ORDER TO RESTART YOU NEED TO PUT IN PARK TURN THE KEY OFF AND BACK ON. *AK
FAN FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
FUEL INJECTION DISTRIBUTOR STOPPED WORKING. ALSO, CV BOOTS BROKE OFF. A CONSUMER HAD THE PARTS REPLACED THREE OR FOUR TIMES, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
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
WHILE USING THE HEADLIGHTS CONSUMER NOTICED THAT HEADLIGHTS VISIBILITY WAS POOR DUE TO THE LENS BEING DISCOLORED. *AK
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
FUEL INJECTION DISTRIBUTOR STOPPED WORKING. ALSO, CV BOOTS BROKE OFF. A CONSUMER HAD THE PARTS REPLACED THREE OR FOUR TIMES, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *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 .