Owners have filed 41 complaints
about the 1994 Mazda MPV with NHTSA between 1995 and 2009.
The largest single group is the airbags.
Across this model's run it ranks 6 of 13 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 30
Against the median year of the Mazda MPV. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 100
43.9% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.
NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a
system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and
knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Jan 1995peak 3May 2009
Recalls on the 1994 Mazda MPV
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 2015489232,227 units in Canada
Electrical
On certain vehicles, a defect in the ignition switch could cause an electrical short to develop over time. This could result in smoke and/or fire, increasing the risk of injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the ignition switch.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Greenbrier, ARCrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
I HAD A MVA ON 9/20/03. A VEHICLE PULLED IN FRONT OF ME AND I COLLIDED WITH THEIR FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG IN MY VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS DRIVING A MAZDA MPV 1994. MPV TOTALED. MPV FRONT END COLLAPSED.
NHTSA complaint #10041257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Glen Spey, NYCrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE VEHICLE HIT A DEER. UPON IMPACT THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. *AK *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10008694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 125,000 milesGlen Spey, NYCrash
AIR BAGS
THE CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK , AND IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. MR SCC
NHTSA complaint #8020486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Williamstown, KYCrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 35 MPH, SEATBELTS DID NOT RETRACT, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #839454 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Williamstown, KYCrash
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 35 MPH, SEATBELTS DID NOT RETRACT, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #839454 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Columbus, INCrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
IN A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THIS ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #830607 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
SAN Diego, CA
TIRES
DEFECTIVE TIRES. STEEL BELTS SPLIT. TIRES READY TO EXPLODE. FUTURA 775 PURCHASED AT PEP BOYS 02/2005. LESS THAN 10,000 MILES DRIVEN ON 55,000 TIRE. SHOWED TIRES TO 4 DIFFERENT AUTO SHOPS AND ASKED IF THIS WAS A NORMAL THING OR IF IT WAS A DEFECTIVE TIRE? ALL 4 SAID IT WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE IN THE PEP BOYS GARAGE. THE MANAGER OF THE STORE SAID IT WAS NOT A DEFECT AND WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TIRES, BUT OFFERED TO SELL ME A COUPLE OF NEW TIRES.
NHTSA complaint #10269733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Greenbrier, ARCrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
I HAD A MVA ON 9/20/03. A VEHICLE PULLED IN FRONT OF ME AND I COLLIDED WITH THEIR FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG IN MY VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS DRIVING A MAZDA MPV 1994. MPV TOTALED. MPV FRONT END COLLAPSED.
NHTSA complaint #10041257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Glen Spey, NYCrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE VEHICLE HIT A DEER. UPON IMPACT THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. *AK *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10008694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 125,000 milesGlen Spey, NYCrash
AIR BAGS
THE CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK , AND IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. MR SCC
NHTSA complaint #8020486 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dora, AL
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WE NOTICED FOR NO APPARENT REASON LIGHTS WOULD COME,TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BEFORE EXPECTED,EVEN WHEN REPLACED BRAKES WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE.AFTER TALKING TO MANY PEOPLE,WE FOUND OUT THAT MPV VANS FOR SEVERAL YEARS HAVE THESE SAME TYPE PROBLEMS
NHTSA complaint #761621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dora, AL
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WE NOTICED FOR NO APPARENT REASON LIGHTS WOULD COME,TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BEFORE EXPECTED,EVEN WHEN REPLACED BRAKES WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE.AFTER TALKING TO MANY PEOPLE,WE FOUND OUT THAT MPV VANS FOR SEVERAL YEARS HAVE THESE SAME TYPE PROBLEMS
NHTSA complaint #761621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dora, AL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WE NOTICED FOR NO APPARENT REASON LIGHTS WOULD COME,TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BEFORE EXPECTED,EVEN WHEN REPLACED BRAKES WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE.AFTER TALKING TO MANY PEOPLE,WE FOUND OUT THAT MPV VANS FOR SEVERAL YEARS HAVE THESE SAME TYPE PROBLEMS
NHTSA complaint #761621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cypress, OR
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
PEOO 020 ; VEHICLE HAD A FLAT TIRE ON PASSENGER'S REAR SIDE. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO A TIRE PLACE, AND MECHANIC TOLD HER THATTWO TIRE TREADS HAD SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS, P215/65R15, DOT W2VFH30358. THESE TIRES WERE NOT ORIGINAL TIRES ON VEHICLE, BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #897372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Dallas, TX
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
LIFTERS & ROCKER ARMS REPLACED 3 TIMES - CARBON BUILD UP WAS NEVER FIXED CAUSES ENGINE TO NEED REPLACEMENT.
NHTSA complaint #738807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Grand Terrace, CA
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
I SAW THIS 'SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT' REPORT ON CH. 2 IN LA, I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON MY TIRES, THE TREADS ON THE TIRES CAME OFF THE TIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STEEP HILL MAKING A TURN AND MY VAN COULD OF TIPED OVER. I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES AT MY COST. *AK( DOT NUMBER: HYMO316 TIRE SIZE: P205/70R15 )
NHTSA complaint #726217 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Denham Springs, LA
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ON APRIL 28,2000, THE TRANSMISSION IN OUR L994 MAZDA MPV MINI-VAN WENT COMPLETELY OUT. I WAS TRAVELLING AT AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 60 MILES PER HOUR ON INTERSTATE L2 IN BATON ROUGE. WE PURCHASED THE VAN, USED, IN JANUARY 2,000. WHEN WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COULD NOT BE REBUILT. WE THEN PURCHASED A USED TRANSMISSION FOR INSTALLATION IN THE VAN. THE TOTAL COST WAS APPROXIMATELY $2,200.00. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE ANY TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS LISTED FOR THE L994 MAZDA MPV MINI-VAN INVOLVING THE TRANSMISSION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
NHTSA complaint #723586 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Concord, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
MY DEALER AND REPAIR SHOP SAY THEY HAVE SEEN SEVERAL CASES OF THIS SWITCH FAILURE. IT CAUSES THE HEADLIGHTS TO COME ON BY THEMSELVES. MUST BE A DEFECT IN THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY THAT MAZDA IS AWARE OF. MAZDA SHOULD COVER THE REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #723837 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Santa FAE, CA
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER WAS AT STOP LIGHT WHEN TRYING TO TAKE OFF AND VEHICLE DIDN'T MOVE AT ALL. THROTTLE WAS TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER TOWED VEHICLE TO DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #862386 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Georgetown, GA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THIS PROBLEM WITH THE LIFTERS HAS BEEN REPORTED TWO SEPARATE TIMES. BOTH TIMES WE WERE GIVEN A MAJOR RUN AROUND IN ORDER TO GET THIS ISSUE TAKEN CARE OF. ON THE FIRST VISIT WERE TOLD THAT KNOCKING WAS NORMAL FOR A ENGINE TO DO. WHICH I STRONGLE DISAGREED WITH. AFTER GOING INTO THE ENGINE IT WAS FOUND THERE THERE WAS SOME COLLAPSED LIFTERS. SOON AFTER THE REPAIR THE PROBLEM RESURFACED, THIS TIME SPACERS WERE INSTALLED. I WAS TOLD THAT NOT ENOUGH OIL WAS REACHING THE LIFTERS. AFTER THIS THE KNOCKING WAS GONE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND I THOUGH THE PROBLEM WAS TAKEN CARE OF. UNTILL WE MOVED TO GEORGIA IN JULY OF 98 THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN WITH US UNTILL PRESENT. I CAN SAFTLY SAY THAT I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF THE VAN THE OIL IS CHANGED ON A 2000 MILE CYCLE SO I WOULD THINK THAT THE OIL SHOULD BE ABLE TO REACH THE LIFTERS FINE. EVEN THOUGH I WAS TOLD BY THE MAZDA DEALER THAT THE KNOCKING NOISE WOULD NOT CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, I HAVE TO DISAGREE. THE CAM SHAFT HAS TO HAVE SOME KIND OF WEAR AS WELL CONSIDERING THATS WHAT THE PUSHES THE LIFTERS UP.
NHTSA complaint #719470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brandon, MS
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
-ALMOST EVERY TIME WE START THE ENGINE, A VERY LOUD CLACKING NOISE PERSIST FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN AFTER THE VAN IS WARMED UP THE CLACKING SOUND SUBSIDES TO A MINIMAL NOISE LEVEL BUT IS NEVER THE LESS STILL APPARENT. AT FIRST " STARTS" IN THE MORNINGS IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING LOUDER. IT SOUNDS LIKE THER IS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE AND THE VALVES ARE JUST CLICKING AND KNOCKING LIKE CRAZY. I CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 3-4000 MILES AND MAKE SURE IT IS CONTINUALLY FULL. I CALLED THE MAZDA MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT AT METRO MAZDA, 1087 I-20 WEST FRONTAGE RD., JACKSON MS, 601-944-1333 AND WAS TOLD BY ONE OF THE MECHANICS NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT , BECAUSE MOST OF THE MPV'S HAVE THAT PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #714497 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chula Vista, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
SPRING INSIDE ENGINE LIFTERS GAVE OUT.CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY.CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #843091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Williamstown, KYCrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 35 MPH, SEATBELTS DID NOT RETRACT, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #839454 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Williamstown, KYCrash
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 35 MPH, SEATBELTS DID NOT RETRACT, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #839454 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Travis AFB, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ROCKER ARM/LIFTERS ARE NOISY, CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, RECOMMENDED REPLACING ALL LIFTERS, COST BET. $850-$1200.
NHTSA complaint #705505 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lansdale, PA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ROCKER ARM AND SHAFT REPLACED RESULTING IN ENGINE NOISE, HOWEVER CARBON BUILD UP STILL PRESENT.
NHTSA complaint #527259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Columbus, INCrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
IN A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THIS ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #830607 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kihei, HI
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #532694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fort Hood, TX
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
HYDRAULIC LASH ADJUSTERS WERE IMPROPERLY DESIGNED AND RESTRICT OIL FLOW.
NHTSA complaint #529149 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ST. Albans, NYCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE SLOWLY PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND RUNNING OVER A SMALL BUMP, THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING INJURIES TO THE ARM/NECK/CHEST AND SHOULDERS. *AK
NHTSA complaint #812655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Woodland Park, CO
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
LIFTERS IN UPPER VALVE TRAIN MAKE CLICKING NOISES.
NHTSA complaint #514816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.