FaultScore

Worst years for a Mazda MX-5 Miata

Owners have filed 391 complaints about the Mazda MX-5 Miata with NHTSA across model years 1990 to 2005. More of them are about the airbags than anything else.

Avoid

1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata

87 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly brakes.

Cleanest on record

1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata

20 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Mazda MX-5 Miata year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2005 9 0 0 13,737 Transmission & Drivetrain
2004 8 0 0 6,100 Engine & Cooling
2003 D 18 2 3 38,758 Transmission & Drivetrain
2002 D 24 2 1 32,000 Body & Structure
2001 C 24 3 0 53,000 Fuel & Propulsion
2000 C 34 2 2 40,000 Brakes
1999 F 87 15 0 52,000 Brakes
1998 1 0 0 Airbags
1997 C 12 1 1 Electrical System
1996 B 32 2 0 78,000 Airbags
1995 D 36 11 2 Airbags
1994 B 20 1 0 72,500 Airbags
1993 8 2 0 Airbags
1992 25 5 0 97,000 Airbags
1991 21 2 0 64,750 Airbags
1990 32 4 3 Transmission & Drivetrain

What breaks on a Mazda MX-5 Miata

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Airbags 83 21.2%

Worst in 1995

Worst in 1999

Worst in 1999

Worst in 1999

Brakes 31 7.9%

Worst in 1999

Worst in 1999

Worst in 1999

Tires 19 4.9%

Worst in 1995

Seat Belts 18 4.6%

Worst in 1990

Lights 15 3.8%

Worst in 1990

Acceleration & Cruise Control 12 3.1%

Worst in 1999

Other & Unspecified 11 2.8%

Worst in 2000

Suspension 10 2.6%

Worst in 1999

Steering 9 2.3%

Worst in 1999

Exactly what failed on a Mazda MX-5 Miata

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Frontal 24 20.7%
Disc 15 12.9%
Engine 14 12.1%
Manual Transmission 14 12.1%
Ignition 11 9.5%
Body 9 7.8%
Gasoline 9 7.8%
Sidewall 7 6.0%
Fuel Pump 7 6.0%
Buckle Assembly 6 5.2%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Mazda MX-5 Miata, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jan 1995 peak 11 Feb 2026

Compare the Mazda MX-5 Miata

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.