FaultScore

1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata electrical problems

10 of the 87 complaints about the 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata are about the electrical system — 11% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 30,250 miles.

A

10

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Ignition 7 70.0%
12V/24V/48V Battery 1 10.0%
Module 1 10.0%
Electrical System 1 10.0%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 76,000 miles Warner Robins, GA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF IGNITION "COIL PACK" LEADING TO COSTLY REPLACEMENT OF CAT. CONVERTER, O2 SENSOR, AND COIL PACKS. MFR NEVER COVERED THIS UNDER ANY SORT OF EXTENDED WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS NOT UNCOMMON, AND EVIDENTLY BAD PARTS ARE STILL IN THE SYSTEM. MULTIPLE FAILURE DATES.

NHTSA complaint #10241741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 33,300 miles Dallas, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

1999 10TH ANNIVERSARY MAZDA MIATA CURRENTLY WITH 33,900 MILES ON IT. ABOUT 600 MILES AGO CAR SUDDENLY STARTED AND RAN ROUGH WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. HAD CODE CHECKED AND REVEALED P0300 (RANDOM MISFIRE I.E.IGNITION COIL PACK FAILURE). CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT AFTER READING CODE. SYMPTOM REAPPEARED RECENTLY WITH SAME CODE P0300. REPLACED SPARK PLUG WIRES WITH NGK OEM WIRES ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND SYMPTOM REAPPEARED THIS AFTERNOON. I UNDERSTOOD THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE EMISSION CONTROL WARRANTY BUT THE SUBSEQUENT CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE IS COVERED UNDER THE 8/80.000 EMISSION WARRANTY. IF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF IGNITION COIL THEN WHY IS THE IGNITION COIL NOT COVERED UNDER THE EMISSION WARRANTY. THIS IS ANOTHER BUREAUCRATIC SNAFU. THE CAUSE OF THE EMISSION FAILURE IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EMISSION CONTROL WARRANTY. SO MAYBE I SHOULD WAIT UNTIL THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND HAVE MAZDA (FORD) REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THEN REPLACE THE IGNITION COIL PACK THEN BECAUSE IT WILL COST ME THE SAME BUT OVER $1000 FOR MAZDA (FORD).

NHTSA complaint #10169711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Matthews, NC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

1999 MAZDA MIATA HAD PROBLEM WITH IGNITION COILS. THE SENSORS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AS WELL. CONSUMER IS REFERENCING COMPLAINT 10093484.*MR

NHTSA complaint #10117243 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 30,000 miles Springfield, VA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT READ IN THE THE MIATA'S FORUM. MY 19'99 MIATA IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION COIL, AND THE SENSORS WILL SAY ABOUT A PROBLEM IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I RECENTLY GOT MY CAR, AND IS ONLY 35K, BUT THE LIMITED WARRANTY FROM THE DEALER JUST EXPIRED A WHILE AGO. FROM THE LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM ALONG THE INTERNET (YOU CAN READ IT HERE: HTTP://WWW.MIATAFORUM.COM/CGI-BIN/ULTIMATEBB.CGI?UBB=GET_TOPIC&F=27&T=000103), I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MAZDA IS NOT DOING A RECALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10093484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 41,730 miles Miamisburg, OH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

THE COIL PACK HAS FAILED ON MY 1999 MAZDA MIATA WITH LESS THAN 42000 MILES. MY INFORMATION IS THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON 1999 MAZDA PROTEGES FOR THE COIL PACK FAILURE AND THAT THE MIATA PART IS IDENTICAL EXCEPT FOR THE MOUNTING BRACKET.

NHTSA complaint #10086548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Harvest, AL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

1999-2000 MIATAS HAVE AN ESTABLISHED INTERMITTENT IGNITION COIL FAILURE PROBLEM PER SEVERAL OWNERS FORUMS. THE IGNITION COIL FAILS WHICH CAUSES A MISFIRE CONDITION, THIS RESULTS IN UNBURNED FUEL REACHING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHERE IT BURNS AND OVERHEATS THE CONVERTER. THIS OVERHEATING CAN DESTROY THE CONVERTER AND POTENTIALLY DESTROY THE OXYGEN SENSORS. THIS EXACT SCENARIO HAPPENED TO ME ON THE INDICATED DATE. MY VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 37K MILES ON IT BUT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOW I MUST REPLACE THE COIL AND CONVERTER. I BELIEVE THIS SITUATION WARRANTS A RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10054906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 5,800 miles Bellingham, WA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE BATTERY, REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT.*MR BATTERY DIED AT 5800 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #10044852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 30,000 miles Monsey, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THE COIL PACK FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #10020169 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 30,500 miles Madison, WI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHILE DRIVING, THE COIL PACK WOULD CUT OFF, LEAVING THE ENGINE WITH ONLY 2 OPERATING CYLINDERS. THIS WOULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, BUT USUALLY WHEN TRYING TO GAIN SPEED, NECESSITATING PULLING OFF THE ROAD SO AS TO NOT GET HIT FROM BEHIND. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10018979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 25,000 miles Columbus, MS

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

HERE IS A LIKE TO MANY PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR MAZDA MIATA 99+. AROUND MILES THE CAR STARTS TO HAVE IGNITION PROBLEMS CAUSED BY A FAULTY COIL.

NHTSA complaint #10008245 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata problems

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