28 of the 391 complaints filed about the Mazda MX-5 Miata are about the body and structure — 7% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1999.
28
Complaints
7%
Share of all complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE FORWARD FRAME RAILS ARE SEVERELY RUSTED, COMPROMISING THE FUNCTION OF THE BUMPERS GREATLY INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A FRONT COLLISION. CORROSION IS NOT READILY APPARENT, SUGGESTING THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE THAT THEIR VEHICLE'S SAFETY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED.
NHTSA complaint #10994350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
ONE OF TWO LATCHES FOR THE CONVERTIBLE SOFT TOP CAME UNFASTENED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING ONE SIDE OF THE TOP TO LIFT UPWARDS WITH GREAT VIOLENCE AND A VERY LOUD NOISE. NO ACCIDENT THIS TIME BUT IT WILL HAPPEN- E.G. SWERVING OUT OF LANE AND INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, PEDESTRIAN, TREE, ETC. DUE TO 1) THE VIOLENCE AND NOISE AND/OR 2) THE DRIVER *ATTEMPTING* (ITS IMPOSSIBLE!) TO RE-LATCH AND RE-LOCK THE TOP. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS A VERY POOR DESIGN OF THE LATCH/LOCK AND THE LOCKS LEVER BEING MADE OF POT METAL. BOTH FACTORS COMBINE IN A SYNERGISTIC MANNER WHICH CAUSE VERY RAPID LOCK WEAR AND ABRUPT FAILURE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO RISK AND THE NUMBER OF NHTSA COMPLAINTS ON THIS DESIGN DEFECT- INCLUDING ONE WHERE BOTH LATCHES FAILED AND THE TOP BLEW OFF! DEFECTIVE PART NUMBERS ARE NA01R1310_ AND NA01R1320_.
NHTSA complaint #10759352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN A PEDESTRIAN DARTED OUT INTO A CROSSWALK. THE FIRST CAR SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS. THE CAR BEHIND IT SLAMMED ON THEIR BREAKS, AND I WAS THE CAR BEHIND THE SECOND CAR. I TRIED TO AVOID THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, BUT MY CAR DID NOT STOP IN TIME. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON A SIDE STREET. I HAD MY SEATBELT FASTENED. MY NOSE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND STARTED TO BLEED PROFUSELY. I WENT TO EMERGENCY, AND THEY ADVISED ME TO SEE MY DOCTOR FOR A CHECKUP. THE DOCTOR ORDERED AN X-RAY OF MY NOSE. I HAVE A TINY FRACTURE AND CONTUSION, WHICH LED TO TWO VERY BLACK EYES AND SWELLING. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND TO MY FACE. THE AIRBAG DID NOT INFLATE.
NHTSA complaint #10717588 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
I AM WRITING THIS TO BRING UP AN ISSUE REGARDING OF A FLAWED DESIGN OUT OF THE FACTORY FROM MAZDA. IF YOU SIMPLY SEARCH "MAZDA MIATA FRONT FRAME RAIL RUST" YOU WILL SEE THAT IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND/OR EVEN FATAL PROBLEM, THAT PROBABLY MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS YEAR (1998-2005) ARE UNAWARE OF. MANY HAVE HAD THE SITUATION CHECKED OUT AND IT SEEMS THE WAY THE SHEETS OF METAL WERE PUT TO TOGETHER HOLDS MOISTURE AND SUCH AND ROTS THE CHASSIS FROM INSIDE OUT. THIS IS COMING FROM PEOPLE NOT ONLY WHO LIVES IN AN AREA THAT SNOWS, BUT EVEN DRY CLIMATES, AND EVEN FROM OWNERS THAT GARAGE KEEP AND USE THEIR CAR PURELY AS A SUMMER CAR, WHICH NEVER SEES A WINTER IN ITS LIFE. I'VE HAD MY CAR AT THE MAZDA DEALERSHIP TO GET A RECALL DONE REGARDING THE FUEL PUMP, AND THEY NEVER EVEN MENTIONED THIS PROBLEM TO ME, WHEN THEY TOLD ME THEY THOROUGHLY DO AN INSPECTION AROUND AND UNDER THE CAR. I EVEN GOT A STAT SHEET FROM THEM, AS TO WHAT THEY CHECKED. I HAD TO FIND THIS OUT WITH MY MECHANIC, WHEN HE WENT TO DO AN OIL CHANGE, WE DECIDED TO INSPECT THE CAR. NOW FOR THESE CARS (MIATAS AT ANY YEAR) ROCKER PANEL RUST IS A COMMON ISSUE, HOWEVER THIS PARTICULAR FRAME RAIL ISSUE IS NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING, BECAUSE IT WEAKENS THE STRUCTURE OF THE UNIBODY AND IT CAN POTENTIALLY BE FATAL WITH A FRONT END COLLISION CAUSING THE RAILS TO CRUMBLE. SOME OWNERS DO EVEN SEE ANY SIGNS OF WEAR, BUT WHEN THEY HOLD A SCREW DRIVER OR ANY TOOL TO POKE AT THAT SPECIFIC AREA, IT GOES RIGHT THROUGH THE METAL, TO ONLY FIND OUT ITS ROTTED FROM WITHIN. THIS SHOULD BE BROUGHT UP TO MORE OWNERS OF THIS SPECIFIC MODEL OF THE CAR SO THEY KNOW TO CHECK THIS AREA, BECAUSE GOD FORBID THEY GET INTO AN ACCIDENT AND THE STRUCTURE CRUMBLES ALMOST INSTANTANEOUSLY, WHEN IT OBVIOUSLY SHOULDN'T. MAZDA CLEARLY DIDN'T DO ANY QUALITY CONTROL AND FAILED TO INSPECT SUCH DESIGN FLAWS OUT OF FACTORY.
NHTSA complaint #10669931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
AREA OF THE FRONT FRAME SUPPORT RAILS (CORE SUPPORT IS OFFICIAL NAME) RUSTS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE CONSTRUCTION METHOD IS A SANDWICHED MATERIAL WITH SOME SORT OF TARPAPER IN THE MIDDLE WHICH TRAPS MOISTURE WHICH, IN TURN, HASTENS FRAME RUSTING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IN THE 1999 - 2005 YEARS AND USUALLY NOT EASILY IDENTIFIED UNTIL THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. A GOOGLE SEARCH OF THE ISSUE RETURNS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. ONCE THE FRAME RUSTS THROUGH IT CAUSES A REAL SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE OCCUPANTS.
NHTSA complaint #10567825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
PURCHASED THIS USED 2005 MAZDA MIATA ABOUT A MONTH AGO. SERVICING MANY COMPONENTS SINCE PURCHASE AND LEARNING ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. FOUND BLOG ABOUT PREMATURE FRAME RAIL RUST ON MANY MIATA'S (SHOCKED TO FIND OUT MANY MIATA'S HAVE THIS, AND DISAPPOINTED THAT I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PREMATURE FRAME RAIL FAILURE UNDER ENGINE OF VEHICLE. HERE IS THE LINK TO ONE OF THE BLOGS (ACCORDING TO THIS SITE, NATIONAL MAZDA HAS BEEN WILLING TO DO NOTHING FOR MAZDA OWNERS TO THIS POINT). HTTP://FORUM.MIATA.NET/VB/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=397790&PAGE=6 ANYWAY, AFTER READING 6 LONG PAGES OF PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM THIS, I WENT OUT THIS MORNING AND TOOK MY PLASTIC PANEL OFF, BELOW THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND I HAVE THE EARLY STAGES OF IT. THERE ARE LOTS OF MIATA'S ON THE ROAD, AND SOME OF THEM ARE DEATH TRAPS WAITING TO HAPPEN, IF THE RUSTY FRAME RAIL FAILS DURING DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10560303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
MAZDA MIATA CONVERTIBLE TOP BLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE CHECKED REPORTS AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A REGULAR PROBLEM. MAZDA HAS EVEN ISSUED A BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #10544320 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE CHANGING THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE, HE NOTICED THAT THE FRONT FRAME RAIL ACROSS THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES WERE CORRODED WITH RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE FRONT SWAY BAR WAS ALSO CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE CORROSION ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.
NHTSA complaint #10467914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRAME RAILS UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE THAT EXTENDED ONTO THE WHEELS ON EACH SIDE WERE COMPLETELY COVERED WITH RUST. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A BODY SHOP WHO ADDED PIECES OF METAL TO HELP RE-ENFORCE THE RAILS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SAFETY DEFECT CAUSED CORROSION RAPIDLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 166,000. UPDATED 05/25/11
NHTSA complaint #10398207 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME RAIL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. HE NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN HE WAS REPAIRING THE SUSPENSION. THE SWAY BAR WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE BECAUSE OF THE RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,625. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,000.
NHTSA complaint #10396826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LATCH DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY AND CAUSED THE CONVERTIBLE TOP TO DETACH WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF AND THAT WARRANTS A RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WAS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. UPDATED 01/11/2011
NHTSA complaint #10368551 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
WHILE ON THE OFF RAMP FROM THE FREE WAY IN MY 1999 MAZDA MIATA II DISCOVERED THAT THE COVER ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN HAD COME UNBOLTED AND HAD FALLEN BETWEEN MY FEET AND THE BRAKE PEDDLE. THERE WAS NO TIME TO DOWN SHIFT, I ATTEMPTED TO TURN BUT WENT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND I WAS INJURED. THERE WAS NO OTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE OR PEOPLE INJURED.
NHTSA complaint #10240813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
2002 MAZDA MIATA HAVE DEFECTIVE TOP LATCHES. CONSUMER WANTS MAZDA TO REPAIR VEHICLE AT THEIR EXPENSE. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE CONVERTIBLE LATCH, UN-LATCHED ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10240391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
CONVERTIBLE TOP LATCHES DO NOT STAY LATCHED. MAZDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUED A TSB (09-009/03) TELLING THE TECH TO REPLACE THE LATCHES AND STRIKERS WITH A REVISED DESIGN. MAZDA REFUSES TO REPLACE THE UNITS FREE OF CHARGE EVEN THOUGH IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. TOPS FLYING OPEN ON THE HIGHWAY ARE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD NOT BE FIXED AT THE CUSTOMERS EXPENSE, ESPECIALLY ON A CAR WITH ONLY 28000 MILES. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN DEALER MAINTAINED AND IS ACTUALLY IN BETTER CONDITION THAN WHEN I BOUGHT IT OFF THE SHOWROOM. MAZDA REFUSES TO REPLACE IT UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY, OR EVEN THE EXTENDED FACTORY WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #10216907 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
EMAIL FM CARLOS PIAD (FL) REQUEST NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THE SOFT TOP LATCH FAILURES ON THE 2001 MAZDA MX-5/MIATA.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE LATCH CAN POSSIBLE BECOME LOOSE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WIND CAN TEAR THE TOP OFF. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE MANUFACTURER UNDER-DESIGNED THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LATCH MECHANISM.
NHTSA complaint #10135661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
DT: THIS IS A CONVERTIBLE CAR AND THE BOLTS KEEP FALLING OUT OF THE TOP WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE ARE TWO BOLTS THAT HAVE FALLEN OUT THREE OR FOUR TIMES. THE CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SET TO HAVE THE CAR LOOKED AT BECAUSE THERE IS A RATTLING SOUND COMING FROM THE CAR. THE CONSUMER THINKS THAT THE BOLTS ARE CAUSING THE NOISE. THIS PROBLEM STARTED IN JUNE 2005. *AK
NHTSA complaint #10135690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE TRUCK WHICH THREE AREAS HAS RUBBER GROMMETS THAT ALLOW WATER TO EXIT. HE DOES NOT KNOW WHY THE WATER IS ENTERING THE TRUNK AREA. THE WATER WAS UP TO THE BATTERY TERMINAL WITH EACH COMPARTMENT CONTAINING WATER. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED BEFORE BUT THE LEAKING HAS REOCCURED. MR
NHTSA complaint #8020762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE TRUCK WHICH THREE AREAS HAS RUBBER GROMMETS THAT ALLOW WATER TO EXIT. HE DOES NOT KNOW WHY THE WATER IS ENTERING THE TRUNK AREA. THE WATER WAS UP TO THE BATTERY TERMINAL WITH EACH COMPARTMENT CONTAINING WATER. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED BEFORE BUT THE LEAKING HAS REOCCURED. MR
NHTSA complaint #8020762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE TRUCK WHICH THREE AREAS HAS RUBBER GROMMETS THAT ALLOW WATER TO EXIT. HE DOES NOT KNOW WHY THE WATER IS ENTERING THE TRUNK AREA. THE WATER WAS UP TO THE BATTERY TERMINAL WITH EACH COMPARTMENT CONTAINING WATER. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED BEFORE BUT THE LEAKING HAS REOCCURED. MR
NHTSA complaint #8020762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR GET VERY HOT WHEN THE TOP IS UP AND THE WINDOWS ARE DOWN. IT IS HOT TO THE POINT OF CAUSING YOU TO MOVE YOUR RIGHT LEG AWAY FROM THE TUNNEL. THIS CAUSES YOU TO NOT BE DRIVING BUT, TRYING TO NOT GETE BURNED.
NHTSA complaint #765924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.