Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Mazda MX-5 Miata problems

Owners filed 29 complaints about the 1996 Mazda MX-5 Miata with NHTSA between Mar 1996 and Sep 2023. The most-cited component is air bags (17).

Complaints
29
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags17
  2. Engine and engine cooling3
  3. Steering1
  4. Suspension1
  5. Exterior lighting1
  6. Power train1
  7. Tires1
  8. Fuel system, gasoline1
  9. Wheels1
  10. Vehicle speed control1
  11. Electrical system1
  12. Structure1
  13. Latches/locks/linkages1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19961
19974
19983
19991
20003
20010
20021
20031
20040
20051
20060
20072
20080
20091
20100
20110
20120
20130
20140
20153
20161
20172
20181
20190
20202
20211
20220
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

17 reports
“The contact owns a 1996 Mazda MX-5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the failure was due to the Takata air bag module. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2023Air bagsODI 11544091

Engine and engine cooling

3 reports
“ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON AT APPROX. 19,000 MILES AND SIMULTANEOUSLY ENGINE BEGAN KNOCKING STRONGLY AND LOST POWER DURING 2ND AND 3RD GEAR, DURING FULL ACCELERTION.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 31, 1998Engine and engine coolingODI 536367

Steering

1 report1 crash
“THE VIN IS FOR MY 1996 MAZDA MIATA. MY COMPLAINT IS THE M291 GOING WEST BOUND TO 350 HIGHWAY IN RAYTOWN THAT VEERS TO THE WEST. THE EXIT, SEEMS TO DANGEROUS WITH CONCRETE BLOCKS SEPERATING LANES. MY SECOND INQUIRY IS A POSSIBLE CAR WRECK THAT MY DAUGHTER, [XXX] MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN. SHE DROVE A GREEN AND BLACK MUSTANG FORD CONVERTIBLE. WE LIVE APART AND AS SHE IS A YOUNG ADULT LIKE MOST, AS A MOTHER, I DON'T GET ENOUGH INFO, SOMETIMES. 2006 FOUND ME WITNESSING HER CAR OR ONE THAT LOOKED LIKE IT OVERTURNED ON 350 HIGHWAY GOING WESTBOUND ON THE CLOVERLEAF TO M291/470 HIGHWAY. AN AMBULANCE WAS THERE AND THE PASSENGER, HER FRIEND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. I HAVE SEEN HER SINCE THEN, SO OBVIOUSLY SHE SEEMS ALRIGHT AND SAFE, HOWEVER, I WOULD SURE BE APPRECIATIVE IF SOMEONE COULD FOLLOW UP ON THAT IF ANYTHING SEEMS ASKEW. HER ADDRESS AT THE TIME WAS [XXX] WHERE SHE LIVED WITH HER OWN FATHER, [XXX]. HER DATE OF BIRTH IS 1/29/89. I AM [XXX]- OF [XXX]. MY DRIVER'S LICENSE # IS [XXX]. THANK YOU. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 4, 2020Steering, SuspensionCrash reportedODI 11320169

Suspension

1 report1 crash

Exterior lighting

1 report
“AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY ALL OF THE TIME. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT AIRBAG FAILURE BUT NO RECALL INFO EXISTS. ALSO MY POP-UP HEADLIGHTS ARE RANDOMLY RETRACTING DOWN WHENEVER THEY FEEL LIKE IT. NO AMOUNT OF TWISTING ON AND OFF AT THE STEERING COLUMN SWITCH WILL MAKE THEM COME BACK UP AND I HAVE TO RESORT TO THE MANUAL POPUP BUTTON LOCATED UNDER THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH SEVERAL TIMES WHEN DRIVING AFTER DARK!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 21, 2015Exterior lighting, Air bagsODI 10717672

Power train

1 report
“THIS INCIDENT CONCERNS A SAFETY VIOLATION CAUSED BY A NATIONALLY FRANCHISED TRANSMISSION SHOP IN CAMP HILL PA. I CANNOT ADEQUATELY DESCRIBE THIS SCENARIO IN 2000 CHARACTERS, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION FACILITY DAMAGED MY CAR SO THAT IT WAS UNSAFE, AND RETURNED IT TO ME IN THAT CONDITION WITHOUT TELLING ME. THEY DAMAGED THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE TO THE POINT THAT IT COULD HAVE BOTH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND THE RESULTS OF THAT ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE AS A RESULT OF THAT CONDITION. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 5, 2007Power trainODI 10181731
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.