Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata problems

Owners filed 74 complaints about the 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata with NHTSA between Oct 1998 and Nov 2022. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (16).

Complaints
74
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic16
  2. Engine and engine cooling11
  3. Power train10
  4. Electrical system10
  5. Vehicle speed control6
  6. Structure5
  7. Fuel system, gasoline5
  8. Tires4
  9. Air bags4
  10. Steering3
  11. Suspension2
  12. Fuel/propulsion system1
  13. Exterior lighting1
  14. Seat belts1

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
19981
19999
20009
200115
20025
20038
20046
20052
20063
20071
20085
20091
20100
20114
20121
20131
20141
20151
20160
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20221

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

Service brakes, hydraulic

16 reports
“BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE FOR 2-3 SECONDS WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS. THIS WOULD BE A MODERATELY WET ROAD, NOT DEEP WATER, OR PUDDLES. STOPPING DISTANCE IS SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED. *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2005Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10132173

Engine and engine cooling

11 reports
“I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR THE DAY BEFORE ON FEB 21 2008 AND ON FEB 22 2008 I WAS DRIVING AND DOING 60 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STALLS WOULDN'T LET ME SHIFT OR GEAR DOWN, AND AS TRYING TO DO SO THE BRAKES LOCK UP WHEN I LET GO OF THE CLUTCH. THEN COASTING INTO THE CLOSEST DRIVEWAY. NOW IT WONT START AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE I JUST GOT IT FROM A USED CAR LOT THE DAY BEFORE. AND ALSO MAKES ME WONDER, DID THEY KNOW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN OR SOMETHING SIMILAR WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. WHAT CAN I LEGALLY DO ABOUT THIS? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 23, 2008Engine and engine coolingODI 10218949

Power train

10 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD RATTLING NOISE NEAR THE ENGINE WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOR MORE THAN A YEAR WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 11, 2014Power trainODI 10597657

Electrical system

10 reports
“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. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 10, 2008Electrical systemODI 10241741

Vehicle speed control

6 reports1 crash
“11/7/2010; ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK IN CARPET AT LOW RPM IN 2ND GEAR. I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH, AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. I FOUND THE LOWER EDGE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK IN THE CARPET. I GLUED A METAL PLATE TO THE CARPET TO PREVENT THE PEDAL FROM STICKING AGAIN. 3/6/2011; ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK IN CARPET AT HIGH RPM IN FIRST GEAR. THE METAL PLATE I GLUED TO THE CARPET HAD COME LOOSE. I HAD THE WHEELS TURNED AND THE BRAKES FULLY ENGAGED. THE FRONT WHEELS WERE LOCKED AS THEY SKIDDED ACROSS A PARKING LOT. I HIT A CURB AND A SET OF CONCRETE STAIRS. THE CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING ON IMPACT. THE SHOCK OF THE IMPACT, FLEX OF THE CHASSIS, OR POSSIBLY MY FOOT THROWN FORWARD BY THE IMPACT POPPED THE PEDAL OUT OF THE CARPET. AN AMBULANCE WAS CALLED, THERE IS AN ACCIDENT REPORT WITH PHOTOS, AND EYE WITNESS TESTIMONY. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED FACIAL ABRASIONS FROM THE AIRBAG, HAD NECK AND BACK PAIN, LOST VISION IN THE LEFT EYE TOTALLY FOR THREE DAYS, VISION RETURNED ALTHOUGH THE PRESCRIPTION HAS CHANGED. DRIVER HAD AIRBAG SCRAPES, AND BURNS, AND NECK PAIN. IF ONE OF THESE CARS IS IN AN ACCIDENT THAT KILLS THE DRIVER, AND THE PEDAL POPPED OUT OF THE CARPET ON IMPACT LIKE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 7, 2013Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10496680

Structure

5 reports1 crash
“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…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 4, 2015StructureODI 10669931
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.