2000 Mazda MX-5 Miata problems

“BRAKES FAIL IN THE RAIN! WHEN IT IS RAINING THE BRAKE SURFACES GET COVERED IN WATER AND THE PADS ARE TO SMALL TO SUFFICIENTLY SQUEEZE THE WATER OFF AND OUT TO ALLOW IMMEDIATE BRAKING. THIS HAS RESULTED IN SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE OFFERED FIX IS DIFFERENT BRAKE SHIELDS, BUT THE CORRECT FIX IS WHAT MAZDA IS PUTTING ON THE CURRENT MIATAS...BIGGER BRAKES AND PADS! IF YOU LOOK ON THE MIATA SITES IN THE FORUMS YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ISOLATED AND IS ACTUALLY QUITE PREVELANT. THANK YOU FOR CHECKING INTO A VERY DANGEROUS DESIGN DEFFECT! MR. JARDINE. *AK”

“ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING BADLY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO MAZDA DEALER SHOP AND WAS TOLD A SPARK PLUG WIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND BURNED UP. IN ACTUALITY, THE IGNITION COIL HAD FAILED AND CAUSED THE PROBLEMS. THE DEALER REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, IGNITION WIRES, AND COIL. TWO MONTHS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS CLOGGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE POOR RUNNING DURING THE TIME WHEN THE IGNITION COIL HAD BEEN MISFIRING. SO THE DEFECTIVE COIL CAUSED A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE, AND MAZDA HAS TAKEN NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS OR THE DAMAGE THEY HAVE CAUSED. IF YOU READ COMPLAINTS FOR 1999 MODELS, YOU'LL SEE MANY FAILURES OF THE IGNITION COIL, SOME CAUSING DAMAGE TO OTHER PARTS COSTING A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY. APPARENTLY, SIMILAR COILS WERE USED ON 2000'S WITH SIMILAR FAILURES. BUT NO RECALL AND NO INVESTIGATION.”

“RATTLING SOUND FROM ENGINE BAY WITH A CHANGE IN TONE AND/OR PITCH WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS ENGAGED/DISENGAGED. RESULT: CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER CAUSING THE CONNECTING ROD (AMONG OTHER INTERNAL ENGINE PARTS) TO BE DRIVEN DIRECTLY THROUGH THE OIL PAN. RECOMMEND PROCEDURE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE: COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $4,600 *CN”

“HARD SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD GEAR. GEAR WILL SOMETIMES GRIND WHEN SHIFTING OR ENGINE SPEED MUST MUCH BEFORE ENGAGING. VERY STIFF SHIFTER AT NEUTRAL AND CAUSE GEAR HUNTING FROM 5TH TO 4TH. WHEN TRANSMISSION IS WARMED UP, A RATTLING SOUND CAN BE HEARD AT NEUTRAL BUT DISAPPEAR ONCE THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. *AK”

“I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS CAR WITH ONLY 44,000 MILES ON IT. I RECEIVED THE COMPLETE SERVICE RECORD, AND IT HAD BEEN MAINTAINED THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP AND THROUGH A PRIVATE GARAGE AND BODY SHOP ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THOROUGHLY INSPECTED ON EVERY SERVICE AND BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. NO MENTION HAD EVER BEEN MADE OF RUST IN THE FRONT FRAME RAILS. I PULLED THE FRONT WHEELS TO CLEAN UP RUST AND ALL CONNECTIONS AND FOUND PATCHES OF RUST ON BOTH FRAME RAILS BETWEEN THE SWAY BAR BRACKET AND STRUT BRACKETS. I CAN PUNCH A SCREWDRIVER THROUGH THE RUST ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I LOOKED INSIDE HOLES AND SAW RUST INSIDE THE FRAME RAILS. I FOUND MANY ONLINE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING SIMILAR RUST ON NB MODELS 1999-2005. THIS RUST WILL WEAKEN THE FRAME RAILS AND COULD CAUSE THEM TO BREAK DURING A FRONT END COLLISION, THUS COMPROMISING CRUMPLE ZONES. IT WILL ALSO COMPROMISE THE BRACKETS HOLDING SWAY BARS, STRUTS, AND OTHER VITAL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE RUST BEGINS INSIDE FRAME RAILS SO CAN'T BE SEEN IN EARLY PHASES--UNTIL IT APPEARS ON OUTSIDE OF RAILS. SEEMS CLEAR THAT MAZDA KNOWS OF THESE PROBLEMS SINCE IT REDESIGNED THE FRAME IN 2006 AND…”

“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. *TR”