Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Mazda MX-5/ problems

Owners filed 7 complaints about the 2008 Mazda MX-5/ with NHTSA between Apr 2009 and Oct 2019. The most-cited component is electrical system (2).

Complaints
7
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. Electrical system2
  2. Tires2
  3. Structure1
  4. Power train1
  5. Steering1
  6. Equipment1
  7. Other / unknown2

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 10, 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
20091
20100
20110
20120
20130
20142
20151
20160
20170
20180
20193

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

Electrical system

2 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM DRAINED THE BATTERY OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. UPDATED 1/19/16 LN UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ *CN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 18, 2015Steering, Electrical systemODI 10794629

Tires

2 reports
“UNFORTUNATELY I HIRED A CAR FROM ATWEST RENT A CAR IL LAX FOR A 3 WEEKS! THE CONVERTIBLE CAR MAZDA MIATA THAT THE COMPANY RENT ME WAS, THAT I SAW FIRST, COVERED IN SCRATCHES, NOT WASHED, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE! BUT THIS IS NOT THE EXTREMELY SERIOUS MATTER!! I CALLED MANY TIMES TO REPORT YOU THAT THIS CAR IS A DANGER!!! AFTER A FEW DAYS OF DRIVING, THE BALANCE OF THE CAR WAS MASSIVELY UPSET BY HAVING USED TYRES!!!! EACH MILES I DRIVE, PUTS MYSELF AND OTHERS IN DANGER: IT IS IN PRECISELY THOSE AREAS THAT I NEED TO ACT. THERE IS ALSO NO LIQUID TANK AND THE WINDSHIELD WASHER DAMAGED!!!!!!!!. I RANG ATWEST TO EXPLAIN THAT I WAS IN DANGER....I LEAST THE EMPLOYEE DID NOT LESSON TO ME......EXCEPT TO PAY FOR THE PROBLEMS OF THE CAR!!!!! THAT IS NOT MY CAR, AND THIS IS THE COMPANY RESPONSIBILITIES TO RENT CARS AS A MATTER OF CAR RENTING POLICIES IN THE UNITED STATES...THIS IS CRIMINAL ACT TO PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER....THAT IS CALLED FAILURE TO ASSIST A PERSON IN DANGER, A CRIME THAT IS PUNISHABLE BY LAW!! I ALSO PAID THE THIRD INSURANCE THOUGH I WAS ALREADY COVERED BY MY GOLD CREDIT CARD! YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T SERVICE YOUR VEHICLES, AND JUST WAIT THE CUSTOMER PAY OUT FOR IT! I…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 23, 2014Tires, EquipmentODI 10627691

Structure

1 report
“WHEN IT RAINS WATER WILL POOL IN PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR BOARD. MAZDA DEALS SUGGESTS ADDING DRAINS AND FILTERS THAT ARE NOT PART OF ORIGINAL VEHICLE DESIGN. (THIS ISSUE IS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW AND NO OTHER REASON), THIS HAPPENS REGARDLESS IF CAR IS MOVING OR STATIONARY. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING ISSUE SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 11/2012. . DOOR SEALS AND WINDOW SEALS ARE NOT DAMAGED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2019Structure, Unknown or otherODI 11269756

Power train

1 report
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MAZDA MX-5. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS DETECTED UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL FELL TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE GEAR REMAINED IN NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PUSHED INTO A PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WYATT JOHNSON MAZDA (2425 WILMA RUDOLPH BLVD SUITE C, CLARKSVILLE, TN 37040, (931) 648-1098) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WELD ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL FRACTURED AND THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 16, 2019Power trainODI 11170390

Steering

1 report

Equipment

1 report
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

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