1998 Mazda MILLENIA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
26 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
76,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 9 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 26 complaints (19.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 19.2% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 11.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 11.5% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 3.8% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 3.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 |
| Wheels:Rim | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 1 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 1 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Fuel System, Gasoline: 2; Wheels:Rim: 2; Air Bags: 1; Air Bags:Frontal: 1; Electrical System:Ignition: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 17 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 3 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2000: 5; 2001: 3; 2002: 5; 2003: 2; 2004: 4; 2005: 3; 2006: 1; 2007: 1; 2009: 1; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 5 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10010161 · 2003-03-08 (March 8, 2003)
THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY 98 MAZDA MILLENNIUM. WAS 1 MONTH AFTER WE BROUGHT IT "MAY 2001". THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON THE CAR, THEY PUT AN NEW TRANSMISSION IN. NOW FOR THE SECOND TIME "MARCH 2003" THE TRANSMISSION IS ACTING UP AGAIN, AFTER SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR IT WILL NOT GO INTO THIRD GEAR CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK AND REDLINE. SINCE I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR I HAVE COME INTO CONTACT WITH ALOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS OUT OF THIS CAR. IF MAZDA KNOWS THAT THESE CARS ARE HAVING THESE KINDS OF PROBLEM WHY ARE T…
Owner-reported narrative. 96,458 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010161 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016254 · 2003-04-21 (April 21, 2003)
THE POWER TILT STEERING WHEEL HAS FAILED AND WILL NO LONGER OPERATE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY DEFECT, AS THE WHEEL IS STUCK IN AN EXTREMELY UPRIGHT POSITION AND WILL NOT COME DOWN, MAKING THE CAR VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER SAFELY. FROM MY RESEARCH ON THIS SITE AND OTHERS, AS WELL AS CALLS TO 5 DIFFERENT MAZDA DEALERSHIPS, THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM. IN FACT, ACCORDING TO ONE DEALER, THE PROBLEM IS SO COMMON THAT MAZDA HAS BEGUN OFFERING A SPECIAL REPAIR KIT THAT JUST INCLUDES THE DEFECTIVE ACTUATOR RATHER THAN THE ENTIRE STEERING …
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016254 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10052487 · 2004-01-06 (January 6, 2004)
DRIVER'S SEAT ELECTRIC SEAT WARMER BURNED HOLE THROUGH LEATHER SEAT BACK, AS WELL AS MY JACKET AND SWEATER I WAS WEARING AT THE TIME. MAZDA'S POSITION IS THAT IT IS AN OUT OF WARRANTY FAILURE. MY POSITION IS A COMPONENT "FAILURE" THAT BURNS THROUGH DRIVER'S CLOTHING IS A SAFETY DEFECT THAT MAZDA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 53,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052487 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10064744 · 2004-03-23 (March 23, 2004)
CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE PURCHASED A MAZDA LAST YEAR IN JULY, DROVE IT TO LAS VEGAS, AND WHILE SHE WAS THERE, VEHICLE LOST POWER. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC , AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 50-65 MPH VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY LOST POWER. ALSO, CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER DROVE IN CALIFORNIA AND VEHICLE LOST POWER, RESULTING IN A CRASH. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10064744 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10081206 · 2004-07-16 (July 16, 2004)
I HAVE HAD A TERRIBLE TIME WITH MY 1998 MAZDA MILLENIA. WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2001 WITH APPROX. 30,000 MILES. IT SEEMED LIKE A GREAT CAR. THEN ONE DAY IT DIED AS I WAS TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY AT HOME. THANK GOODNESS I WASN'T DRIVING ON THE MAIN ROAD. IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A HEAD GASKET PROBLEM SHORTLY AT 70,000 MILES. WE IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE THE GASKET. MY MECHANIC DISCOVERED, AFTER ENTERING THE ENGINE, THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE BLOCK. SO WE REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A USED ENGINE WITH 30,000 MILES ON IT. IT, TOO, HAD C…
Owner-reported narrative. 71,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081206 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10100843 · 2004-12-01 (December 1, 2004)
WHILE ENGING IS RUNNING WHETHER PARKED OR DRIVING THERE IS A VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR - 1. STANDING OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE PARTICULARLY AT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND 2. INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, THIS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE WITHOUT OPENING WINDOWS. VEHICLE ALSO HAS VERY POOR GAS MILEAGE, MECHANIC DISCOVERD FAILED FUEL LINE CONNECTOR AND IS IN PROCESS OF REPLACING PART, THE REPLACED PART WILL BE SAVED AND WILL BE AVAILABLE, OTHER SUCH FAILURES HAVE BEEN FOUND ON OTHER MAZDA VEHICLES LIKE THE TRIBUTE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10100843 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10111214 · 2005-03-24 (March 24, 2005)
OWNER COMPLAINED ABOUT A FUEL TANK PROBLEM. OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, AND INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO HAVE THE FUEL TANK REPLACED BECAUSE THE GAS TANK COLLAPSED. *AK THE PROBLEM WAS WITH, THE FUEL TANK, 2 SENDING UNITS AND THE FUEL CANISTER. *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 76,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10111214 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10113568 · 2005-03-07 (March 7, 2005)
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THREE OUT OF FOUR RIMS HAVE CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT THE TIRES LEAKED AIR. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT HE WILL EXPERIENCE A BLOW OUT WHILE DRIVING. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10113568 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.