1990 Mazda MX-5 MIATA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
21 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
100,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1990 model year. Data snapshot: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 21 complaints (14.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 19.0% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 14.3% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly | 3 |
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 2 |
| Seats | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 1 |
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 3; Air Bags: 2; Air Bags:Frontal: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2; Seats: 2; Vehicle Speed Control: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 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 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 19 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 |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 4 |
| 1996 | 2 |
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 3 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
1995: 4; 1996: 2; 2000: 5; 2001: 3; 2003: 3; 2006: 1; 2015: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Braking behavior 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 10026256 · 2003-06-30 (June 30, 2003)
CONSUMER NOTICED FRONTAL SEAT BELTS WILL NOT LOCK IN PLACE. DEALER AND MANUFATURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026256 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10026258 · 2003-06-30 (June 30, 2003)
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AIR BAG INDICATION LIGHT FLASHED . DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026258 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041445 · 2003-10-08 (October 8, 2003)
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO LATCH IT OFTEN TAKES MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO CAUSE IT TO HOLD. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041445 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10168563 · 2006-09-18 (September 18, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SHIFTING FROM 5TH GEAR OR REVERSE TO NEUTRAL, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GO INTO REVERSE. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE SWING ARM WAS BAD ON THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED.
Owner-reported narrative. 105,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168563 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10777981 · 2015-09-28 (September 28, 2015)
I WAS DRIVING TO THE GAS STATION TO GET SOME TEA AND ON MY WAY BACK AS I WAS SHIFTING INTO 5TH GEAR I FELT A POP AND I FINALLY GOT IT INTO GEAR BUT I HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP I STARTED TO DEPRESS THE CLUTCH BECAUSE OF THE POP I FELT AND WITH EVERY PUSH IT LOST MORE AND MORE PRESSURE AND EVENTUALLY AFTER THE 4TH PUSH THERE WAS NO RESISTANCE AT ALL TWO PEOPLE HELPED PUSH ME TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND I HAD TO DRIVE HOME BY SHUTTING OFF THE CAR AND SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR AND TURNING IT OVER AND PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO START IT AND WE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10777981 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11408684 · 2021-04-18 (April 18, 2021)
WWW.SOUTHBAYMAZDA.COM HAWTHORNE BLVD. X ATRESIA BLVD MANHATTAN BEACH CA 91246-0762 3103235712 FAX
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11408684 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11474624 · 2022-07-18 (July 18, 2022)
car has had multiple airbag lights come on I have fixed them all I cannot buy parts to fix my airbag new so I have to go and find used parts that just keep breaking I know many people with this problem almost every owner of one of these cars has this exact problem
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11474624 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 503107 · 1996-04-04 (April 4, 1996)
BRAKES PERFORM POORLY DURING RAINY WEATHER. *SD
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 503107 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.