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1993 Mazda MX3: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

32 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

133,216 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1993 model year. Data snapshot: . 14 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Seat Belts is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 32 complaints (25.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting515.6%
Electrical and battery issues412.5%
Braking behavior26.3%
Engine operation13.1%
Steering behavior13.1%

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.

Seat Belts
8
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
4
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor
3
Seat Belts:Front:Webbing
3
Vehicle Speed Control
3
Air Bags:Frontal
2
Electrical System
2
Electrical System:Ignition
2
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Seat Belts8
Power Train:Automatic Transmission4
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor3
Seat Belts:Front:Webbing3
Vehicle Speed Control3
Air Bags:Frontal2
Electrical System2
Electrical System:Ignition2

Seat Belts: 8; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 4; Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 3; Seat Belts:Front:Webbing: 3; Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Air Bags:Frontal: 2; Electrical System: 2; Electrical System:Ignition: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
0
25,000 to 49,999
0
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
4
100,000 to 149,999
5
150,000 and above
5
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0000
25,000 to 49,9990
50,000 to 74,9990
75,000 to 99,9994
100,000 to 149,9995
150,000 and above5

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 5

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 18 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.

1995
6
1996
3
2000
4
2001
2
2003
1
2004
2
2005
3
2006
1
2008
2
2009
2
2010
1
2011
2
2016
1
2017
1
2019
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
19956
19963
20004
20012
20031
20042
20053
20061
20082
20092
20101
20112
20161
20171
20191

1995: 6; 1996: 3; 2000: 4; 2001: 2; 2003: 1; 2004: 2; 2005: 3; 2006: 1; 2008: 2; 2009: 2; 2010: 1; 2011: 2; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2019: 1

Pattern summary

Seat Belts leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 5 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 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 10046063 · 2003-10-30 (October 30, 2003)

WHILE USING THE HEADLIGHTS CONSUMER NOTICED THAT HEADLIGHTS VISIBILITY WAS POOR DUE TO THE LENS BEING DISCOLORED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10046063 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10089868 · 2004-09-29 (September 29, 2004)

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED. A RECALL WAS ISSUED AND REPAIRS DONE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK BILLION MAZDA OF SIOUX FALLS ORDERED A NEW AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT ASSY PROBLEM FIXED. *TC

Owner-reported narrative. 136,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10089868 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10098025 · 2004-10-30 (October 30, 2004)

REPLACED DISTIRBUTOR. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10098025 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10129851 · 2005-07-24 (July 24, 2005)

EVER SINCE I GOT MY CAR IT SEEMS ALL WE'VE HAD TO DO IS RELPLACE PARTS. WE HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM THE START. UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN OUR CAR WAS FAILING TO GO AND GETTING STUCK EVEY TIME WE CAME TO A STOP LIGHT, I GOT THE IDEA THAT IT WASN'T HOW I WAS HANDILING IT, THAT THEIR WAS A MANU. PROBLEM. I SAW MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MAKE ON THE TRANSMISSION, AND I DON'T THINK I SHOULD PAY ANYMORE TO GET IT REPLACED. EVERYTIME I TRY TO PUT ON THE GAS IT FAILS TO ACCELERATE. NOW IT MAKES A CLICKING NOISE EVERYTIME I PRESS THE GAS.

Owner-reported narrative. 150,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10129851 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10129853 · 2005-07-24 (July 24, 2005)

EVER SINCE I GOT MY CAR IT SEEMS ALL WE'VE HAD TO DO IS RELPLACE PARTS. WE HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM THE START. UNTIL RECENTLY WHEN OUR CAR WAS FAILING TO GO AND GETTING STUCK EVEY TIME WE CAME TO A STOP LIGHT, I GOT THE IDEA THAT IT WASN'T HOW I WAS HANDILING IT, THAT THEIR WAS A MANU. PROBLEM. I SAW MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MAKE ON THE TRANSMISSION, AND I DON'T THINK I SHOULD PAY ANYMORE TO GET IT REPLACED. EVERYTIME I TRY TO PUT ON THE GAS IT FAILS TO ACCELERATE. NOW IT MAKES A CLICKING NOISE EVERYTIME I PRESS THE GAS.

Owner-reported narrative. 150,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10129853 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10131002 · 2005-08-02 (August 2, 2005)

DT: 1993 MAZDA MX3. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL 72803 IN APRIL 2005 CONCERNING THE SEAT BELTS. THE SEAT BELTS WERE REPAIRED IN APRIL 2005. THE SEAT BELTS MALFUNCTIONED AT LEAST 3 TIMES SINCE THEY WERE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN BACK 3 TIMES AND THEY COULD NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THEY ASKED THE CONSUMER TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK FOR A FOURTH TIME. THIS STARTED OUT WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THEN ON BOTH SIDES. THE SEAT BELTS WERE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS, AND THEY WOULD NOT RELEASE AUTOMATICALLY AND MUST BE RELEASED MANUA…

Owner-reported narrative. 130,431 miles reported. Look up ODI 10131002 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10156596 · 2006-05-02 (May 2, 2006)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED INTERMITTENTLY THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY RETRACT. IN ORDER TO UNLOCK THE SEAT BELTS THE CONTACT HAS TO REACH AROUND TO THE BACK SEAT. AN NHTSA RECALL, # 97V211000 WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE FIVE TIMES CONCERNING THE SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING HOWEVER, THE RECALL DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED WAS IN 2004. THE LAST TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER INSTRUCTED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK IN. THE CONTACT WIL…

Owner-reported narrative. 113,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156596 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10227763 · 2008-05-14 (May 14, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MAZDA MX3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT CORD CAME OFFTRACK. THE DEALER IS CHARGING OVER $1,000 FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT RECALL WAS PREVIOUSLY REPARIED ON THE VEHICLE IN LATE 2000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,200.

Owner-reported narrative. 93,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10227763 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

15V674000 · Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Reported: 2015-10-19 (October 19, 2015)

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.

Consequence: If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
97V116000 · Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil Springs

Reported: 1997-07-22 (July 22, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND WASHINGTON, DC. IN AREAS WHERE LARGE QUANTITIES OF ROAD SALT ARE USED, CORROSIVE PITS CAN DEVELOP ON THE SURFACE OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING. REPEATED USE CAN EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE COIL SPRING TO BREAK AND A TIRE COULD BE PUNCTURED FROM CONTACT WITH THE BROKEN COIL SPRING.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION INCREASES THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A GUARD ASSEMBLY WHICH WILL PREVENT THE BROKEN COIL SPRING FROM CONTACTING THE TIRE. IN ADDITION TO PERFORMING THE RECALL CAMPAIGN, MAZDA IS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FOR THE LIFT OF THE VEHICLE. IF OWNERS HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THESE FRONT COIL SPRINGS, DUE TO ROAD SALT DAMAGE, MAZDA WILL REIMBURSE THESE OWNERS FOR REASONABLE EXPENSES.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
97V211000 · Seat Belts:Front:Webbing

Reported: 1997-11-18 (November 18, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT SEAT AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS. THE RAIL OF THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT CAN WEAR SUFFICIENTLY SUCH THAT THE CABLE WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAN BECOME JAMMED IN THE RAIL RENDERING THE SHOULDER BELT INOPERATIVE.

Consequence: A SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PASSIVE SHOULDER BELT ASSEMBLY WITH A MODIFIED ONE (WITH ADDITIONAL DUST LIP) IN VEHICLES WHICH HAVE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM. IN VEHICLES IN WHICH THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT FUNCTIONS PROPERLY, THE RAILS WILL BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED WITH MODIFIED RAILS IF THEY EXCEED THE INSPECTION CRITERIA.

NHTSA campaign record ↗