2000 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA Problems & Recalls

THE TRUNK SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE. THE CABIN SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE. WHILE RESEARCHING ONLINE, THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT A GAS SMELL ON THESE CARS.

Mileage: 44,000

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 E...

Mileage: 40,000

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 E...

Mileage: 40,000

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 BE...

Mileage: 46,200

1999>2000 MAZDA MIATAS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE HAD A BAD BATCH OF COIL PACKS PUT IN THEM, RESULTING IN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, (HAS HAPPENED TO ME THREE TIMES), NOT WHILE DRIVING, BUT UPON RESTARTING AFTER A BRIEF STOP, LIKE AT A STORE, WHEREVER. ANYWAY THE CODE SAYS, RANDOM MISS FIRING, WHICH R...

Mileage: 40,000

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 - 2...

Mileage: 131,000

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 - 2...

Mileage: 131,000

AFTER DRIVING AROUND IN HEATED CONDITIONS (ROUGHLY 80 DEGREES OR MORE) FOR ABOUT 10+ MILES, SOMETIMES LESS, THE CAR WILL NOT START. IT WILL CRANK AND ATTEMPT TO START BUT FAILS TO DO SO. IN ORDER TO GET IT TO START I HAVE TO POP THE HOOD OPEN AND LET IT SIT FOR 10-15 MINUTES. ONCE IT STARTS IT IS VE...

Mileage: 79,500

1999 TO 2000 MAZDA MIATA THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE LOW/HIGH BEAM HAS BEEN SHOWN TO GENERATE HIGH TEMPERATURES AND ON ONE OCCASION, CAUSE A FIRE. I PERSONALLY HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS WITH MY 1999 MIATA WHICH PROMPTED ME TO REPLACE THE FORWARD SECTION OF THE H4 HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS. OTHERS ON TH...

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 CORRE...

Mileage: 61,000

DT: CONSUMER PURCHASED A USED 2000 MAZADA MIATA, THE FRONT LEFT FOG LIGHT CAUGHT ON FIRE, NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH FOG LIGHT. WHEN THE FOG LIGHT CAUGHT ON FIRE IT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER TRIM, MARKER LIGHT, AND THE WIRING HARNESS, CONSUMER HAD TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISH TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. *...

Mileage: 38,900

I PAID A TOTAL OF $835.03 IN REPAIRS DUE TO UNQUALIFIED MAZDA TECHNICIANS AND INFERIOR PARTS (IGNITION COIL) THAT MAZDA KNOWINGLY INSTALLED IN THE 1999 AND 2000 MIATA?S. IN MAY 2004 MY ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. I HAD THE SPARK PLUGS AND SPARK PLUG WIRES CHECKED TO DETERMINE IF THAT WAS THE PROBLEM A...

Mileage: 23,000

1.ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN POORLY VEHICLE LOST SPEED. 2. HAD TO EXIT FREEWAY AND USE SIDE STREETS TO RETURN HOME 3. TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS, SERVICE REPORT INDICATED THAT THE COIL/IGNITER WAS DEFECTIVE WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF POWER. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE COIL/IGNITER FAILURE...

Mileage: 38,360

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, BUT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUSTAINED BROKEN RIBS. *AK

Mileage: 26,000

CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT". DEALER INDICATED 3 WEEKS AGO THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE IN CYLINDER #3, BUT THEY WILL NOT GET ON WITH THE REPAIR. DEALER HAS CHANGED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PARTS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND LAST WEEK SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE. NOW THEY ARE BACKING OFF ON ...

CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT". DEALER INDICATED 3 WEEKS AGO THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE IN CYLINDER #3, BUT THEY WILL NOT GET ON WITH THE REPAIR. DEALER HAS CHANGED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PARTS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND LAST WEEK SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE. NOW THEY ARE BACKING OFF ON ...

CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT". DEALER INDICATED 3 WEEKS AGO THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE IN CYLINDER #3, BUT THEY WILL NOT GET ON WITH THE REPAIR. DEALER HAS CHANGED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PARTS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND LAST WEEK SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE. NOW THEY ARE BACKING OFF ON ...

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER WAS HIT IN REAR BY ANOTHER DRIVER. VEHICLE HIT A MEDUIM STRIP AT 30 MPH. DRIVER WAS INJURED. TWO MINUTES LATER, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK *JB

CAR'S BRAKES FAIL TO REACT IN WET DRIVING CONDITIONS. USUALLY TAKES SEVERAL SECONDS OF PUMPING BRAKES DURING WET CONDITIONS TO GET BRAKES TO RESPOND. *AK

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 CL...

BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CONVERTIBLE TOP LATCHES, WHICH SECURE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP WHEN IT IS CLOSED, FAILED TO LOCK AS DESIGNED WHEN THE LATCHES ARE IN THE CLOSED POSITION. THIS POTENTIALLY LEADS TO THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LATCHES INADVERTENTLY OPENING AT ANY SPEED, RESULTING IN THE CONVERTIB...

TRANSMISSION CAN NOT BE SHIFTED SAFELY DURING NORMAL OPERATION. GRINDS, KICKS-OUT AND BLOCK SHIFTING INTO GEAR.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 75MPH ON HIGHWAY AND ROCK HIT CONDENSOR, AIR CONDITIONER COOLANT AND OIL CAME LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

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 BR...

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 BR...

FUEL TANK SHUTS OFF AFTER ONLY 3 TO 4 GALLONS. THEN I HAVE TO SQUEEZE AND PUMP A GALLON AT A TIME UNTIL FULL! I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL GAS STATIONS, SEVERAL PUMPS AND PUMP TYPES, I HAVE VARIED THE FLOW RATIO AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP IS VERY HELPFUL AND THE MOST CURTIOUS, BUT THE PR...

1 BULGED SIDEWALL AREA + 1 SOFT AREA OF OPPOSITE SIDE WALL + 1 PUNCTURE OF TREAD;WARRENTEE DENIED BY SEARS EMPLOYEE {AUTHORIZED?} TO REPRESENT MICHELIN DISCUSSION ON INTERNET HTTP://WWW.MIATAFORUM.COM/UBB/FORUM3/HTML/002362.HTML. *AK (TIRESIZE: 195/50 R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 195/50 R15 )

BRAKES FAIL TO STOP THE CAR WHEN WET, MUST PUMP TO DRY IN ORDER TO SLOW THE CAR, THIS IS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM.

WHEN IN HEAVY RAIN, THE BRAKES TAKE MORE THAN A SECOND TO START WORKING. *AK

NOT REALLY A BRAKE PART PROBLEM, BUT IN THE RAIN WATER BUILDS UP ON THE ROTORS AND IT TAKES 2 OR 3 SECONDS FROM INITIAL BRAKE APPLICATION TO GET ANY REAL BRAKING. SUPPOSEDLY MAZDA HAS PARTS TO FIX THIS, BUT HASN'T NOTIFIED ANY OWNERS.

ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN, STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL PRODUCED NO BRAKING ACTION FOR 1-2 SECONDS. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. DEALER WAS INFORMED AND ATTEMPTED TO REPRODUCE ON A DRY DAY. I KNEW THEY WOULD NOT BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT WANTED TO GO ON RECORD WITH...

WHEN IT IS COLD VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AND DIE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS DUPLICATED PROBLEM AND COULD NOT CORRECT IT. *AK

GAS PUMP SHUTS OFF BEFORE THE TANK IS FILLED! THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME. THE PUMP SHUTS OFF AFTER 1 TO 3 GALLONS AND THEN I CAN GET ANOTHER 5 TO 8 GALLONS IN THE TANK BY SQUEEZING THE NOZZLE DOZENS OF TIMES! I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL GAS GRADES, STATIONS, FLOW RATES AND NOZZLE STYLES, BUT NOTHING FIXES TH...

CONSUMER HEARD A SHARP DISTINCT METALLIC SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. NLM