2001 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA Problems & Recalls
Detailed safety information and owner complaints
Problem Breakdown
Compare to Other Years
Common Problems
AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY SUFFICIENT TO PROTECT DRIVER FROM HITTING HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL RESULTING IN SEVERE FACIAL LACERATION. SOLO VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON NB HWY 680 APPROACHING BENICIA BRIDGE. CHP DISPATCH LOG #357.
Mileage: 180,000
THE PO012 ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON . I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS 2001-2002 MAZDA MIATA MX-5 . I THINK MAZDA REPLACED THE ECU TOO ELIMINATE THE CODE. PLEASE HELP. THANKS DALE
DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FOR APPROX. 20 MINUTES WHEN CAR ENGINE STARTED TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE AND STALL OUT. NARROWLY MADE IT TO ROAD SHOULDER, WITH 2 VEHICLES MAKING EMERGENCY MOVES TO AVOID COLLISION WITH ME. AFTERWARDS MY VEHICLE WOULD ONLY START AFTER WAITING PERIODS OF 10-15 MINUTES, AND THEN O...
Mileage: 79,682
2001 MAZDA MIATA MX5. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO STRONG GAS ODOR IN CABIN OF CAR AFTER FILLING FUEL CAPACITY FULL *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE BASE OF THE FUEL NECK THAT ATTACHED TO THE FUEL TANK WAS RUSTED WHICH ALLOWED RAW FUEL TO DUMP IN THE TRUNK COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER STATED I...
2001 MAZDA MIATA MX5. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO STRONG GAS ODOR IN CABIN OF CAR AFTER FILLING FUEL CAPACITY FULL *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE BASE OF THE FUEL NECK THAT ATTACHED TO THE FUEL TANK WAS RUSTED WHICH ALLOWED RAW FUEL TO DUMP IN THE TRUNK COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER STATED I...
PURCHASED A 2001 MAZDA MIATA NEW, TRANSMISSION WAS HARD SHIFTING FROM DAY 1 TAKEN IN FOR REPAIRS NUMEROUS TIMES, FINALLY RESULTED IN TRANS. LOCKING IN NEUTRAL AND CAR WOULD NOT MOVE RESULTING IN A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THIS PERIOD AND MAZDA WOULD NOT REPAIR CAR BECAUSE ...
Mileage: 21,000
ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE COASTING TO A STOP IN TRAFFIC AS IF OUT OF GAS, BUT TANK HAD OVER 1/4 IN IT. ENGINE WOULD COUGH AND SPUTTER THEN RESTART AND RUN FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS. AFTER CAR SIT ABOUT 15 MINUTES, AND WITH THE ADDITION OF ANOTHER 1 1/2 GALLON OF FUEL, CAR RESTARTED WITH NO PROBLEM. IT TOOK 7...
Mileage: 83,200
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MAZDA MIATA. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE SHUDDERS AND STALLS. THE VEHICLE HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURS WHILE IN FIRST GEAR AND WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. ONCE THE VEHICLE WARMS UP, THE FAILURE DOES NOT OCCUR AS OFTEN. THE FAILURE ...
ENGINE STALLS WHEN CAR COMING TO A STOP. ENGINE WILL RESTART BRIEFLY, THEN STALL AGAIN. RUNS ONLY AFTER ALLOWED TO REST FOR 10-15 MINUTES. CAR HAS STALLED 5 TIMES IN LAST MONTH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND MUST BE PUSHED OFF THE ROAD - VERY DANGEROUS. DEALER SUSPECTS FUEL PUMP. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNO...
Mileage: 53,000
THE TOP LATCH HOLDING THE CONVERTIBLE TOP FAILS PREMATURELY. IN FIVE YEARS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED FOUR FAILURES. WHEN THE LATHES FAIL, THE CONVERTIBLE TOP CAN OPEN SUDDENLY. THE SUDDEN OPENING COULD CAUSE A DISTRACTION. THE SUDDEN OPENING ALSO EXPOSES THE DRIVER TO RAIN OR SNOW THAT MAY ALSO INTERF...
Mileage: 49,000
THE LATCHES THAT HOLD THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LOCKED IN POSITION CAN BE DEFECTIVE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, CAUSING THE LATCH NOT TO LOCK PROPERLY, AND ALLOWING THE TOP TO BECOME UNLATCHED AND FLY UP WHILE DRIVING. THE PART NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WILL ONLY REPLACE IT FREE IF THE VEHICLE...
Mileage: 25,500
EMAIL FM CARLOS PIAD (FL) REQUEST NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THE SOFT TOP LATCH FAILURES ON THE 2001 MAZDA MX-5/MIATA.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE LATCH CAN POSSIBLE BECOME LOOSE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WIND CAN TEAR THE TOP OFF. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE MANUFACTURER UNDER-DESIGNED THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LAT...
MAZDA MIATA LS 2001 ON HUMID DAYS THE CAR WILL START AND THE ENGINE WILL IMMEDIATELY CUT OFF. AFTER CHECK UP FROM DEALER THE FUEL PUMP WAS FOUND TO BE FAILING. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE MIATAS WHICH MAKES ME FEEL THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP DESIGN\EN...
Mileage: 34,000
CAR STALLS CONSISTENTLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP IN NEUTRAL CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. ENGINE SPEED DROPS BELOW 500 RPM AND ALMOST ALWAYS CAUSES A STALL.
Mileage: 92,000
CAR STALLS CONSISTENTLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP IN NEUTRAL CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. ENGINE SPEED DROPS BELOW 500 RPM AND ALMOST ALWAYS CAUSES A STALL.
Mileage: 92,000
THE SOFT TOP (CONVERTIBLE TOP) LATCH CAN SNAP OPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND CAN TEAR OFF THE TOP. FOR THE AFFECTED VEHICLE THE DRIVER CAN BE SIGNIFICANTLY DISTRACTED AND CAN BE HIT BY THE FLAPPING TOP. OTHER VEHICLES BEHIND THE IMPACTED CAR CAN BE HIT BY FLYING DEBRIS AS THE TOP TEARS OFF. MAZDA HAS...
Mileage: 18,000
2001 MAZADA MIADA RIGHT FRONT BRAKE PAD WORE OUT IN 22,000. WIFE DOES NOT DRIVE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL AND MAZDA MIATA REPLACEMENT BRAKE PADS PARTS ARE ON A NATION WIDE BACK ORDER ACCORDING TO LOCAL DEALER. *AK
Mileage: 22,500
THE VEHICLES REAR WHEEL JUMPED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM
Mileage: 56,000
THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR GET VERY HOT WHEN THE TOP IS UP AND THE WINDOWS ARE DOWN. IT IS HOT TO THE POINT OF CAUSING YOU TO MOVE YOUR RIGHT LEG AWAY FROM THE TUNNEL. THIS CAUSES YOU TO NOT BE DRIVING BUT, TRYING TO NOT GETE BURNED. *AK
POOR WEAR AND BLOW OUT CAUSING ACCIDENT WHERE CAR FLIPPED AND CONSEQUENTLY WAS TOTALLED. ONLY GOOD DRIVING SAVED THE PASSENGERS, PLUS THE CAR'S INTEGRITY.
ON SPEED 50MPH SUDDEN TURNS AND VEHICLE LOSES CONTROL. VEHICLE SYSTEMATICALLY JERKS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. CONTACTED MAZDA. *AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND IT ROLLED DOWN A HILL. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS IN UPWARD POSITION . DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR A FEW MONTHS, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A DEVELOPING PROBLEM WITH HOT AIR INFILTRATING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THROUGH THE SLOT IN THE CARPET AT THE HANDBRAKE. THIS HAPPENS WHENEVER THERE IS NEGATIVE PRESSURE WITHIN THE COMPARTMENT (WINDOWS OPEN OR TOP DOWN), BUT NOT WHEN THERE ...