2002 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA Problems & Recalls
Detailed safety information and owner complaints
Problem Breakdown
Compare to Other Years
Common Problems
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA MIATA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND COULD NOT BE IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IMMOBILIZER MODULE ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED AND DISABLED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ...
Mileage: 151,700
THIS CAR HAS A SAFETY IMMOBILIZER THAT PREVENTS CAR FROM RUNNING IF THE CORRECT TRANSPONDER KEY IS NOT USED. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 28,000 MILES, OF WHICH I HAVE DRIVEN THE LAST 10,000 MILES. THIS WEEK THE IMMOBILIZER CONTROL ELECTRONICS FAILED, RENDERING THE CAR TO STOP RUNNING AND WILL NOT RESTART. ...
Mileage: 28,000
ONE OF TWO LATCHES FOR THE CONVERTIBLE SOFT TOP CAME UNFASTENED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING ONE SIDE OF THE TOP TO LIFT UPWARDS WITH GREAT VIOLENCE AND A VERY LOUD NOISE. NO ACCIDENT THIS TIME BUT IT WILL HAPPEN- E.G. SWERVING OUT OF LANE AND INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, PEDESTRIAN, TREE, ETC. DUE TO 1) THE V...
Mileage: 59,000
ONE OF TWO LATCHES FOR THE CONVERTIBLE SOFT TOP CAME UNFASTENED WHILE DRIVING CAUSING ONE SIDE OF THE TOP TO LIFT UPWARDS WITH GREAT VIOLENCE AND A VERY LOUD NOISE. NO ACCIDENT THIS TIME BUT IT WILL HAPPEN- E.G. SWERVING OUT OF LANE AND INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, PEDESTRIAN, TREE, ETC. DUE TO 1) THE V...
Mileage: 59,000
MAZDA MIATA CONVERTIBLE TOP BLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE CHECKED REPORTS AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A REGULAR PROBLEM. MAZDA HAS EVEN ISSUED A BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. *JB
Mileage: 145,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, PUSHING THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE INTO THE NEXT LANE. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INTERNAL BLEEDING AND BRUISING TO...
Mileage: 38,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LATCH DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY AND CAUSED THE CONVERTIBLE TOP TO DETACH WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STAT...
Mileage: 10,000
THE SOFT TOP LOCK ASSEMBLY LATCH PART #NAO1-R1-310M IS DEFECTIVE. IT COMES UNLATCHED WHILE DRIVING. THIS LATCH WAS REPLACED TWICE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR NOW HAS APPROX 22,500 AND IS READY FOR A THIRD RT SOFT TOP LATCH REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THESE LATCHES SHOULD BE RECALLED. ACCO...
Mileage: 22,500
2002 MAZDA MIATA HAVE DEFECTIVE TOP LATCHES. CONSUMER WANTS MAZDA TO REPAIR VEHICLE AT THEIR EXPENSE. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE CONVERTIBLE LATCH, UN-LATCHED ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING. *JB
2002 MAZDA MIATA HAVE DEFECTIVE TOP LATCHES. CONSUMER WANTS MAZDA TO REPAIR VEHICLE AT THEIR EXPENSE. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE CONVERTIBLE LATCH, UN-LATCHED ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING. *JB
CONVERTIBLE TOP LATCHES DO NOT STAY LATCHED. MAZDA IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUED A TSB (09-009/03) TELLING THE TECH TO REPLACE THE LATCHES AND STRIKERS WITH A REVISED DESIGN. MAZDA REFUSES TO REPLACE THE UNITS FREE OF CHARGE EVEN THOUGH IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. TOPS FLYI...
Mileage: 28,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA MIATA. AFTER PARKING HIS VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT HIS FOG LIGHTS WERE ON FIRE. HE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. HE CALLED MAZDA AND THEY FAXED HIM A COPY OF RECALL NUMBER 03V206000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:FOG LIGHTS). THE CONTA...
Mileage: 32,000
SPEEDOMETER ON 2002 MAZDA MIATA FAILS INTERMITTENTLY. MAZDA REFUSES TO REPLACE EVEN THOUGH UNDER WARRANTY. *NM
Mileage: 41,500
LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. THIS IS A PACKED ASSEMBLY -SEALED. THIS FAILED ONE UNDER WARRANTY AND AGAIN RECENTLY. THIS CAUSES HEAVY VIBRATION ESP. ON A MAZDA MIATA WHICH COULD LEAD TO WHEEL BEING TORN OFF WHILE DRIVING. *NM
Mileage: 117,320
TRANSMISSION/CLUTCH - CLUTCH SPRINGS OR PLATES STICK AFTER SHIFTING INTO GEAR. CLUTCH HAS BEEN REPLACED BY DEALER AFTER ONLY APROX. 30K. MILES AND PROBLEM HAS APPEARED AGAIN. DEALER CLAIMS THE SPRINGS ON CLUTCH STICK. PROBLEM SHIFTING INTO GEAR ESP. WHEN CAR IS FIRST STARTED, ALSO CLUTCH WEARS AT ...
Mileage: 30,000
CLUTCH SHUDDER, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE FOR THE FIRST TIME EACH DAY. THE WHOLE DRIVETRAIN/EXHAUST WILL SHAKE AS YOU ENGAGE THE CLUTCH. AS THE VEHICLE WARMS UP, THE PROBLEM IS LESS NOTICEABLE. STARTING AROUND 20K MILES. ALSO, "RINGING" NOISE IN 5TH GEAR (6 SPEED TRANSMISSION) UNDER LOAD SI...
CLUTCH SHUDDER, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE FOR THE FIRST TIME EACH DAY. THE WHOLE DRIVETRAIN/EXHAUST WILL SHAKE AS YOU ENGAGE THE CLUTCH. AS THE VEHICLE WARMS UP, THE PROBLEM IS LESS NOTICEABLE. STARTING AROUND 20K MILES. ALSO, "RINGING" NOISE IN 5TH GEAR (6 SPEED TRANSMISSION) UNDER LOAD SI...
WE HAVE HAD THE RADIO/SPEAKERS AND CD PLAYER REPLACED AT LEAST 4 TIMES IN THE PAST 1 1/2 YEARS SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. EITHER THE UNITS BEING REPLACED ARE DEFECTIVE OR MAZDA IS NOT REPLACING PARTS (DEALERSHIP- TIM MARBURGER MAZDA). IN ADDITION, THE FOG LIGHT RECALL HAS SINCE CAUSED THE...
Mileage: 4,000
WE HAVE HAD THE RADIO/SPEAKERS AND CD PLAYER REPLACED AT LEAST 4 TIMES IN THE PAST 1 1/2 YEARS SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW. EITHER THE UNITS BEING REPLACED ARE DEFECTIVE OR MAZDA IS NOT REPLACING PARTS (DEALERSHIP- TIM MARBURGER MAZDA). IN ADDITION, THE FOG LIGHT RECALL HAS SINCE CAUSED THE...
Mileage: 4,000
VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *MR *SC *JB
THIS IS NOT REALLY A COMPLAINT, BUT CU SAID I SHOULD CONTACT YOU AS WELL. I RAN OVER A NAIL AND PUNCTURED MY TIRE. I TOOK IT TO A TIRE SHOP TO SEE IF IT COULD BE REPAIRED. IT COULDN'T SO I SAID REPLACE IT. THEY DID NOT HAVE A TIRE TO MATCH. ON MY BEHALF THEY CALL SEVERAL OTHER TIRE SHOPS. NO ONE HAD...
THE VEHICLE STALLED, WHICH CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB SCC
UPON MORNING STARTS WHILE TURNING ON THE IGNITION THE CAR DOES NOT GO INTO REVERSE. THERE IS A SOUND METAL ROARING AND FEELS AS THOUGH THE EMERGENCY BREAK IS ON BUT IT IS NOT. CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN 4 TIMES TO AUTHORIZED REPAIR AT KONA MAZDA DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED AND THEY DENY ANY PROBLEMS. THEY SU...
WHILE IN MOTION, THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE BECOMES HOT. CONSUMER MEASURED THE HOT AIR TEMPERATURE TO BE OVER 130 DEGREES. THIS OCCURS EVEN WHEN DRIVING ON A COOL NIGHT AND/OR WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND/OR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS TOO ...