Power Train. Review the 313 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 81 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports5 fire reports11 injury reports

What owners actually said

434 reports

Mileage unknown · Oct 31, 2002

Power Train

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THEN VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ODI #8021982

Mileage unknown · Oct 29, 2002

Power Train

I HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 34,600 MILES OF NORMAL CITY DRIVING. THE WARRANTY WAS FOR 3 YEARS/36,000 MILES. (I WAS ABOUT 6.5 MONTHS PAST WARRANTY TIMEWISE) THE MECHANICS WHO REPLACED IT SAID THAT THE FRONT PUMP WAS SCORED, AND THAT METAL BITS FROM IT CAME OUT FROM THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND LODGED IN THE PRESSURE VA…

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NHTSA ODI #769065

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2002

Unknown Or Other

NO SUMMARY. DT

NHTSA ODI #768809

Mileage unknown · Oct 21, 2002

Steering

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE GEARS ON THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. TS

NHTSA ODI #8021203

Mileage unknown · Oct 18, 2002

Power Train

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP GEARS THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THIS IS A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. MR

NHTSA ODI #8021157

Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2002

Seat Belts

CONSUMER STATES THAT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK WHEN VEHICAL WAS REAR ENDED CAUSING INJURIES.

NHTSA ODI #8021020

Mileage unknown · Oct 14, 2002

Power Train

THE FACTORY INSTALLED TRANSMISSION FAILED IN MAY 2002 AT 85000 MILES. THE REPLACEMENT (USED) WITH 46000 MILES FAILED 45 DAYS LATER. UPON CONTACT WITH SERVICE REPAIRERS I WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A HIGH TRANSMISSION FAILURE RATE. MR

NHTSA ODI #768419

Mileage unknown · Oct 3, 2002

Power Train

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID STARTED TO SPILL OUT FROM THE HOSE THAT YOU ADD THE FLUID THROUGH. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTTHING. NLM

NHTSA ODI #8020099

Mileage unknown · Sep 29, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

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STALLS AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE FROM COMPLETE STOP, CAR ALSO STALLS WITHOUT WARNING IN INTERSECTIONS WHILE MAKING TURNS. "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT FLASHES BUT DOES NOT REMAIN ON, THEN CAR SUDDENLY JOLTS FORWARD. ALSO SHIFTS HARD AND JOLTS DURING DRIVING. MAZDA SERVICE DEPT. CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, SINCE THERE IS NO COMPUTER CODE TO INDICATE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. ALL REQUIRED MAINTANENCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED, GAS TANK IS FULL. CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AS REQUIRED BY MANUFACTURER. HELP! MR

NHTSA ODI #767888

Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2002

Power Train

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. IT WILL BECOME HARD TO GET THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THERE WAS TRANSMISSION TROUBLE (SLIPPING INTO GEARS) OVERDRIVE LIGHT TURNED ON AND OFF. THE RESULT WAS…

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NHTSA ODI #8018834

Official recalls

15V674000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

Oct 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 & remedy

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.

00V134000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

May 9, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER COULD BREAK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE BROKEN SPRING MAY GET CAUGHT IN THE TIMING BELT, RESULTING POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL CHECK THE TENSIONER INSTALLED AND REPLACE IT IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE AFFECTED TENSIONER.

98V243000 · Equipment:electrical:radio/tape Deck/cd Etc.

Oct 2, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN A HOT, HUMID ENVIRONMENT WITH THE WINDOW OPEN AND AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR CONDENSATION TO ENTER THE AUDIO UNIT AND CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURS AT ONE SPECIFIC SET OF TERMINALS, THE SPEAKER CAN OVERHEAT AND IN SOME CASES, CATCH FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL AFFIX ALUMINUM TAPE OVER THE AUDIO UNIT TO PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING.

97V228000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System

Dec 17, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) INSTALLED CAN, UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, TRIGGER A SHIFT IN AIR-FUEL RATIO TO AN OVERLEAN CONDITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN AN ENGINE STALL, WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PCM WITH THE CORRECT ENGINE CONTROL LOGIC.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

SQ98024 · Speedometer Inoperative

Opened Oct 29, 1998 · Closed Sep 10, 1999

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train

SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.