THERE WAS A VERY STRONG GAS ODOR IN THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. *NLM
1992 Mazda Mpv
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 Mazda Mpv do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 36.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Mpv years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 61 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
20 reportsWITH THIS VAN THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS SINCE AUGUST OF 1993. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS A TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. THE VAN WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 3 MONTHS WHILE THEY DALLIED AROUND TO FIX IT. I HAD IT TAKEN TO NORTHTOWNE MAZDA AND IT TOOK THEM A WEEK TO FIX IT. THE SECOND PROBLEM WAS A CONSTANT BREAKAGE OF THE LITTL…
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WITH THIS VAN THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS SINCE AUGUST OF 1993. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS A TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. THE VAN WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 3 MONTHS WHILE THEY DALLIED AROUND TO FIX IT. I HAD IT TAKEN TO NORTHTOWNE MAZDA AND IT TOOK THEM A WEEK TO FIX IT. THE SECOND PROBLEM WAS A CONSTANT BREAKAGE OF THE LITTLE PIN THAT SHIFTS THE GEARS. THE THING BREAKS CONSTANTLY AND CAUSES THE GEAR DIAL LETTERS TO BE OFF BY ONE LETTER FOR INSTANCE THE R FOR REVERSE IS D FOR DRIVE. THE NEXT PROBLEM WAS A GAS LEAK THAT I TOOK IN TO HAVE FIXED THREE TIMES BEFORE IT WAS FINALLY FOUND. I WAS TOLD ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THAT IT WAS JUST EXHAUST AND THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FOUND. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO MEMPHIS AND LIKED TO GAS MYSELF TO DEATH FROM THE FUMES ON THE WAY THERE AND BACK. UPON RETURN TO KCMO I TOOK IT DIRECTLY BACK TO THE DEALER. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID JUST LEAVE IT OUTSIDE AND WE WILL BRING IT IN AND CHECK IT. I MADE HIM COME OUTSIDE TO THE CAR. YOU COULD SMELL THE GAS FROM 50 FEET AWAY. WHEN HE TOOK IT IN THERE WAS A RUPTURE INTHE FOURTH QUARTER PANEL HOSE THAT WHEN YOU TOOK A LEFT TURN IT SPILLED GAS INTO THE PASSENGER REAR SEAT. THE NEXT PROBLEM THAT I HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE WAS THAT THE CALIPERS, ROTORS AND BRAKES WORE CLEAN THROUGH AFTER ONLY 20,000 MILES OF WEAR ON THE NEW BRAKES. FIRESTONE FIXED THEM. THEN I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT NOW 5 TIMES. I HAD THE FIRST TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED AT 66,000 MILES, THE SECOND AT 78,000 MILES, THE NEXT AT 108,000, AND THEN 138,000, NOW AT 139,463. S MEMO CAME OUT FROM MAZDA TO SERVICE REPAIR SHOPS THAT THE SPACERS ARE DEFECTIVE AND THAT WHEN THE TIMING BELT IS CHANGED THESE NEED TO BE REPLACED ALSO. THIS MEMO JUST CAME OUT IN JUNE 2002. THE OTHER PROBLEM THAT I HAVE HAD IS THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BECAUSE MAZDA HAS A DEFECTIVEPART THAT WON'T LET ENOUGH OIL IN TO ALLOW THE ENGINE TO RUN, THIS CAUSES A LOUD TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. THE NEXT PROBLEM WAS THE SWAY BAR.
RECEIVED INFORMATION ON SPECIAL PROGRAM #SSP-33 FROM MAZDA REGARDING FUEL FUMES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC REFUSED TO DO ANY REPAIRS ON VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER ADDS WHILE DRIVING UP HILL, VEHICLE WILL ONLY ACCELERATE UP TO 10 MPH, ONCE REACHED LIGHTS FLICKER ENGINE, BRAKES AND STEERING LOCKED UP, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CO…
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RECEIVED INFORMATION ON SPECIAL PROGRAM #SSP-33 FROM MAZDA REGARDING FUEL FUMES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC REFUSED TO DO ANY REPAIRS ON VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER ADDS WHILE DRIVING UP HILL, VEHICLE WILL ONLY ACCELERATE UP TO 10 MPH, ONCE REACHED LIGHTS FLICKER ENGINE, BRAKES AND STEERING LOCKED UP, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL, VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING AND STEAMING CAUSING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TO FAIL, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ENGINE IS OVERHEATING, COOLANT LEAKS AT ENGINE, THE WATER PUMP BELT BROKE, DEALER REPLACED COOLANT HOSES, WATER PUMP, TIMING BELTS, HEAD CYLINDER, THERMOSTAT, RADIATOR HOSE AND FAN CLUTCH. *TT
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL LIGHT HAD COME ON, BUT GAS GAUGE SHOWED HALF A TANK, CONSUMER PULLED OVER, OPENED HOOD, AND RADIATOR RESERVOIR EXPLODED, AND HE RECEIVED BURNS. THERE WAS NO SMOKE PRIOR TO THAT. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
DOES NOT ALLOW FOR ENOUGH OIL FLOW IN THE ENGINE LIFTERS, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE . MANUFACTURERIS AWARE OF DEFECT, AND HAS REDESIGNED PART . *AK
FEED HOSE IS TOO SMALL FOR THE OIL TO GO THROUGH, CAUSING THE LIFTER TO COLLASPE AGAINST ROCKER ARM, RESULTING IN A LOUD NOISE. FAULTY DESIGN IN THE ENGINE. *AK
TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REBUILT, UNDER THE WARRENTY, AFTER I MOVED TO OHIO, FOR A NEW JOB, THE WARRENTY HAD RUN OUT, AND I NEEDED TO GET THE CAR REPAIRED, BUT I NEVER PROCEEDED WITHA COMPLAINT AT THAT TIME
OIL SMOKE, VALVE OR LIFTER NOISE, RATTLE WHEN VEHICLE NOT IN ACCELERATION. *AK
MAZDA HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIPER ARM-IT QUIT DURING MY COMMUTE DURING A HARD RAIN. IT POSED A VERY REAL DANGER. REGARDING THE ENGINE: MAZDA KNOWS THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND IT HAS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX...I NOW OWN A 2ND MPV ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME HLA PROBLEM WITH THIS SECOND VAN. NOW I KNOW IT'S AN INHERENT PROBLEM AND TH…
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MAZDA HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIPER ARM-IT QUIT DURING MY COMMUTE DURING A HARD RAIN. IT POSED A VERY REAL DANGER. REGARDING THE ENGINE: MAZDA KNOWS THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND IT HAS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX...I NOW OWN A 2ND MPV ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME HLA PROBLEM WITH THIS SECOND VAN. NOW I KNOW IT'S AN INHERENT PROBLEM AND THE CONSUMER IS HAVING TO PAY FOR THIS VERY EXPENSIVE FIX.
Official recalls
115V674000 · 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.
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
2EA96031 · Fuel LIQUID-VAPOR Separator
Opened Dec 20, 1996 · Closed Mar 31, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEM LIQUID-VAPOR SEPARATOR MAY FAIL AT NIPPLE FOR FUEL TANK HOSE CONNECTION RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE AREA BEHIND THE RIGHT REAR TRIM PANEL.
PE96055 · Fuel LIQUID-VAPOR Separator Failure
Opened Sep 13, 1996 · Closed Dec 20, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
RATORS AREEVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEM LIQUID-VAPOR SEPARATORS ARE ALLEGEDLY FAILING AND LEAKING FUEL LIQUID/VAPOR.
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