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1991 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1991 Mazda MX-5 Miata do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 8 of 21 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

21 reports
Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2024
Unknown Or Other

When accelerator was fully depressed to clear potential flooded condition on starting, it got caught in the floor carpet and would not return to idle. Engine immediately redlined and I turned off the ignition. Potentially disastrous if occurred during high passing situation.

NHTSA ODI #11579091

Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 2021
Tires

Sidewall of my one day old VeeRubber Vitron R41 split about 15 inches along the side wall of the tire about 2 to 3 inches down from the road riding part of he tire. It was a clear day and there were no warnings when the one day old tire just split along the sidewall. The tire was mounted and filled with air at a retail tire sto…

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Sidewall of my one day old VeeRubber Vitron R41 split about 15 inches along the side wall of the tire about 2 to 3 inches down from the road riding part of he tire. It was a clear day and there were no warnings when the one day old tire just split along the sidewall. The tire was mounted and filled with air at a retail tire store. 185/60 R14

NHTSA ODI #11435011

19,000 miles · Jan 10, 2020
Air Bags

AIR-BAG WARNING LIGHT BLINKS WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING. TOOK IN FOR REPAIR AND SAID PART IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. WHAT IS MY RECOURSE?

NHTSA ODI #11298375

65,000 miles · Oct 15, 2018
Air Bags

AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING FOR NO REASON

NHTSA ODI #11140362

64,500 miles · Jan 19, 2018
Air Bags

FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE AIR BAG LIGHT BLINKS. THE AIR BAG HAS NEVER BEEN DEPLOYED. THE CODE FROM THE LIGHT INDICATES A FAULTY ACTUATOR. THE CAR HAS 65000 MILES AND IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. ALWAYS GARAGE KEPT SINCE ORIGINAL PURCHASE.

NHTSA ODI #11063813

123,000 miles · May 9, 2017
Air Bags

THE VEHICLE'S AIRBAG WARNING IS ON. THE WARNING LIGHT FLASHES A NUMBER OF TIMES, THEN PAUSES FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN BEGINS AGAIN. THE PROBLEM IS PROBABLY DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE CONTROL MODULE AND THIS PART IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR FROM REMANUFACTURERS. THE AIRBAG IS A SAFETY ITEM AND THUS MUST BE O…

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THE VEHICLE'S AIRBAG WARNING IS ON. THE WARNING LIGHT FLASHES A NUMBER OF TIMES, THEN PAUSES FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN BEGINS AGAIN. THE PROBLEM IS PROBABLY DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE CONTROL MODULE AND THIS PART IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR FROM REMANUFACTURERS. THE AIRBAG IS A SAFETY ITEM AND THUS MUST BE OPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER, MAZDA, MUST MAKE THIS REPAIR OR MAKE THE PART AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10984406

88,225 miles · Feb 27, 2017
Air Bags

IN 2015 THE SRS LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND I TOOK THE CAR IN TO JOHN WINE MAZDA FOR REPAIRS. ON 10/28/2015 THEY REPLACED THE CLOCK SPRING MODULE FOR $634.45 WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ON 11/2/2015 THEY REPLACED THE DIAGNOSTIC MODULE OF $485.00 WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY STATED PARTS WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO FIX T…

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IN 2015 THE SRS LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND I TOOK THE CAR IN TO JOHN WINE MAZDA FOR REPAIRS. ON 10/28/2015 THEY REPLACED THE CLOCK SPRING MODULE FOR $634.45 WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ON 11/2/2015 THEY REPLACED THE DIAGNOSTIC MODULE OF $485.00 WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY STATED PARTS WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND ON 11/13/2015 THE SAID THE BATTERY AND BACKUP BATTERY MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACE BUT THE MODULE HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. I RESEARCHED AVAILABILITY AND ONLY USED MODULES WERE AVAILABLE AND JOHN HINE MAZDA SAID THEY COULD NOT INSTALL USED PARTS.FINALLY ON 3/16/2016 THEY HAD A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE CHECK OUT THE AIR BAG AND HE SAID IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AS IT HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. AT THIS TIME THEY SAID I NEEDED TO PROVIDE A NEW AIR BAG-WHICH I OBVIOUSLY CAN'T- AND THE DISCONNECTED AIR BAG MODE AND TAPED THE WIRING SO IT WAS NO LONGER CONNECTED. I NOW AM EXPECTED TO DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT THE PROTECTION OF AN AIR BAG WHICH I CONSIDER A SAFETY VIOLATION. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10957333

165,000 miles · Feb 16, 2017
Air Bags

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND SHOWS THE MODULE HAS FAILED. MODULES ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY PROBLEM WITH MAZDA MIATAS.

NHTSA ODI #10955121

39,000 miles · Jul 15, 2014
Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE AIR BAG CODE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE FAILED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS NO LONGE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE AIR BAG CODE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE FAILED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS NO LONGER BEING PRODUCED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

NHTSA ODI #10610650

24,000 miles · Mar 30, 2009
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS HOUSED IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. MAZDA RECENTLY DEVELOPED A NEWER BATTERY MODEL CALLED A FLOODED CELL BATTERY. HE NOTICED THAT THE BATTERY WAS LEAKING AROUND THE CAPS AND HE WAS CONCERNED WITH LIQUID ACID BEING PRODUCED BY THE BATTERY. THE MAN…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS HOUSED IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. MAZDA RECENTLY DEVELOPED A NEWER BATTERY MODEL CALLED A FLOODED CELL BATTERY. HE NOTICED THAT THE BATTERY WAS LEAKING AROUND THE CAPS AND HE WAS CONCERNED WITH LIQUID ACID BEING PRODUCED BY THE BATTERY. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO REPLACE THE BATTERY IF IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BATTERY WOULD HAVE TO FAIL AN ELECTRICAL TEST IN ORDER FOR THEM TO MAKE THE REPLACEMENT. THE ELECTRICAL TEST WAS NOT PERFORMED AND NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO DATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 24,000. UPDATED 12/08/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE REPLACED HIS BATTERY IN AUGUST 2007. HIS CONCERN WAS THAT MAZDA WAS SELLING FLOODED BATTERIES AS AN OEM REPLACEMENT FOR THE AGM BATTERY THAT CAME STANDARD IN HIS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED ACID LEAKING AROUND THE CELL CAPS. UPDATED 12/10/09

NHTSA ODI #10263609

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.