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1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 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

25 reports with mileage · 49 unknown

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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports0 fire reports9 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

10 reports
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76,000 miles · Sep 10, 2008
Electrical System

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF IGNITION "COIL PACK" LEADING TO COSTLY REPLACEMENT OF CAT. CONVERTER, O2 SENSOR, AND COIL PACKS. MFR NEVER COVERED THIS UNDER ANY SORT OF EXTENDED WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS NOT UNCOMMON, AND EVIDENTLY BAD PARTS ARE STILL IN THE SYSTEM. MULTIPLE FAILURE DATES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10241741

33,300 miles · Oct 2, 2006
Electrical System

1999 10TH ANNIVERSARY MAZDA MIATA CURRENTLY WITH 33,900 MILES ON IT. ABOUT 600 MILES AGO CAR SUDDENLY STARTED AND RAN ROUGH WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. HAD CODE CHECKED AND REVEALED P0300 (RANDOM MISFIRE I.E.IGNITION COIL PACK FAILURE). CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT AFTER READING CODE. SYMPTOM REAPPEARED RECENTLY WITH SAME CODE P…

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1999 10TH ANNIVERSARY MAZDA MIATA CURRENTLY WITH 33,900 MILES ON IT. ABOUT 600 MILES AGO CAR SUDDENLY STARTED AND RAN ROUGH WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. HAD CODE CHECKED AND REVEALED P0300 (RANDOM MISFIRE I.E.IGNITION COIL PACK FAILURE). CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT AFTER READING CODE. SYMPTOM REAPPEARED RECENTLY WITH SAME CODE P0300. REPLACED SPARK PLUG WIRES WITH NGK OEM WIRES ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND SYMPTOM REAPPEARED THIS AFTERNOON. I UNDERSTOOD THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE EMISSION CONTROL WARRANTY BUT THE SUBSEQUENT CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE IS COVERED UNDER THE 8/80.000 EMISSION WARRANTY. IF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF IGNITION COIL THEN WHY IS THE IGNITION COIL NOT COVERED UNDER THE EMISSION WARRANTY. THIS IS ANOTHER BUREAUCRATIC SNAFU. THE CAUSE OF THE EMISSION FAILURE IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EMISSION CONTROL WARRANTY. SO MAYBE I SHOULD WAIT UNTIL THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND HAVE MAZDA (FORD) REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THEN REPLACE THE IGNITION COIL PACK THEN BECAUSE IT WILL COST ME THE SAME BUT OVER $1000 FOR MAZDA (FORD). *NM

NHTSA ODI #10169711

Mileage unknown · Apr 1, 2005
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

1999 MAZDA MIATA HAD PROBLEM WITH IGNITION COILS. THE SENSORS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AS WELL. CONSUMER IS REFERENCING COMPLAINT 10093484.*MR *NM

NHTSA ODI #10117243

30,000 miles · Oct 2, 2004
Electrical System

THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT READ IN THE THE MIATA'S FORUM. MY 19'99 MIATA IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION COIL, AND THE SENSORS WILL SAY ABOUT A PROBLEM IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I RECENTLY GOT MY CAR, AND IS ONLY 35K, BUT THE LIMITED WARRANTY FROM THE DEALER JUST EXPIRED A WHILE AGO. FROM THE LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE DESCRIBIN…

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THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT READ IN THE THE MIATA'S FORUM. MY 19'99 MIATA IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION COIL, AND THE SENSORS WILL SAY ABOUT A PROBLEM IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I RECENTLY GOT MY CAR, AND IS ONLY 35K, BUT THE LIMITED WARRANTY FROM THE DEALER JUST EXPIRED A WHILE AGO. FROM THE LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM ALONG THE INTERNET (YOU CAN READ IT HERE: HTTP://WWW.MIATAFORUM.COM/CGI-BIN/ULTIMATEBB.CGI?UBB=GET_TOPIC&F=27&T=000103), I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MAZDA IS NOT DOING A RECALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10093484

41,730 miles · Aug 10, 2004
Electrical System

THE COIL PACK HAS FAILED ON MY 1999 MAZDA MIATA WITH LESS THAN 42000 MILES. MY INFORMATION IS THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON 1999 MAZDA PROTEGES FOR THE COIL PACK FAILURE AND THAT THE MIATA PART IS IDENTICAL EXCEPT FOR THE MOUNTING BRACKET.

NHTSA ODI #10086548

Mileage unknown · Jan 26, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

1999-2000 MIATAS HAVE AN ESTABLISHED INTERMITTENT IGNITION COIL FAILURE PROBLEM PER SEVERAL OWNERS FORUMS. THE IGNITION COIL FAILS WHICH CAUSES A MISFIRE CONDITION, THIS RESULTS IN UNBURNED FUEL REACHING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHERE IT BURNS AND OVERHEATS THE CONVERTER. THIS OVERHEATING CAN DESTROY THE CONVERTER AND POTENTIALL…

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1999-2000 MIATAS HAVE AN ESTABLISHED INTERMITTENT IGNITION COIL FAILURE PROBLEM PER SEVERAL OWNERS FORUMS. THE IGNITION COIL FAILS WHICH CAUSES A MISFIRE CONDITION, THIS RESULTS IN UNBURNED FUEL REACHING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHERE IT BURNS AND OVERHEATS THE CONVERTER. THIS OVERHEATING CAN DESTROY THE CONVERTER AND POTENTIALLY DESTROY THE OXYGEN SENSORS. THIS EXACT SCENARIO HAPPENED TO ME ON THE INDICATED DATE. MY VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 37K MILES ON IT BUT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOW I MUST REPLACE THE COIL AND CONVERTER. I BELIEVE THIS SITUATION WARRANTS A RECALL. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10054906

5,800 miles · Oct 27, 2003
Electrical System

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE BATTERY, REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT.*MR BATTERY DIED AT 5800 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #10044852

30,000 miles · May 20, 2003
Electrical System

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THE COIL PACK FAILED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10020169

30,500 miles · May 20, 2003
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING, THE COIL PACK WOULD CUT OFF, LEAVING THE ENGINE WITH ONLY 2 OPERATING CYLINDERS. THIS WOULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, BUT USUALLY WHEN TRYING TO GAIN SPEED, NECESSITATING PULLING OFF THE ROAD SO AS TO NOT GET HIT FROM BEHIND. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10018979

25,000 miles · Feb 28, 2003
Electrical System

HERE IS A LIKE TO MANY PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR MAZDA MIATA 99+. AROUND MILES THE CAR STARTS TO HAVE IGNITION PROBLEMS CAUSED BY A FAULTY COIL. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10008245

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.