1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD RATTLING NOISE NEAR THE ENGINE WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOR MORE THAN A YEAR WHEN THE VEHICLE BECAME HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

BLINDNESS CAUSED BY AIRBAG. CRASH CAUSED BY THROTTLE STICKING OPEN. FULL BRAKING IMMEDIATE AS SHOWN BY SKID MARKS AND WHILE BRAKES SLOWED VEHICLE UNABLE TO STOP THE CAR OR TURN BEFORE IMPACT. VIDEO AND WITNESSES CONFIRM CAUSE MUST BE OPEN THROTTLE. BOTH BRAKING AND TURNING FAILED TO STOP OR TURN THE CAR. THROTTLE OPEN OR ACCELERATOR JAMMED FULL ON. *TR

ON 11/10/03, MY 1999 MIATA STALLED WHEN CLUTCH IS PUSHED AT IDLE. I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 101 AT THAT TIME AND WOULD CREATE A DANGER ENVIRONMENT FOR THE SURROUNDING CARS. AFTER A CAR MECHANIC INSPECTED MY CAR, HE FOUND THAT THE CRANKSHAFT END PLAY WAS APPROXIMATELY .5" WIDE. THE MECHANIC SUSPECTED THAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE THRUST BEARING. MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 70,000 MILES. MAZDA INSTALLED IMPROPER THRUST BEARING ON MANY 1999 MIATAS, CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL WHEN CLUTCH IS PUSHED AT IDLE. SO FAR, MAZDA HAS ONLY ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN CLAIMING THE PROBLEM WOULD ONLY MAKE NOISE BUT IGNORES THE POTENTIAL STALLING PROBLEM. *LA

WHINING NOISE ESPECIALLY IN 3RD GEAR AT 29-32 MPH THAT IS VERY IRRITATING. VERY LOUD WHIRRING NOISE AT 5900 RPM IN ANY GEAR. DEALERS ALTERNATELY SAY THEY CAN'T HEAR THE NOISES OR THAT THEY ARE NORMAL. ONE MECHANIC AT MORRIE'S SAID "I USED TO HAVE A TRUCK THAT SOUNDED LIKE THAT. MAYBE YOURS WILL GO AWAY IF YOU GET MORE MILES ON IT." THE 5900 RPM NOISE DECREASED BY 2/3 AFTER CHANGING TO SYNTHETIC TRANSMISSION AND DIFFERENTIAL FLUID BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM. THE LAST DEALER I TOOK IT TO SAID HE'D CALL BACK IN A WEEK. THAT WAS THREE WEEKS AGO. MAZDA USA SAID THEY'D CALL BACK. THAT WAS A WEEK AGO. I'D LIKE TO GET THIS FIXED SO THAT I CAN ENJOY MAKING MY $450 A MONTH PAYMENTS FOR 5 YEARS A LITTLE MORE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS IN TOW BEHIND MY RV, WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING BOTH REAR WHEELS TO LOCK UP.VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN TOW FOR 278 MILES AT THE TIME OF FAILURE.WHEN I WAS PURCHASING THE VEHICL, I MADE ALL CONCERNED AWARE THAT I WAS INTENDING TO TOW THE VEHICLE BEHIND MY MOTOR HOME. NOTHING WAS SAIS OF ANY SPECIAL CONDITIONS REGARDING THE TOWING. MAZDA REFUSES TO EVEN INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE, STATING THAT THEY FEEL IT WAS CAUSED BY THE TOWING. A TECNICAL REPRESENTATIVE ADMITTED HOWEVER, THAT THE SAME FAILRE COULD HAVE ACCURED IF THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN COASTING, WITH THE ENGINE OFF. SINCE I WAS IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE OF THE INTERSTATE. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE UNIT TO A SAFE STOP. IF I HAD BEEN IN ANOTHER LANE, OR IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING LANES, THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTORUS.