1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata

WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN, BRAKES DID NOT SLOW CAR FOR UP TO 3 SECONDS AFTER APPLICATION OF BRAKE PEDAL (NO MATTER HOW HARD I PUSHED). ONCE THE BRAKES START WORKING, THEY FEEL NORMAL, BUT IF YOU DON'T USE THEM FOR A FEW MINUTES, THE BRAKES WILL DO THE SAME THING AGAIN, AND AGAIN. IT SEEMS THAT THE HARDER IT RAINS, THE MORE PRONOUNCED THE TEMPORARY LACK OF STOPPING POWER, AND THE LONGER THE DELAY UNTIL THE BRAKES ACHIEVE FRICTION.*AK

THIS REPORT TO TO DOCUMENT A SAFETY CONCERN ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE BRAKES IN THE 1999 MIATA. ALTHOUGH THE MIATA HAS EXCELLENT BRAKING IN DRY CONDITIONS, IT HAS BEEN NOTED THAT WHEN DRIVING IN MODERATE RAIN IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC THE BRAKES ARE INEFFECTIVE FOR 2 TO 3 SECONDS UNTIL THEY BEGIN TO DRY OUT AND FUNCTION. THIS OCCURS WITH OUT THE PRESENCE OF STANDING WATER, JUST NORMAL SPRAY FROM TRAFFIC. THIS CONDITION WAS ALSO DOCUMENTED IN THE MIATA.NET WEB SITE AND IT WAS REPORTED THAT MAZDA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS CONDITION IN EUROPE AND HAS ISSUED REPLACEMENT FRONT DISC SHEILDS AS IDENTIFIED HERE: RIGHT SIDE P/N NC8533260A LEFT SIDE P/N NC8533270A NUT P/N D06Y33042. LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP CLAIM TO HAVE NO NOTICE OF THIS ISSUE OR REPLACEMENT PARTS. THIS CONDITION IS BEING EXPERIENCED BY MORE 1999 OWNERS AS DOCUMENTED ON THE MIATA.NET FORUM UNDER THE TOPIC "BRAKES IN THE WET" WHERE THIS PROBLEM WAS FIRST IDENTIFIED.*AK

MY POINT IN WRITING THIS LETTER IS MY CONCERN OVER THE CARS PERFORMANCE ON WET ROADS. MIND YOU, IM NOT TALKING HEAVY RAINS OR ANYTHING CLOSE TO THAT. IM MERELY TALKING ABOUT THE TYPE OF WEATHER WHERE ONE MAY UTILIZE THE INTERMITTENT WIPER. AFTER A PERIOD OF DRIVING IN THIS TYPE OF WEATHER THE BRAKES ARE LACKING. I HAVE EXITED THE HIGHWAY ON OFF RAMPS AND THE BRAKES ARE NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. LUCKILY, I HAD TIME TO PUMP THE BRAKES AND THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC BACKUP AT THE END OF THE RAMP (3 TIMES). WE HAVE EXPERIENCED OTHER SIMILAR OCCURRENCES OVER THE PAST YEARS.

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