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2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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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: 4 of 4 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Power Train complaints

2 reports
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59,000 miles · Jan 16, 2014
Power TrainStructureSuspension

PURCHASED THIS USED 2005 MAZDA MIATA ABOUT A MONTH AGO. SERVICING MANY COMPONENTS SINCE PURCHASE AND LEARNING ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. FOUND BLOG ABOUT PREMATURE FRAME RAIL RUST ON MANY MIATA'S (SHOCKED TO FIND OUT MANY MIATA'S HAVE THIS, AND DISAPPOINTED THAT I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PREMATURE FRAME RAIL FAILURE UNDER ENGINE OF VEHIC…

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PURCHASED THIS USED 2005 MAZDA MIATA ABOUT A MONTH AGO. SERVICING MANY COMPONENTS SINCE PURCHASE AND LEARNING ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. FOUND BLOG ABOUT PREMATURE FRAME RAIL RUST ON MANY MIATA'S (SHOCKED TO FIND OUT MANY MIATA'S HAVE THIS, AND DISAPPOINTED THAT I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PREMATURE FRAME RAIL FAILURE UNDER ENGINE OF VEHICLE. HERE IS THE LINK TO ONE OF THE BLOGS (ACCORDING TO THIS SITE, NATIONAL MAZDA HAS BEEN WILLING TO DO NOTHING FOR MAZDA OWNERS TO THIS POINT). HTTP://FORUM.MIATA.NET/VB/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=397790&PAGE=6 ANYWAY, AFTER READING 6 LONG PAGES OF PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM THIS, I WENT OUT THIS MORNING AND TOOK MY PLASTIC PANEL OFF, BELOW THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND I HAVE THE EARLY STAGES OF IT. THERE ARE LOTS OF MIATA'S ON THE ROAD, AND SOME OF THEM ARE DEATH TRAPS WAITING TO HAPPEN, IF THE RUSTY FRAME RAIL FAILS DURING DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10560303

11,725 miles · Oct 24, 2006
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

I PURCHASED A USED 2005 MAZDA MIATA 5-SPEED IN APRIL 2006 WITH 7860 MILES ON THE ODOMETER FROM THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER. I HAD NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE OUT OF TOWN UNTIL OCTOBER 2006. ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I NOTICED THE VEHICLE HAD INADEQUATE POWER TO SAFELY DRIVE AT THE SPEED LIMIT (80 MPH). TOP SPEED IS ONLY 82 MPH @ 4200 R…

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I PURCHASED A USED 2005 MAZDA MIATA 5-SPEED IN APRIL 2006 WITH 7860 MILES ON THE ODOMETER FROM THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER. I HAD NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE OUT OF TOWN UNTIL OCTOBER 2006. ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I NOTICED THE VEHICLE HAD INADEQUATE POWER TO SAFELY DRIVE AT THE SPEED LIMIT (80 MPH). TOP SPEED IS ONLY 82 MPH @ 4200 RPM IN FIFTH GEAR (SHOULD BE 120 MPH PLUS) AND ACCELERATION UP A HILL IS BAD. I MUST DOWNSHIFT AND FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR TO MAINTAIN SPEED UP HILL AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT HOLD THE SPEED. TRYING TO PASS A SLOW VEHICLE UPHILL IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY HAVE NOT FOUND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AS REQUIRED AT THE MAZDA DEALER AND HAVE EVEN REPLACED THE AIR FILTER WHEN NOT REQUIRED. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE OTHER THAN ON FLAT, LOW SPEED, CITY ROADS. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10171700

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.