IllustrationWHILE ACCELERATING MY TRANSMISSION GEARS HAVE DISINTEGRATED TWICE LEAVING CAR WITH NO WAY TO USE POWER. ONCE WAS A SIDE STREET, OTHER TIME I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN IN AN INTERSECTION.
2016 Mazda MX-5
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all MX-5 years →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
120–25K
525–50K
350–75K
275–100K
0100–150K
0150K+
22 reports with mileage · 12 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.
- Power Train. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
Power Train complaints
11 reportsOfficial recalls
324V695000 · Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module:software
Sep 18, 2024
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2023 MX-5 Miata vehicles. A software error in the air bag control module may cause the front air bags to deploy with excessive force during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Sophisticated Air Bag Sensor (SAS) control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 6924I.
19V496000 · Structure:frame And Members:underbody Shields
Jun 27, 2019
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016 Miata MX-5 vehicles. The skid plate and metal bracket may detach from underneath the vehicle.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Parts that separate from the vehicle may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the skid plate, free of charge. The recall began August 2, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3619F.
19V072000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Feb 1, 2019
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2019 MX-5 (Miata) vehicles with automatic transmissions. Due to incorrect programming of the Transmission Control Module (TCM), certain conditions may cause the vehicle to unexpectedly downshift and abruptly decelerate.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the vehicle abruptly downshifts, the driver may lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the TCM with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3019A.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.