Mazda MX-5
The Mazda MX-5 appears on NHTSA's register for model years 2006 to 2025: 6 recall campaigns (18 model-year entries) and 76 consumer complaints.
The component named most often in complaints is structure (116.5 per 1,000 component mentions), followed by air bags (116.5).
The 2006 model year has the most complaints (23). Recall campaigns peaked in 2019 with 2; complaints were received in the largest number in 2014 (14). Within Mazda, this line ranks 23 of 39 by total complaints.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
Model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | vs line average | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 1 | 23 | 575% | 2,600 |
| 2007 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 0 | 15 | 375% | — |
| 2008 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 0 | 5 | 125% | — |
| 2009 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 0 | 1 | 25% | — |
| 2010 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 0 | 4 | 100% | — |
| 2011 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 0 | 1 | 25% | — |
| 2012 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 0 | 5 | 125% | — |
| 2013 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 0 | 2 | 50% | — |
| 2014 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 0 | 3 | 75% | — |
| 2016 Mazda MX-5 | 3 | 12 | 300% | 94,516 |
| 2017 Mazda MX-5 | 2 | 5 | 125% | 92,040 |
| 2018 Mazda MX-5 | 3 | 0 | 0% | 213,078 |
| 2019 Mazda MX-5 | 3 | 0 | 0% | 213,078 |
| 2020 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 1 | 0 | 0% | 77,670 |
| 2021 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 1 | 0 | 0% | 77,670 |
| 2022 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 1 | 0 | 0% | 77,670 |
| 2023 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 1 | 0 | 0% | 77,670 |
| 2024 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 1 | 0 | 0% | 12,244 |
| 2025 Mazda MX-5 NHTSA record | 1 | 0 | 0% | 12,244 |
"vs line average" is the model year's complaints as a share of the line's average per model year (100% = average). A campaign covering several model years counts once per year. Model years with one campaign and fewer than 25 complaints are listed but have no page of their own; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record.
Components most reported
Per 1,000 component mentions across all Mazda MX-5 complaints (103 mentions).
Campaigns by year reported
Complaints by year received
Other Mazda model lines
- 626 37 recalls · 3,128 complaints
- Mazda3 52 recalls · 2,023 complaints
- Tribute 43 recalls · 1,969 complaints
- Mazda6 71 recalls · 1,712 complaints
- Protege 15 recalls · 1,070 complaints
- CX-7 26 recalls · 1,059 complaints
- MPV 44 recalls · 933 complaints
- CX-9 44 recalls · 780 complaints
- CX-5 17 recalls · 764 complaints
- RX-8 42 recalls · 746 complaints
- B-Series Truck 45 recalls · 693 complaints
- Mazda5 11 recalls · 351 complaints
- MX-5 Miata 0 recalls · 322 complaints
- Millenia 0 recalls · 237 complaints
- MX-6 10 recalls · 181 complaints
- 929 9 recalls · 169 complaints
- 323 13 recalls · 163 complaints
- RX-7 9 recalls · 151 complaints
- RX7 8 recalls · 126 complaints
- Navajo 16 recalls · 123 complaints
- Mazdaspeed3 10 recalls · 120 complaints
- MX3 6 recalls · 97 complaints
- MX-5 18 recalls · 76 complaints
- Mazda 0 recalls · 61 complaints
- MX6 6 recalls · 47 complaints
- CX9 1 recalls · 47 complaints
- Mazda2 7 recalls · 34 complaints
- Mazdaspeed6 8 recalls · 29 complaints
- CX-3 9 recalls · 20 complaints
- Tribute Hybrid 2 recalls · 13 complaints
- GLC 15 recalls · 5 complaints
- CX-90 13 recalls · 0 complaints
- Miata 11 recalls · 0 complaints
- CX-30 10 recalls · 0 complaints
- CX-50 5 recalls · 0 complaints
- CX-50 Hybrid 5 recalls · 0 complaints
- CX-70 4 recalls · 0 complaints
- RX3 3 recalls · 0 complaints
- 616 2 recalls · 0 complaints
Questions and answers
Which Mazda MX-5 model years have the most recalls?
2016 (3), 2018 (3), 2019 (3). Across model years 2006–2025 there are 6 distinct campaigns.
Which Mazda MX-5 model year has the most complaints?
2006, with 23 of the line's 76 complaints. Newer model years have had less time to accumulate reports.
What do owners of the Mazda MX-5 complain about?
structure (116.5 per 1,000 mentions), air bags (116.5 per 1,000 mentions), power train (87.4 per 1,000 mentions). Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint flat files, public domain, dated 29 Sep 2026 and 15 May 2019.
Provenance
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, dated 29 Sep 2026 and 15 May 2019. Model names are as NHTSA records them; variants such as "Accord" and "Accord Hybrid" are separate lines. See the methodology.