Total Complaints
23 filings
MAZDA 323 · model year
1991 MAZDA 323
23 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991MAZDA323 carries 23 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1991 323 is seat belts with 6 filings, followed by seat belts:front:retractor (3) and suspension:front:wheel bearing (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 21 investigation files overlapping the 1991 323, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
23
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS | 6 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 3 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010625SEAT BELTS
TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL 97 V 211 000. AFTER RECEIVING VEHICLE BACK SEATBELT LIGHT COMES ON, AND CHIME RINGS WHEN SEATBELT IS FASTENED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFOMATION. *AK
20001101SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER FOR RECALL (97V-211) REPAIR OF THE INOPERATIVE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM, DEALER HAD NO PARTS AVAILABE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. NLM
20001003SEAT BELTS
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER 97V211000 CONCERNING AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS. DEALER REFUSED TO CORRECT RECALL PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE WAS NO MAZDA MECHANIC AT DEALERSHIP.*AK
20000807SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
RECALL 97V211000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 72803/ SHOULDER SEAT BELTS. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR AN APPOINTMENT, WAITED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS & FOUND OUT THAT DEALER DIDN'T HAVE THE PART. CONSUMER FEELS THAT WHEN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE THEY COULD HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THE PART WAS OUT OF STOCK. *AK
19990325SEAT BELTS
WHEN DRIVER GETS INTO THE VEHICLE THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT JAMS ON ANYONE THAT IS SITTING IN THE SEAT, AND IT VERY HARD TO BE RELEASED FROM THE SEAT BELT. *AK
19981207VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
THE WINDOW MOULDING ON THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOWS IS CLIPPED ON. THE WINDOW MOULDING IS NOT BOLDED ON SERCURELY. ABOUT 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO WHILE DRIVING THE MOULDING ON WINDSHIELD CAME OFF AND HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER .THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
19981118CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, THE ACCELERATOR STUCK AND VEHICLE TOOK OFF IN REVERSE WIDE OPEN. DRIVER HIT A CHAIN LINK FENCE, VEHICLE SPINNED AROUND A COUPLE OF TIMES, HIT A POLE AND BEGAN SPINNING AROUNG AGAIN BEFORE STOPPING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK
19981005EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
PLASTIC HEADLIGHT LENSES ARE TURNING COLORS, CAUSING LIGHT TO BE VERY DIM WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. QCAW
19980805EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES
THE PLASTIC LENSES OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS HAVE BECOME MILKY AND GLAZED.
19970325EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT
FLASHER UNIT FAILED.
19970318SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT ISN'T WORKING . *AK
19961025SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RETRACTOR. *AK
19961010SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
FAULTY FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS CAUSE NOISE FROM FRONT END.
19961010STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
METAL FRAGMENTS IN POWER STEERING RACK.
19960624SEAT BELTS
MOTORIZED SEAT BELT FAILED. *SD
19960311SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE LAP/SHOULDER WILL NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. *AK
19960311SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE LAP/SHOULDER WILL NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. *AK
19950613SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILURE, MOTOR ON SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK. TT
19950606SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE MIDDLE BACKSEAT AND DRIVERS SEATBELT HAVE BEEN JAMMING ON AND OFF FOR AWHILE. THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT STOPS ON THE TRACK. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950606SEAT BELTS
THE MIDDLE BACKSEAT AND DRIVERS SEATBELT HAVE BEEN JAMMING ON AND OFF FOR AWHILE. THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT STOPS ON THE TRACK. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
Compare 1991MAZDA323 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
RQ26002Recall QueryOpen
Momentary increase in steering effort after recall remedy
PE19006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag Deployment
PE18006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Front Subframe Corrosion
PE15022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Lower ball joint separation
PE14005Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Brake Booster Failure
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 MAZDA 323 have?▼
The 1991 MAZDA 323 has 23 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 MAZDA 323?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 MAZDA 323 is SEAT BELTS with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR and SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING.
Is the 1991 MAZDA 323 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.