Total Complaints
40 filings
MAZDA 929 · model year
40 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988MAZDA929 carries 40 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 2 fires, 3 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 1988 929 is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 8 filings, followed by structure:body:door (7) and latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch (4). 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 1988 929, 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.
Total Complaints
40 filings
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 8 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 7 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY | 1 |
WHEN I START THE CAR IN THE MORNING IT IDLES ABOUT 2000 RPM THEN DROPS TO 1000 RPM AND REVS BACK UP TO 1800 RPM AND CONTINUES PULSATE IN NEUTRAL EVERY SECOND UNTIL YOU PUT IT IN DRIVE. IN DRIVE IT REMAINS IDLING AT 1500 RPM UNTIL YOU SHUT IT OFF AND RESTART. IF THE ENGINE IS NOT WARM ENOUGH IT STARTS OVER DOING THE SAME THING OTHERWISE IT BEGINS TO IDLE CORRECTLY. WITH THE IDLE HIGH IT MAKES IT VERY HARD TO STOP THE CAR. WHAT CAN BE DONE?*AK
Mileage: 197,000
VERY STRONG FUEL VAPOR BOTH INTERNAL/EXTERNAL THIRD OCCURRENCE. FIRST TWO, BOTH RESULTED IN REPLACING FUEL RAIL AND ALL INJECTOR SEALS. *AK
MAZDA SEAMS TO HAVE A HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION FAILERS WHAT CAN THE MAZDA OWNER DO WHEN MAZDA DOES NOT WANT TO COME CLEAN CHECK OUT HTTP://WWW.CARCAST.COM/CC/CONFERENCE/ I ALSO HAVE A 626/TURBO WITH A BAD TRANSMISSION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING TIMING BELT SHEARED OFF FOR THE SIXTH TIME WITHOUT A WARNING. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN THROUGH A TOTAL OF 8 BELTS. DEALER/MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. *AK *ML
DOOR FLEW OPEN WHILE TURNING A CORNER.
ALL 4 DOOR HANDLES ON THE OUTSIDE BROKE. THE DOORS CANNOT BE OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. RECALL# 93V174000, DOES NOT INCLUDE REAR DOOR HANDLES. *AK
THIS FAILURE ONLY HAPPENS BELOW 20DEG F. PROBLEM GOES AWAY WHEN ENGINE WARM. ON VERY COLD STARTUP, FUEL DRIPS RAPIDLY AND VISIBLY FROM BOTTOM OF PRESSURE REGULATOR TO VALVE COVER. SEE ODI ID'S 380248, 437128, 416832, 825336, 946072, 956814, 979475. TURKEY DEALERS LET CAR WARM IN GARAGE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO LOCATE PROBLEM. PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS WHEN PART AND/OR FUEL IS UNCOMFORTABLY COLD. MY DEALER SAID "YOU HAVE A GAS LEAK" WHEN I DROVE IN. 2 HOURS LATER THEY CHARGED $25 AND SAID THERE WAS NO GAS LEAK, EVEN THOUGH I POINTED TO THE PART WHICH DRIPS.
OUTSIDE REAR DOOR HANDLES BROKE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INCLUDED UNDER A RECALL ON THE FRONT DOORS. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
THE RIGHT REAR OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE CANNOT OPEN DOOR. DEALER SAYS THAT REAR DOOR HANDLES ARE NOT PART OF RECALL 93V174000. *AK
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM CONCERNING REOCCURRING BRAKE MULFUNCTION DUE TO ROTOR WARPAGE EVERY 3000 MILES OF WEAR; DEALER NOTIFIED AND PROBLEM CANNOT BE RESOLVED. ALL COST STILL TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER FLUSH ABS, REPLACED FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS, CALIPERS, ROTORS, AND WHEEL BEARINGS, HOWEVER CONSUMER STATES THAT SYMPTOMS OF ROTOR WARPAGE STILL EXISTS. *AK *TT
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM CONCERNING REOCCURRING BRAKE MULFUNCTION DUE TO ROTOR WARPAGE EVERY 3000 MILES OF WEAR; DEALER NOTIFIED AND PROBLEM CANNOT BE RESOLVED. ALL COST STILL TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER FLUSH ABS, REPLACED FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS, CALIPERS, ROTORS, AND WHEEL BEARINGS, HOWEVER CONSUMER STATES THAT SYMPTOMS OF ROTOR WARPAGE STILL EXISTS. *AK *TT
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED FUEL VAPOR SMELL COMING INTO THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALER SHOP THREE TIMES BEFORE CORRECTION WAS MADE, BUT ALL COST WAS TO THE CONSUMER. *AK THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WAS REPLACED, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE ONLY REPAIRS NEEDED WERE THE REPLACEMENT OF AN OLD/CRACKED RUBBER TUBING AND TO RETIGHTEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BOLTS OR THE HEAD BOLTS. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, CONSUMER STATES IT FEELS LIKE DRIVING OVER A BUMPY ROAD, DEALER REPLACED FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS, RESURFACED ROTORS, AND PACKED WHEEL BEARINGS, AT AN EARLIER TIME THE TWO FRONT ROTORS HAD BEEN REPLACED. *SLC
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED FUEL VAPOR SMELL COMING INTO THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALER SHOP THREE TIMES BEFORE CORRECTION WAS MADE, BUT ALL COST WAS TO THE CONSUMER. *AK THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WAS REPLACED, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE ONLY REPAIRS NEEDED WERE THE REPLACEMENT OF AN OLD/CRACKED RUBBER TUBING AND TO RETIGHTEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BOLTS OR THE HEAD BOLTS. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, CONSUMER STATES IT FEELS LIKE DRIVING OVER A BUMPY ROAD, DEALER REPLACED FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS, RESURFACED ROTORS, AND PACKED WHEEL BEARINGS, AT AN EARLIER TIME THE TWO FRONT ROTORS HAD BEEN REPLACED. *SLC
WHEN CAR IS PARKED IN FORWARD, NEUTRAL AND REVERSE THE IGNITION KEY CAN BE REMOVED, AN ACCIDENT RESULETED FROM THIS DESIGN.
WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULSATE DURING BRAKING. *AK
WHILE TRYING TO GET CHILD OUT OF VEHICLE THE REAR DOOR HANDLE BROKE, CAUSING THE DOOR NOT TO OPEN.OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED FOR SAFETY. *AK
RECALL 95V103005 FOR BELT BUCKLES. THE PARTS HAVE NOT BEEN RECEIVED. *AK
THE REAR PLASTIC DOOR HANDLE BROKE INSIDE THE FRAME, PRVENTING THE DOOR TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, RECALL # 93V174000. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO START VEHICLE.
WHILE DRIVING THE DOOR FLEW OPEN AND WOULD NOT LOCK, IT COULD HAVE THROWN SOMEONE OUT OF THE VEHICLE.*AK
Momentary increase in steering effort after recall remedy
Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag Deployment
Front Subframe Corrosion
Lower ball joint separation
Brake Booster Failure
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.