MAZDA MILLENIA · model year

1996 MAZDA MILLENIA

17 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1996MAZDAMILLENIA carries 17 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 5 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 1996 MILLENIA is power train:automatic transmission with 3 filings, followed by air bags (2) and air bags:frontal (1). 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 1996 MILLENIA, 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.

17
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
5
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

17 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION3
AIR BAGS2
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)1
SUSPENSION:FRONT1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
WHEELS:RIM1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD1

Recent Complaints

20090803AIR BAGS

I WAS STOPPED AT STOPLIGHT AND BOTH AIRBAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. I HAVE A 1996 MAZDA MILLENNIA S AND NO OTHER PASSENGERS WERE IN THE CAR. THE FORCE OF THE AIRBAG TORE SOME SKIN OFF MY LEFT ARM AND THE INSIDE OF MY LEFT ARM IS VERY BRUISED FROM THE ELBOW TO THE WRIST. THE FORCE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SHATTERED MY WINDSHIELD. *TR

Mileage: 103,132

20080825POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I HAVE A 1996 MAZDA THAT HAS HAD TWO TRANSMISSIONS IN IT. AFTER RESEARCHING I HAVE FOUND THAT BETWEEN 1994-2002 THESE TRANSMISSIONS HAVE FAILED GREATLY. MY TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AT A SPEED OF 55MPH AND MY FAMILY AND I ALMOST WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE BY MAZDA TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AND COMPENSATE THE VICTIMS OF THIS POORLY DESIGNED MACHINE. *TR

Mileage: 72,756

20050321CrashAIR BAGS

SOMETHING POPED LOUD IN THE REAR OF THE CAR AND THEN SKIDDED SIDEWAYS DOWN THE ROAD, HIT THE DITCH WITH THE NOSE OF THE CAR, THEN PROCEEDED TO FLIP 5 TIMES, AND HIT A HOUSE. BUT THE PROBLEM IS THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. WHY DID THE AIR BAGS FAIL?*AK

Mileage: 125,000

20040810FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

CAR WAS TURNING OFF WHEN STOPPED, TOOK TO A MAZDA DEALER CABLES WERE REPLACED, PROBLEM CONTINUED. MAZDA BURNED, FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD, FIREFIGHTERS COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE.

Mileage: 117,778

20040505ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED FUEL OIL PRESSURE WAS LEAKING. *AK

Mileage: 90,000

20020808ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

DEAR SIRS -I AM AN ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1996 MAZDA MILLENIA PURCHASED NEW IN SEPT 1996 ON MAY 20TH 2002 WHILE TRAVELLING ON I-17 20 MILES SOUTH OF FLGASTAFF ,AZ , THE MOTOR SUDDELY SEIZED WITH NO IDIOT LIGHTS GOING OFF ,WATER TEMP GAUGE WAS READING NORMAL ..LUCKILY , I WAS IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE AND 250YDS FROM AN EXIT WHICH I COASTED TO ..MAZDA USA HAS REFUSED TO ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY CITING THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY (36/50,000). MAZDA HAS REVIEWED THE SERVICE RECORDS AND FOUND THEM TO BE AT INTERVELS FAR EARLIER THAN SCHEDULED MAINTENACE ...THE REFUSAL BY MAZDA TO STAND BEHIND THEIR MOTORS WITH 34,372 MILES DOES NOT SPEAK WELL OF MAZDA..TO THIS DATE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE "MELTDOWN"*AK

20011101POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

20001017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON PERIODICALLY ALONG WITH THE HOLD AND TCS LIGHTS, TWICE WHEN THE HOLD AND TCS LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, THE CAR REFUSED TO GO INTO OVERDRIVE, DEALER STATES THE ECM COMPUTER NEEDS REPLACED BUT MEPP CLAIMS OFFICE REJECTED THIS. *SLC

19991203ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON SPORADICALLY EVERY TIME WE CHECK IT OUT IT GOES BACK OUT THEN THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON WE HAD THE OIL REPLACED THEN THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF WE THEN TOOK THE CAR TO A MAZDA DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THE HEADER BROKE COMPLETELY OFF THE CAMSHAFT AND IT WOULD BE $5,000 TO FIX OUR WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED BY 42 DAYS AND THEY REFUSED TO HONOR AN EXTENSION AND TOLD US TO PAY OR TAKE THE CAR OFF THE PREMISES. I CONTACTED THE MAZDA WARRANTY DEPT WHO REFUSED TO EXTEND IT AND I ALSO SPOKE WITH THE DEALER WHO SOLD ME THE CAR WHO SAID THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO ABOUT IT. EVEN THE ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE HANDLING MY FINANCE ACCOUNT COULD DO NOTHING TO HELP. THIS CAR IS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD AND WE ONLY HAD IT FOR 13 MONTHS WITH ONLY ONE PRIOR OWNER DAMAGE OF THIS CALIBER WITHOUT HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IS A BIT EXTREME. OTHER MAZDA OWNER HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM SEEMS LIKE AN ENGINE DEFECT.

19990426WHEELS:RIM

WHEEL RIMS CORRODED REQUIRING REPLACEMENT.

19990125POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

SUSPENSION DOES NOT ISOLATE FEEDBACK FROM ROUGH ROADS. DASHBOARD GETTING LOOSE. INTERIOR TRIM GETTING LOOSE. SOMETIMES (ON THE BUMPY ROADS), TRACKTION CONTROL SYSTEM DISABLES WHILE DRIVING. *AK

19990125SUSPENSION:FRONT

SUSPENSION DOES NOT ISOLATE FEEDBACK FROM ROUGH ROADS. DASHBOARD GETTING LOOSE. INTERIOR TRIM GETTING LOOSE. SOMETIMES (ON THE BUMPY ROADS), TRACKTION CONTROL SYSTEM DISABLES WHILE DRIVING. *AK

19990125UNKNOWN OR OTHER

SUSPENSION DOES NOT ISOLATE FEEDBACK FROM ROUGH ROADS. DASHBOARD GETTING LOOSE. INTERIOR TRIM GETTING LOOSE. SOMETIMES (ON THE BUMPY ROADS), TRACKTION CONTROL SYSTEM DISABLES WHILE DRIVING. *AK

19981203POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

19970825ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY

INTERMITTENT STARTING PROBLEMS: INITIALLY, WHEN KEY IS TURNED THERE IS A GRINDING SOUND AND ENGINE FAILS TO TURN OVER. SUBSEQUENTLY, WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED AGAIN THERE IS A LOUD POPPING NOISE BUT THE ENGINE TURNS OVER. *AK

19970703EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

THE LOW BEAM ILLUMINATION IS VERY DEFICIENT. LIGHTING GOES OUT A SHORT DISTANS THEN STOPS ABRUPTLY, LIGHT CARRIES ONLY ABOUT TWO TO THREE CAR LENGHTS AHEAD OF VEHICLE.

19970626CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A INTER-SECTIONAL CRASH; GOING ABOUT 10-15 MPH; WHERE THE WHOLE FRONT END OF VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED. *AK

Compare 1996MAZDAMILLENIA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1996 MAZDA MILLENIA have?
The 1996 MAZDA MILLENIA has 17 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, 5 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 MAZDA MILLENIA?
The most-complained component for the 1996 MAZDA MILLENIA is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL.
Is the 1996 MAZDA MILLENIA 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.