MAZDA MX-3 · model year

1994 MAZDA MX-3

20 NHTSA complaints, 8 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1994MAZDAMX-3 carries 20 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 8 crashes, 0 fires, 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 1994 MX-3 is suspension:front:springs:coil springs with 7 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (5) and steering:linkages:tie rod assembly (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 1994 MX-3, 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.

20
Complaints
8
Crashes
0
Fires
5
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

20 filings

Crashes Reported

8 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS7
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL5
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1
AIR BAGS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH1
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR1
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS1
SUSPENSION1

Recent Complaints

20130207SUSPENSION

TL THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MAZDA MX3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER PARKING IN A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE, SHE HEARD A LOUD POP. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, SHE REALIZED THAT THE COIL SPRING FRACTURED AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 97V116000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. MAH

Mileage: 140,000

20071213SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MAZDA MX-3. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE FRONT COIL SPRING FAILED AND CAUSED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE TO BLOW OUT. THE ROTATION OF THE COIL SPRING PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE TIRE MUST BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V116000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS). THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE CRUISE CONTROL OR ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE CONTACT IS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 78,200.

Mileage: 78,200

20071206SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MAZDA MX-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TWO FRONT COIL SPRINGS FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE CD AXLES ON BOTH SIDES TO FAIL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. IN ADDITION, THE AREA WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WAS NOT AFFECTED. THE CD AXLES WERE REPLACED. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 63,000.

Mileage: 63,000

20060526SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPLODED DUE TO A PUNCTURE FROM A FRACTURED COIL SPRING. THERE IS A RECALL, # 97V116000 FOR THE COIL SPRING ON THE CONTACTS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. HOWEVER THE CONTACTS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE RECALL ONLY APPLIES TO VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN SALT STATES. THE CONTACT USE TO LIVE IN NEBRASKA AND COMMUTED TO A SALT STATE, IOWA, AND NOW LIVES IN FLORIDA. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO REFUSED TO PROVIDE THE RECALL LETTER AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALERSHIP DENIED THE RECALL REMEDY WITHOUT THE RECALL LETTER. UPDATED 12/15/06. *JB

Mileage: 97,000

20060307SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKING THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 97V116000, REGARDING THE SUSPENSION FRONT SPRINGS COIL SPRINGS. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

Mileage: 94,800

20041130SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT 10 MPH OR LESS CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE AND NOTICED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. MECHANIC INFORMED DETERMINED THAT COIL SPRING BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. THE REPAIR SHOP NOTIFIED A LOCAL MAZDA DEALER.*AK

Mileage: 114,000

20041128SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

EITHER DEC 2000 OR JAN 2001 MY MAZDA MX-3 HAD A FRONT COIL SPRING BREAK. MY MECHANIC CONTACTED MAZDA DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE AND SHOWED THE COIL TO HIM. MY MECHANIC FELT THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THE DISTRICT REP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING MAZDA COULD DO. I CONTACTED MAZDA MYSELF AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD DO NOTHING. THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER, I FOUND YOUR WEBSITE AND CONVEYED THE INFORMATION FOUND TO MAZDA AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT A RECALL FOR THE MX-3 ONLY THE MX-6. THEY SAID YOUR WEBSITE WAS INCORRECT. TODAY MY SECOND COIL SPRING DID BREAK AND THIS TIME IT POPPED MY TIRE INSTANTLY. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO HAWLEY'S GARAGE IN EAST LONGMEADOW, MA WHERE THE FIRST COIL SPRING WAS REPLACED. UPON BEING TOWED MORE DAMAGED TO MY CAR WAS INSTILLED TO WHAT EXTENT THE DAMAGE IS, IS NOT KNOWN TILL THE MECHANIC CHECKS THIS OUT. I FEEL THAT ALL OF THIS SHOULD AND COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF MAZDA HAD JUST DONE THE RIGHT THING A FEW YEARS BACK AND FIXED AND PREVENTE

Mileage: 114,000

20030315SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

THE LEFT FRONT (DRIVER'S SIDE) COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. THE TIRE AND RIM WERE DAMAGED, LEAVING ME STRANDED ON HIGHWAY. *NLM

Mileage: 35

20000202VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

WHILE ROLLING WINDOW DOWN WOULD HAVE TO PULL WINDOW UP BY HAND. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFOMATON. *AK

19991029LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN THE HOOD UNLATCHED, AND BLOCK EDTHE DRIVER'S VIEW. PUT EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON AND PULLED OVER. HOOD SMASHED THE WINDSHIELD. DIDN'T CONTACT DEALER, BUT CONTACRF INSURANCE CO. *AK

19990620ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHEN LEVEL IN FUEL TANK IS LOW, RPMS HIGH, AND GOING AROUND CORNER, ENGINE SUDDENLY LOSES POWER MOMENTARILY. *AK

19990403SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

WHEN VEHICLE STARTED OFF, A LOUD "CLUNK" NOISE WAS HEARD. THE LEFT FRONT END HAD COLLAPSED. DROVE TO MIDAS DEALER & HALF WAY TO DEALER THE TIRE BLEW. AT MIDAS, MECHANIC NOTICED CRACKED IN COIL SPRINGS. THAT CAUSED THE BREAK IN THE WHEEL WELL.

19990128CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WAS TRAVELING IN 1ST GEAR AT APPROXIMATELY 10MPH WHEN VEHICLE IN FRONT STOPPED SHORT. HAD APPLIED BRAKES LIGHTLY BUT QUICKLY, AND TAPPED VEHICLE IN FRONT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW BROKE DUE TO METAL PIECE ON COVER OF AIR BAG. *AK

19980713CrashAIR BAGS

DURING A VEHICLE COLLISION THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG, RESULTING IN INJURIES .

19970224CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. *AK

19970203CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 25 MPH REAR END CRASH IN WHICH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT. PLEASE GIVE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

19961226CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION, SPEED 25MPH, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING BURNS TO FACE. *AK

19950518CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, CAR FISHTALED, SPUN INTO THE WALL ON FREEWAY, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT/INJURY. *AK

19950518CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, CAR FISH TAILED, TOTALLED CAR, AIR BAG BURNED FACE. TT

19950209CrashSTEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

TIE ROD END BROKE, CAUSING WHEEL TO LOCK UP/LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. *SKD

Compare 1994MAZDAMX-3 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1994 MAZDA MX-3 have?
The 1994 MAZDA MX-3 has 20 NHTSA complaints, 8 crashes, 0 fires, 5 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 MAZDA MX-3?
The most-complained component for the 1994 MAZDA MX-3 is SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS with 7 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1994 MAZDA MX-3 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.