MAZDA MX-5 MIATA · model year

1991 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA

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

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1991MAZDAMX-5 MIATA carries 21 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 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 MX-5 MIATA is air bags with 8 filings, followed by electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery (2) and engine and engine cooling:engine (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 MX-5 MIATA, 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.

21
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

21 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
AIR BAGS8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE2
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.1
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE1
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR1
STRUCTURE:BODY1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE1
AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY1
TIRES:SIDEWALL1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recent Complaints

20240323UNKNOWN OR OTHER

When accelerator was fully depressed to clear potential flooded condition on starting, it got caught in the floor carpet and would not return to idle. Engine immediately redlined and I turned off the ignition. Potentially disastrous if occurred during high passing situation.

20210930TIRES:SIDEWALL

Sidewall of my one day old VeeRubber Vitron R41 split about 15 inches along the side wall of the tire about 2 to 3 inches down from the road riding part of he tire. It was a clear day and there were no warnings when the one day old tire just split along the sidewall. The tire was mounted and filled with air at a retail tire store. 185/60 R14

20200110AIR BAGS

AIR-BAG WARNING LIGHT BLINKS WHILE ENGINE IS RUNNING. TOOK IN FOR REPAIR AND SAID PART IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. WHAT IS MY RECOURSE?

Mileage: 19,000

20181015AIR BAGS

AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING FOR NO REASON

Mileage: 65,000

20180119AIR BAGS

FOR NO APPARENT REASON THE AIR BAG LIGHT BLINKS. THE AIR BAG HAS NEVER BEEN DEPLOYED. THE CODE FROM THE LIGHT INDICATES A FAULTY ACTUATOR. THE CAR HAS 65000 MILES AND IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. ALWAYS GARAGE KEPT SINCE ORIGINAL PURCHASE.

Mileage: 64,500

20170509AIR BAGS

THE VEHICLE'S AIRBAG WARNING IS ON. THE WARNING LIGHT FLASHES A NUMBER OF TIMES, THEN PAUSES FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN BEGINS AGAIN. THE PROBLEM IS PROBABLY DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE CONTROL MODULE AND THIS PART IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR FROM REMANUFACTURERS. THE AIRBAG IS A SAFETY ITEM AND THUS MUST BE OPERABLE. THE MANUFACTURER, MAZDA, MUST MAKE THIS REPAIR OR MAKE THE PART AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 123,000

20170227AIR BAGS

IN 2015 THE SRS LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND I TOOK THE CAR IN TO JOHN WINE MAZDA FOR REPAIRS. ON 10/28/2015 THEY REPLACED THE CLOCK SPRING MODULE FOR $634.45 WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ON 11/2/2015 THEY REPLACED THE DIAGNOSTIC MODULE OF $485.00 WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY STATED PARTS WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND ON 11/13/2015 THE SAID THE BATTERY AND BACKUP BATTERY MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACE BUT THE MODULE HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. I RESEARCHED AVAILABILITY AND ONLY USED MODULES WERE AVAILABLE AND JOHN HINE MAZDA SAID THEY COULD NOT INSTALL USED PARTS.FINALLY ON 3/16/2016 THEY HAD A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE CHECK OUT THE AIR BAG AND HE SAID IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AS IT HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. AT THIS TIME THEY SAID I NEEDED TO PROVIDE A NEW AIR BAG-WHICH I OBVIOUSLY CAN'T- AND THE DISCONNECTED AIR BAG MODE AND TAPED THE WIRING SO IT WAS NO LONGER CONNECTED. I NOW AM EXPECTED TO DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT THE PROTECTION OF AN AIR BAG WH

Mileage: 88,225

20170216AIR BAGS

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND SHOWS THE MODULE HAS FAILED. MODULES ARE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY PROBLEM WITH MAZDA MIATAS.

Mileage: 165,000

20140715AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE AIR BAG CODE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE FAILED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS NO LONGER BEING PRODUCED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

Mileage: 39,000

20090330ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 MAZDA MIATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS HOUSED IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. MAZDA RECENTLY DEVELOPED A NEWER BATTERY MODEL CALLED A FLOODED CELL BATTERY. HE NOTICED THAT THE BATTERY WAS LEAKING AROUND THE CAPS AND HE WAS CONCERNED WITH LIQUID ACID BEING PRODUCED BY THE BATTERY. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO REPLACE THE BATTERY IF IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BATTERY WOULD HAVE TO FAIL AN ELECTRICAL TEST IN ORDER FOR THEM TO MAKE THE REPLACEMENT. THE ELECTRICAL TEST WAS NOT PERFORMED AND NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO DATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 24,000. UPDATED 12/08/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE REPLACED HIS BATTERY IN AUGUST 2007. HIS CONCERN WAS THAT MAZDA WAS SELLING FLOODED BATTERIES AS AN OEM REPLACEMENT FOR THE AGM BATTERY THAT CAME STANDARD IN HIS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED ACID LEAKING AROUND THE CELL CAPS. UPDATED 12/10/09

Mileage: 24,000

20010323AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY

I WANT TO GET RID OF MY AIR BAG AND NO ONE WILL HELP ME. I AM ONLY 4 FEET 8 INCHES TALL AND I KNOW THAT IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT IT IS GOING TO HURT ME TERRIBLY. I AM BY MYSELF AND I DO NOT HAVE THE $500 IT TAKES TO GET THE ON/OFF SWITCH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. I WANT TO STATE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA THAT THE WAY THEY ARE DOING THIS IS NOT RIGHT. I SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUST HAVE A SHOP DISCONNECT IT FOR ME, BUT OF COURSE NO ONE WILL DO IT...NOT EVEN WITH AUTHORIATION. SO NOW, WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? NOTHING, BUT WAIT TO BE DECAPITATED. THEY WARN NOT TO PUT YOUR CHILD IN THE FRONT SEAT, YET HERE I AM THE SIZE OF ONE AND NO ONE WILL HELP ME.*AK

20000811ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CRANKSHAFT/PULLEY PINS HAVE SHEARED OFF. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAIL.*AK

20000623CrashAIR BAGS

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

20000531SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

19990628FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

WHILE DRIVING IN HOT WEATHER CONDITIONS, GASOLINE BOILED, CAUSING A FIRE HAZARD. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. *AK

19990217STRUCTURE:BODY

FACTORY PAINT JOB FAILURE.PAINT CHIPPING ON VARIOUS PLACES.

19981224VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

THE ZIPPER ON THE REAR PLASTIC WINDOW DOES NOT WORK AND WINDOW CRACKED WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GOT COLD

19980223ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TIMING BELT PULLEY CAME LOOSE AND RUINED THE ENGINE. IN LATER DESIGNS, THE MANUFACTURER BEEFEF UP THE CRANKSHAFT AND ADDED A LARGER BOLT TO HOLD THE PULLEY.

19980205ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY FAILED THREE TIMES.

19970804AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

AIR BAG LIGHT: AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES CONSTANTLY, WILL NOT GO OFF UNTIL TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF. DEALE R SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. *AK

Compare 1991MAZDAMX-5 MIATA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1991 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA have?
The 1991 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA has 21 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA?
The most-complained component for the 1991 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA is AIR BAGS with 8 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1991 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA 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.