2000 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA

THE TRUNK SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE. THE CABIN SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE. WHILE RESEARCHING ONLINE, THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT A GAS SMELL ON THESE CARS.

Mileage: 44,000

ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING BADLY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO MAZDA DEALER SHOP AND WAS TOLD A SPARK PLUG WIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND BURNED UP. IN ACTUALITY, THE IGNITION COIL HAD FAILED AND CAUSED THE PROBLEMS. THE DEALER REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, IGNITION WIRES, AND COIL. TWO MONTHS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS CLOGGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE POOR RUNNING DURING THE TIME WHEN THE IGNITION COIL HAD BEEN MISFIRING. SO THE DEFECTIVE COIL CAUSED A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE, AND MAZDA HAS TAKEN NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS OR THE DAMAGE THEY HAVE CAUSED. IF YOU READ COMPLAINTS FOR 1999 MODELS, YOU'LL SEE MANY FAILURES OF THE IGNITION COIL, SOME CAUSING DAMAGE TO OTHER PARTS COSTING A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY. APPARENTLY, SIMILAR COILS WERE USED ON 2000'S WITH SIMILAR FAILURES. BUT NO RECALL AND NO INVESTIGATION.

Mileage: 40,000

ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING BADLY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO MAZDA DEALER SHOP AND WAS TOLD A SPARK PLUG WIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND BURNED UP. IN ACTUALITY, THE IGNITION COIL HAD FAILED AND CAUSED THE PROBLEMS. THE DEALER REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, IGNITION WIRES, AND COIL. TWO MONTHS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS CLOGGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE POOR RUNNING DURING THE TIME WHEN THE IGNITION COIL HAD BEEN MISFIRING. SO THE DEFECTIVE COIL CAUSED A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE, AND MAZDA HAS TAKEN NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS OR THE DAMAGE THEY HAVE CAUSED. IF YOU READ COMPLAINTS FOR 1999 MODELS, YOU'LL SEE MANY FAILURES OF THE IGNITION COIL, SOME CAUSING DAMAGE TO OTHER PARTS COSTING A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY. APPARENTLY, SIMILAR COILS WERE USED ON 2000'S WITH SIMILAR FAILURES. BUT NO RECALL AND NO INVESTIGATION.

Mileage: 40,000

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS CAR WITH ONLY 44,000 MILES ON IT. I RECEIVED THE COMPLETE SERVICE RECORD, AND IT HAD BEEN MAINTAINED THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP AND THROUGH A PRIVATE GARAGE AND BODY SHOP ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THOROUGHLY INSPECTED ON EVERY SERVICE AND BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. NO MENTION HAD EVER BEEN MADE OF RUST IN THE FRONT FRAME RAILS. I PULLED THE FRONT WHEELS TO CLEAN UP RUST AND ALL CONNECTIONS AND FOUND PATCHES OF RUST ON BOTH FRAME RAILS BETWEEN THE SWAY BAR BRACKET AND STRUT BRACKETS. I CAN PUNCH A SCREWDRIVER THROUGH THE RUST ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I LOOKED INSIDE HOLES AND SAW RUST INSIDE THE FRAME RAILS. I FOUND MANY ONLINE COMPLAINTS CONCERNING SIMILAR RUST ON NB MODELS 1999-2005. THIS RUST WILL WEAKEN THE FRAME RAILS AND COULD CAUSE THEM TO BREAK DURING A FRONT END COLLISION, THUS COMPROMISING CRUMPLE ZONES. IT WILL ALSO COMPROMISE THE BRACKETS HOLDING SWAY BARS, STRUTS, AND OTHER VITAL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE RUST BEGINS I

Mileage: 46,200

1999>2000 MAZDA MIATAS ARE KNOWN TO HAVE HAD A BAD BATCH OF COIL PACKS PUT IN THEM, RESULTING IN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, (HAS HAPPENED TO ME THREE TIMES), NOT WHILE DRIVING, BUT UPON RESTARTING AFTER A BRIEF STOP, LIKE AT A STORE, WHEREVER. ANYWAY THE CODE SAYS, RANDOM MISS FIRING, WHICH RESULTS IN A VERY LEAN UNBURNED MIXTURE OF FUEL, WITH MANY OWNERS HAVING THEIR CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND/OR 02 SENSORS GET BURNT OUT AS A RESULT. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE ENGINE RUNS VERY VERY ROUGH, AND COULD STALL. IF THIS HAPPENS IN THE WRONG SITUATION, LIKE ON THE FREEWAY, IT COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN DEATH. MAZDA KNOWS ABOUT THIS AND HAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN OUT ON IT, BUT IT IS AROUND A $300 PART (DEALER) AND VERY NEAR THAT EVERYWHERE ELSE (I.E. AUTOZONE $260) AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON THIS. IMO SINCE THIS CONDITION CAN AND WILL RUIN THE POLLUTION SYSTEM, THEY OUGHT TO ISSUE A RECALL, AND REFUND ANY MONEY ALREADY SPENT ON THE NEW COIL PACK FOR THOSE TH

Mileage: 40,000

AREA OF THE FRONT FRAME SUPPORT RAILS (CORE SUPPORT IS OFFICIAL NAME) RUSTS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE CONSTRUCTION METHOD IS A SANDWICHED MATERIAL WITH SOME SORT OF TARPAPER IN THE MIDDLE WHICH TRAPS MOISTURE WHICH, IN TURN, HASTENS FRAME RUSTING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IN THE 1999 - 2005 YEARS AND USUALLY NOT EASILY IDENTIFIED UNTIL THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. A GOOGLE SEARCH OF THE ISSUE RETURNS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. ONCE THE FRAME RUSTS THROUGH IT CAUSES A REAL SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE OCCUPANTS. *TR

Mileage: 131,000

AREA OF THE FRONT FRAME SUPPORT RAILS (CORE SUPPORT IS OFFICIAL NAME) RUSTS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE CONSTRUCTION METHOD IS A SANDWICHED MATERIAL WITH SOME SORT OF TARPAPER IN THE MIDDLE WHICH TRAPS MOISTURE WHICH, IN TURN, HASTENS FRAME RUSTING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IN THE 1999 - 2005 YEARS AND USUALLY NOT EASILY IDENTIFIED UNTIL THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. A GOOGLE SEARCH OF THE ISSUE RETURNS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. ONCE THE FRAME RUSTS THROUGH IT CAUSES A REAL SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE OCCUPANTS. *TR

Mileage: 131,000

AFTER DRIVING AROUND IN HEATED CONDITIONS (ROUGHLY 80 DEGREES OR MORE) FOR ABOUT 10+ MILES, SOMETIMES LESS, THE CAR WILL NOT START. IT WILL CRANK AND ATTEMPT TO START BUT FAILS TO DO SO. IN ORDER TO GET IT TO START I HAVE TO POP THE HOOD OPEN AND LET IT SIT FOR 10-15 MINUTES. ONCE IT STARTS IT IS VERY ROUGH AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON. IF I STOP DRIVING IT FOR THE DAY, THE NEXT MORNING, THE LIGHT WILL BE OFF AND IT WILL DRIVE FINE, UNTIL I DRIVE DURING THE DAY, OR OVER A LONG DISTANCE. THRE HAS ALSO BEEN AN INSTANCE WHEN I WAS DRIVING AND STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR JUST STALLED, HAD TO PERFORM THE SAME THING, POP THE HOOD AND WAIT, IT WAS BACK RUNNING. THIS ALSO HAPPEND AT A DRIVE THRU IN 100 DEGREE WEATHER, CAR STALLED AS SOON AS I GOT MY FOOD AND HELD UP THE ALREADY LONG LINE OF CARS BEHIND ME. I HAD TO PUSH IT TO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. I HAVE READ ON NUMEROUS FORUMS AND POSTS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND THAT IT'S EITHER A) IGNITION COIL B) S

Mileage: 79,500

1999 TO 2000 MAZDA MIATA THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE LOW/HIGH BEAM HAS BEEN SHOWN TO GENERATE HIGH TEMPERATURES AND ON ONE OCCASION, CAUSE A FIRE. I PERSONALLY HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS WITH MY 1999 MIATA WHICH PROMPTED ME TO REPLACE THE FORWARD SECTION OF THE H4 HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS. OTHERS ON THE MIATA.NET FORUM ( SEE HTTP://FORUM.MIATA.NET/VB/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=360101 HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS, AND ONE MEMBER WHO STARTED THE THREAD EXPERIENCED A FIRE AND DAMAGE. ) I URGE THE NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER WITH MAZDA USA. *TR

RATTLING SOUND FROM ENGINE BAY WITH A CHANGE IN TONE AND/OR PITCH WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS ENGAGED/DISENGAGED. RESULT: CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER CAUSING THE CONNECTING ROD (AMONG OTHER INTERNAL ENGINE PARTS) TO BE DRIVEN DIRECTLY THROUGH THE OIL PAN. RECOMMEND PROCEDURE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE: COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $4,600 *CN

Mileage: 61,000

DT: CONSUMER PURCHASED A USED 2000 MAZADA MIATA, THE FRONT LEFT FOG LIGHT CAUGHT ON FIRE, NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH FOG LIGHT. WHEN THE FOG LIGHT CAUGHT ON FIRE IT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER TRIM, MARKER LIGHT, AND THE WIRING HARNESS, CONSUMER HAD TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISH TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. *AK

Mileage: 38,900

I PAID A TOTAL OF $835.03 IN REPAIRS DUE TO UNQUALIFIED MAZDA TECHNICIANS AND INFERIOR PARTS (IGNITION COIL) THAT MAZDA KNOWINGLY INSTALLED IN THE 1999 AND 2000 MIATA?S. IN MAY 2004 MY ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. I HAD THE SPARK PLUGS AND SPARK PLUG WIRES CHECKED TO DETERMINE IF THAT WAS THE PROBLEM AND THEY WERE FINE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION AND BROUGHT THE MIATA IN FOR SERVICE. I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THERE WAS A P0300 CODE (RANDOM MISFIRE ) AND THAT THE SPARK PLUGS AND SPARK PLUG WIRES NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. I TOLD THE SERVICE CONSULTANT THAT THE PLUGS AND WIRES WERE ALREADY VISUALLY INSPECTED AND DEEMED TO BE IN WORKING ORDER. HE INSISTED THE PLUGS AND WIRES WERE THE ISSUE AND PERFORMED A TUNE-UP FOR 322.24. I HAD TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN THREE MORE TIMES BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO GO ON. FINALLY IN DECEMBER 2004 THEY CONCLUDED IT WAS THE IGNITION COIL AND I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 512.79 TO CORRECT. WHEN I ASKE

Mileage: 23,000

1.ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN POORLY VEHICLE LOST SPEED. 2. HAD TO EXIT FREEWAY AND USE SIDE STREETS TO RETURN HOME 3. TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS, SERVICE REPORT INDICATED THAT THE COIL/IGNITER WAS DEFECTIVE WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF POWER. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE COIL/IGNITER FAILURE IS A PROBLEM ON THE 1999, 2000 MODELS.*JB

Mileage: 38,360

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, BUT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUSTAINED BROKEN RIBS. *AK

Mileage: 26,000

CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT". DEALER INDICATED 3 WEEKS AGO THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE IN CYLINDER #3, BUT THEY WILL NOT GET ON WITH THE REPAIR. DEALER HAS CHANGED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PARTS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND LAST WEEK SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE. NOW THEY ARE BACKING OFF ON THAT AND PLAYING "TESTING GAMES".*AK

CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT". DEALER INDICATED 3 WEEKS AGO THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE IN CYLINDER #3, BUT THEY WILL NOT GET ON WITH THE REPAIR. DEALER HAS CHANGED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PARTS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND LAST WEEK SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE. NOW THEY ARE BACKING OFF ON THAT AND PLAYING "TESTING GAMES".*AK

CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT". DEALER INDICATED 3 WEEKS AGO THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE IN CYLINDER #3, BUT THEY WILL NOT GET ON WITH THE REPAIR. DEALER HAS CHANGED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PARTS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND LAST WEEK SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE. NOW THEY ARE BACKING OFF ON THAT AND PLAYING "TESTING GAMES".*AK

CAR'S BRAKES FAIL TO REACT IN WET DRIVING CONDITIONS. USUALLY TAKES SEVERAL SECONDS OF PUMPING BRAKES DURING WET CONDITIONS TO GET BRAKES TO RESPOND. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER WAS HIT IN REAR BY ANOTHER DRIVER. VEHICLE HIT A MEDUIM STRIP AT 30 MPH. DRIVER WAS INJURED. TWO MINUTES LATER, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK *JB

HARD SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST, 2ND, AND 3RD GEAR. GEAR WILL SOMETIMES GRIND WHEN SHIFTING OR ENGINE SPEED MUST MUCH BEFORE ENGAGING. VERY STIFF SHIFTER AT NEUTRAL AND CAUSE GEAR HUNTING FROM 5TH TO 4TH. WHEN TRANSMISSION IS WARMED UP, A RATTLING SOUND CAN BE HEARD AT NEUTRAL BUT DISAPPEAR ONCE THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. *AK