Total Complaints
9 filings
MAZDA MX-5 MIATA · model year
2005 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2005MAZDAMX-5 MIATA carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 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 2005 MX-5 MIATA is engine and engine cooling:engine with 1 filings, followed by power train:manual transmission (1) and wheels (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 2005 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.
9
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20150320EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHT COMBINATION SWITCH, PART NUMBER NC11-66-122 FAIL IN THIS MAZDA MIATA 6 TIMES. AFTER THE FIRST REPLACEMENT I NOTICED ALL THE SUBSEQUENT FAILURES WERE DUE TO A MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE SWITCH AND NOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM CAUSING THE FAILURE. WHEN THE SWITCH FAILS, I TURN IT TO EITHER PARKING LIGHTS OR HEADLIGHT POSITION AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON UNLESS I PHYSICALLY CONTINUE TURNING THE SWITCH PAST IT'S "ON" POSITION. SOON AS I RELEASE THE SWITCH AND IT FALLS BACK INTO THE "ON" POSITION, THE LIGHTS GO OFF. THE FIRST 4 REPLACEMENTS WERE PERFORMED BY MAZDA DEALERS UNDER WARRANTY. OF COURSE, THEY DO NOT TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, THEY MERELY REPLACE IT. THE FIFTH REPLACEMENT I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE DEFECTIVE PART AND I DISASSEMBLE IT AND FOUND THE CONTACTS WERE NOT TOUCHING UNLESS THE SWITCH WAS TURNED PAST THE "ON". I AM NOW IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE 6TH COMBINATION SWITCH REPLACED. ON THIS PRESENT FAILURE I CAN ALSO PHYSICALLY PUSH THE S
Mileage: 13,737
20150320ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHT COMBINATION SWITCH, PART NUMBER NC11-66-122 FAIL IN THIS MAZDA MIATA 6 TIMES. AFTER THE FIRST REPLACEMENT I NOTICED ALL THE SUBSEQUENT FAILURES WERE DUE TO A MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE SWITCH AND NOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM CAUSING THE FAILURE. WHEN THE SWITCH FAILS, I TURN IT TO EITHER PARKING LIGHTS OR HEADLIGHT POSITION AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON UNLESS I PHYSICALLY CONTINUE TURNING THE SWITCH PAST IT'S "ON" POSITION. SOON AS I RELEASE THE SWITCH AND IT FALLS BACK INTO THE "ON" POSITION, THE LIGHTS GO OFF. THE FIRST 4 REPLACEMENTS WERE PERFORMED BY MAZDA DEALERS UNDER WARRANTY. OF COURSE, THEY DO NOT TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, THEY MERELY REPLACE IT. THE FIFTH REPLACEMENT I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE DEFECTIVE PART AND I DISASSEMBLE IT AND FOUND THE CONTACTS WERE NOT TOUCHING UNLESS THE SWITCH WAS TURNED PAST THE "ON". I AM NOW IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE 6TH COMBINATION SWITCH REPLACED. ON THIS PRESENT FAILURE I CAN ALSO PHYSICALLY PUSH THE S
Mileage: 13,737
20150320UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHT COMBINATION SWITCH, PART NUMBER NC11-66-122 FAIL IN THIS MAZDA MIATA 6 TIMES. AFTER THE FIRST REPLACEMENT I NOTICED ALL THE SUBSEQUENT FAILURES WERE DUE TO A MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE SWITCH AND NOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM CAUSING THE FAILURE. WHEN THE SWITCH FAILS, I TURN IT TO EITHER PARKING LIGHTS OR HEADLIGHT POSITION AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON UNLESS I PHYSICALLY CONTINUE TURNING THE SWITCH PAST IT'S "ON" POSITION. SOON AS I RELEASE THE SWITCH AND IT FALLS BACK INTO THE "ON" POSITION, THE LIGHTS GO OFF. THE FIRST 4 REPLACEMENTS WERE PERFORMED BY MAZDA DEALERS UNDER WARRANTY. OF COURSE, THEY DO NOT TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, THEY MERELY REPLACE IT. THE FIFTH REPLACEMENT I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE DEFECTIVE PART AND I DISASSEMBLE IT AND FOUND THE CONTACTS WERE NOT TOUCHING UNLESS THE SWITCH WAS TURNED PAST THE "ON". I AM NOW IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE 6TH COMBINATION SWITCH REPLACED. ON THIS PRESENT FAILURE I CAN ALSO PHYSICALLY PUSH THE S
Mileage: 13,737
20140116STRUCTURE:BODY
PURCHASED THIS USED 2005 MAZDA MIATA ABOUT A MONTH AGO. SERVICING MANY COMPONENTS SINCE PURCHASE AND LEARNING ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. FOUND BLOG ABOUT PREMATURE FRAME RAIL RUST ON MANY MIATA'S (SHOCKED TO FIND OUT MANY MIATA'S HAVE THIS, AND DISAPPOINTED THAT I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PREMATURE FRAME RAIL FAILURE UNDER ENGINE OF VEHICLE. HERE IS THE LINK TO ONE OF THE BLOGS (ACCORDING TO THIS SITE, NATIONAL MAZDA HAS BEEN WILLING TO DO NOTHING FOR MAZDA OWNERS TO THIS POINT). HTTP://FORUM.MIATA.NET/VB/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=397790&PAGE=6 ANYWAY, AFTER READING 6 LONG PAGES OF PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM THIS, I WENT OUT THIS MORNING AND TOOK MY PLASTIC PANEL OFF, BELOW THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND I HAVE THE EARLY STAGES OF IT. THERE ARE LOTS OF MIATA'S ON THE ROAD, AND SOME OF THEM ARE DEATH TRAPS WAITING TO HAPPEN, IF THE RUSTY FRAME RAIL FAILS DURING DRIVING. *TR
Mileage: 59,000
20140116POWER TRAIN
PURCHASED THIS USED 2005 MAZDA MIATA ABOUT A MONTH AGO. SERVICING MANY COMPONENTS SINCE PURCHASE AND LEARNING ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. FOUND BLOG ABOUT PREMATURE FRAME RAIL RUST ON MANY MIATA'S (SHOCKED TO FIND OUT MANY MIATA'S HAVE THIS, AND DISAPPOINTED THAT I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PREMATURE FRAME RAIL FAILURE UNDER ENGINE OF VEHICLE. HERE IS THE LINK TO ONE OF THE BLOGS (ACCORDING TO THIS SITE, NATIONAL MAZDA HAS BEEN WILLING TO DO NOTHING FOR MAZDA OWNERS TO THIS POINT). HTTP://FORUM.MIATA.NET/VB/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=397790&PAGE=6 ANYWAY, AFTER READING 6 LONG PAGES OF PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM THIS, I WENT OUT THIS MORNING AND TOOK MY PLASTIC PANEL OFF, BELOW THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND I HAVE THE EARLY STAGES OF IT. THERE ARE LOTS OF MIATA'S ON THE ROAD, AND SOME OF THEM ARE DEATH TRAPS WAITING TO HAPPEN, IF THE RUSTY FRAME RAIL FAILS DURING DRIVING. *TR
Mileage: 59,000
20140116SUSPENSION
PURCHASED THIS USED 2005 MAZDA MIATA ABOUT A MONTH AGO. SERVICING MANY COMPONENTS SINCE PURCHASE AND LEARNING ABOUT THIS VEHICLE. FOUND BLOG ABOUT PREMATURE FRAME RAIL RUST ON MANY MIATA'S (SHOCKED TO FIND OUT MANY MIATA'S HAVE THIS, AND DISAPPOINTED THAT I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PREMATURE FRAME RAIL FAILURE UNDER ENGINE OF VEHICLE. HERE IS THE LINK TO ONE OF THE BLOGS (ACCORDING TO THIS SITE, NATIONAL MAZDA HAS BEEN WILLING TO DO NOTHING FOR MAZDA OWNERS TO THIS POINT). HTTP://FORUM.MIATA.NET/VB/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=397790&PAGE=6 ANYWAY, AFTER READING 6 LONG PAGES OF PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM THIS, I WENT OUT THIS MORNING AND TOOK MY PLASTIC PANEL OFF, BELOW THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND I HAVE THE EARLY STAGES OF IT. THERE ARE LOTS OF MIATA'S ON THE ROAD, AND SOME OF THEM ARE DEATH TRAPS WAITING TO HAPPEN, IF THE RUSTY FRAME RAIL FAILS DURING DRIVING. *TR
Mileage: 59,000
20090315WHEELS
WE HAVE A 2005 MAZDA MX 5, WITH 29000+MILES. THE RT FRONT TIRE KEPT GOING DOWN AND NOTHING WAS IN THE TIRE. EXAMINATION REVEALED A CRACK IN THE OUTER RIM EDGE. CRACKED FROM THE INSIDE TO THE OUTSIDE. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY INCIDENTS BUT IN THE PAST ONE OF THE REAR TIRES CAME OFF THE RIM WITH NO EXPLINATION AS TO THE CAUSE. THIS WHEEL WAS NOT THE SAME WHEEL INVOLVED. BUT THE CRACK IS VERY REAL. WE HAVE OWNED IT SINCE NEW. THE TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN OFF THE RIM SINCE NEW. *TR
Mileage: 29,983
20061024ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I PURCHASED A USED 2005 MAZDA MIATA 5-SPEED IN APRIL 2006 WITH 7860 MILES ON THE ODOMETER FROM THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER. I HAD NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE OUT OF TOWN UNTIL OCTOBER 2006. ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I NOTICED THE VEHICLE HAD INADEQUATE POWER TO SAFELY DRIVE AT THE SPEED LIMIT (80 MPH). TOP SPEED IS ONLY 82 MPH @ 4200 RPM IN FIFTH GEAR (SHOULD BE 120 MPH PLUS) AND ACCELERATION UP A HILL IS BAD. I MUST DOWNSHIFT AND FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR TO MAINTAIN SPEED UP HILL AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT HOLD THE SPEED. TRYING TO PASS A SLOW VEHICLE UPHILL IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY HAVE NOT FOUND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AS REQUIRED AT THE MAZDA DEALER AND HAVE EVEN REPLACED THE AIR FILTER WHEN NOT REQUIRED. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE OTHER THAN ON FLAT, LOW SPEED, CITY ROADS. *NM
Mileage: 11,725
20061024POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
I PURCHASED A USED 2005 MAZDA MIATA 5-SPEED IN APRIL 2006 WITH 7860 MILES ON THE ODOMETER FROM THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER. I HAD NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE OUT OF TOWN UNTIL OCTOBER 2006. ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I NOTICED THE VEHICLE HAD INADEQUATE POWER TO SAFELY DRIVE AT THE SPEED LIMIT (80 MPH). TOP SPEED IS ONLY 82 MPH @ 4200 RPM IN FIFTH GEAR (SHOULD BE 120 MPH PLUS) AND ACCELERATION UP A HILL IS BAD. I MUST DOWNSHIFT AND FLOOR THE ACCELERATOR TO MAINTAIN SPEED UP HILL AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT HOLD THE SPEED. TRYING TO PASS A SLOW VEHICLE UPHILL IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE LOCAL MAZDA DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY HAVE NOT FOUND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AS REQUIRED AT THE MAZDA DEALER AND HAVE EVEN REPLACED THE AIR FILTER WHEN NOT REQUIRED. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE OTHER THAN ON FLAT, LOW SPEED, CITY ROADS. *NM
Mileage: 11,725
Compare 2005MAZDAMX-5 MIATA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
RQ26002Recall QueryOpen
Momentary increase in steering effort after recall remedy
PE19006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag Deployment
PE18006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Front Subframe Corrosion
PE15022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Lower ball joint separation
PE14005Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Brake Booster Failure
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2005 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA have?▼
The 2005 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA?▼
The most-complained component for the 2005 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION and WHEELS.
Is the 2005 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.