Total Complaints
49 filings
MAZDA MX3 · model year
49 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1992MAZDAMX3 carries 49 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 1 injury, 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 1992 MX3 is seat belts with 16 filings, followed by seat belts:front:retractor (7) and seat belts:front:webbing (5). 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 1992 MX3, 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.
Total Complaints
49 filings
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS | 16 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 7 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 5 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS | 3 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
CAR HAS A INTERIOR FRAME METAL PROBLEM INSIDE THE STRUCTURE OF THE CAR ITS WELDS,ARE COMING APART SHEET METAL,WHEEL WELLS CORE SUPPORT,FRONT BUMPER,FLOOR REAR SPARE TIRE,SHEETMETAL,THE RUST PROOFING WAS NOT ENOUGH ON CAR,OR THEY FORGOT TO ZINC COAT THE INSIDE+OUTSIDE OF THE CAR METAL FRAME(BODY)
Mileage: 125,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1992 MAZDA MX3. THE CONTACT SMELLED AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR AND NOTICED SPARKS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN NEAR THE IGNITION. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND THE SPARKS STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THEY SOLD THE VEHICLE TO BE SALVAGED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000.
Mileage: 170,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MAZDA MX3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURED CONTINUOUSLY. THE COIL SPRING WAS REPAIRED BY THE CONTACT THE FIRST THREE TIMES THE FAILURE OCCURRED YET THE FAILURE PERSISTED. IN ADDITION, BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERABLE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE FOR BOTH FAILURES (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 97V116000 - SUSPENSION: FRONT: SPRINGS: COIL SPRINGS AND 97V211000- SEAT BELTS: FRONT: WEBBING) YET THE PARTS WOULD NEED TO BE ORDERED IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT WITH THE DEALER BUT WAS NEVER REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE TWO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD GIVE HIM A RETURN CALL BUT NEVER DID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000.
Mileage: 168,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MAZDA MX3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURED CONTINUOUSLY. THE COIL SPRING WAS REPAIRED BY THE CONTACT THE FIRST THREE TIMES THE FAILURE OCCURRED YET THE FAILURE PERSISTED. IN ADDITION, BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERABLE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE FOR BOTH FAILURES (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 97V116000 - SUSPENSION: FRONT: SPRINGS: COIL SPRINGS AND 97V211000- SEAT BELTS: FRONT: WEBBING) YET THE PARTS WOULD NEED TO BE ORDERED IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT WITH THE DEALER BUT WAS NEVER REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE TWO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD GIVE HIM A RETURN CALL BUT NEVER DID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000.
Mileage: 168,000
TL* CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MAZDA MX3. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE CONTACT OBSERVED THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR DOES NOT EXTRACT THE WEBBING PROPERLY. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT A PRIOR RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE IN DECEMBER OF 1998. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS 97V211000 (SEAT BELTS: FRONT: WEBBING). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERN OF THE SAFETY HAZARD INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,500.
Mileage: 120,000
1992 TO 1993 MAZDA MX-3 AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT RECALL MAZDA DEALERSHIP IS NOT WILLING TO HONOR THE LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT IN SPITE OF THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS PROVIDED. THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NHTSA ORDERED THE RECALL AND NOT MAZDA. *TR
Mileage: 205,658
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MAZDA MX3. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE FRONT WHEELS ON THE VEHICLE MOVED UNCONTROLLABLY. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT COILS SPRINGS FAILED. THE MAZDA DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V116000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS). THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Mileage: 100,000
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION LOST FIRST AND SECOND GEARS, THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWED TO 30 MPH AND LOST THIRD AND FOURTH GEARS. IT WAS COASTED OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THIS IS THE THIRD TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.
Mileage: 180,000
DT: THE CONTACT STATED RECALL 97V211000 FOR THE FRONT SEAT BELTS WAS ISSUED. A WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT FASTENED. WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT WILL NOT LOCK TO KEEP THE OCCUPANT FROM MOVING FORWARD. WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED THE DEALER WANTED HIM TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE DEALER STATED THE RECALL COMPONENT WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE COMPONENT THAT FAILED ON VEHICLE. *AK UPDATED 11/29/2005 - *NM
Mileage: 113,000
THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT BECAME STUCK AND IS UNABLE TO RETRACT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE DEALER HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE CABLE WAS TWISTED INSIDE OF THE HOUSING. *NM
Mileage: 92
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONTAL UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WORN OUT PARTS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONTAL UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WORN OUT PARTS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. NO SPARKS WERE COMING FROM THE DISTRIBUTOR TO THE PLUGS.*AK
Mileage: 83,000
SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 97V211000 IS RECURRING WITH SAME SYMPTOMS OF SEAT BELT NOT RETRACTING WHEN DOOR IS OPENED TO EXIT VEHICLE. IS THE CAUSE NOW THE SAME AS IT WAS WHEN FIRST REPAIRED AND IF SO, DOES THE SAME RECALL APPLY AS IT SEEMS THE CAUSE REMAINS A DEFECT? *JB
Mileage: 53,000
PASSENGER'S FRONT SEATBELT BUCKLE DOES NOT BUCKLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY COULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO NORTHPARK MAZDA/ISUZU AND THE GUY AT THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY WOULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE MY RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN SERVICED. HOWEVER IF THAT IS TRUE THEN WHOMEVER DID IT BEFORE PUT DEFECTIVE PARTS ON IT BECAUSE THEY ARE MESSING UP TO THIS DATE. THE PROBLEM LIES WITH BOTH AUTOMATIC SEATBELTS AND BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS.
I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO NORTHPARK MAZDA/ISUZU AND THE GUY AT THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY WOULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE MY RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN SERVICED. HOWEVER IF THAT IS TRUE THEN WHOMEVER DID IT BEFORE PUT DEFECTIVE PARTS ON IT BECAUSE THEY ARE MESSING UP TO THIS DATE. THE PROBLEM LIES WITH BOTH AUTOMATIC SEATBELTS AND BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS.
AUTOMATIC SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT AROUND THE DRIVER. BELT WILL NOT STAY FASTEN.ED. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
WHEN DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE FOR RECALL 97V211000, NO WORK OR MODIFICATIONS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE DEFECT. CONSUMER STATED THAT AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT RAILS HAVE BECOME STUCK. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE RECALL OBLIGATIONS HAVE BEEN MET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
CONSUMER HAD RECALL WORK PERFORMED FOR NHTSA RECALL 97V211000 CONCERNING RESTRAINT BELTS. REMEDY PERFORMED DID NOT CORRECT DEFECT BECAUSE CONSUMER'S PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT MOVE IN TRACK/RAIL. ALSO, BELT WILL NOT ALLOW MOVEMENT OF PASSENGER BECAUSE IT CONTINUES TO LOCK UP AND WILL NOT RELEASE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
Momentary increase in steering effort after recall remedy
Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag Deployment
Front Subframe Corrosion
Lower ball joint separation
Brake Booster Failure
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.