AI Damage1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata filed 74 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 74
- involving a crash
- 10
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 22% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 15% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 7% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 7% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 16 complaints (22% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 11 complaints (15% of all).
- Electrical system: 10 complaints (14% of all).
- Powertrain: 10 complaints (14% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 6 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.8 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speednamed in 2 complaints
- manual, 6-speednamed in 2 complaints
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 74 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
11/7/2010; accelerator pedal stuck in carpet at low rpm in 2nd gear. I pushed in the clutch, and turned off the ignition. I found the lower edge of the accelerator pedal stuck in the carpet. I glued a metal plate to the carpet to prevent the pedal from sticking again.
1999 madza mx-5 miata, unit 1 was traveling eastbound on the ohio turnpike in the middle lane. Unit 1 lost control on the wet roadways due to worn tires. Unit 1 went off the left side of the roadway and struck the median barrier. (ohio traffic crash report # 10-0244-90) updated 05/11/11* bf
Avoided a deer hit a tree approx. 20-25 mph . Severe frontal damage and air bag didn't activate.. Why as this would have save my back head and lips...
While traveling down the new jersey turnpike, my rear nitto 450 tire had a tread separation failure which caused my 1999 mazda miata to lose control, spinning out from the left lane across three lanes of traffic during rush hour, finally hitting the embankment on the far right side.
The vehicle was involved in an accident in which at the time of impact the steering wheel came off the main column, ahead of the air bag and hit the driver, it seems this may have occured when the air bag went off, the driver stated that the air bag did not seem to inflate fully. Nlm
My miata was hit in the front left side by a gmc pickup which was traveling at least 35 mph. I was pulling out of a parking lot, so my speed was minimal. Both airbags deployed, and the steering wheel came completely off the column. The car was determined to be a total loss.
Consumer was involved in 5 mph minor collision, vehicle was hit from the rear, causing consumer to hit his head on the steel bars which are a part of the convertible top, resulting in a concussion and change in eye sight. Please give any further details.
When I filled the gas tank the next day there was the smell of gas inside the vehicle which persisted as I drove. I took it to my Fiat dealership which maintains the vehicle and they have been unable to identify the source of the gas smell.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,291 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the MX-5 Miata has 21 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 74, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
- MX-5 Miata 199028 sources
- MX-5 Miata 199121 sources
- MX-5 Miata 199222 sources
- MX-5 Miata 19938 sources
- MX-5 Miata 199418 sources
- MX-5 Miata 199530 sources
- MX-5 Miata 199629 sources
- MX-5 Miata 199711 sources
- MX-5 Miata 200029 sources
- MX-5 Miata 200122 sources
- MX-5 Miata 200220 sources
- MX-5 Miata 200314 sources
- MX-5 Miata 20048 sources
- MX-5 Miata 20054 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, engine and cooling, electrical system. Total complaints: 74. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (9%), stalls while driving (9%), knocking, grinding or other noise (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1999 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.