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.

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 INSIDE FRAME RAILS SO CAN'T BE SEEN IN EARLY PHASES--UNTIL IT APPEARS ON OUTSIDE OF RAILS. SEEMS CLEAR THAT MAZDA KNOWS OF THESE PROBLEMS SINCE IT REDESIGNED THE FRAME IN 2006 AND SELLS REPAIR PARTS THAT DON'T INVOLVE THIN SANDWICHED SHEETS OF METAL WITH MATERIALS IN BETWEEN THAT HOLD MOISTURE, ROAD SALT, AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS. NUMEROUS HOLES IN THE FRAME RAILS ALSO SEEM TO TAKE IN WATER AND CONTAMINANTS. MIATAS ARE MADE TO PERFORM ON CURVES AND HAVE STIFF SUSPENSION, SO A LOT OF STRESS COMES ON THE FRAME AND BRACKETS. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY MIATA LIKE A SPORTS CAR SINCE THAT WILL CAUSE FURTHER FRAME CRACKING. FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN ONLINE, REPAIRS ARE COMPLEX AND EXPENSIVE. DON'T KNOW WHY THIS SAFETY ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN THE SUBJECT OF INVESTIGATIONS AND RECALLS. THE PROBLEMS SEEM TO RESULT FROM POOR QUALITY FRAME MATERIALS AND INADEQUATE ENGINEERING DESIGN.

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

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) SPARK PLUGS C) SPARK PLUG WIRES OR D) CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR.. WELL.. I CHANGED OUT THE FIRST 3 OPTIONS, WITH NO SUCCESS.. STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I RECENTLY BOUGHT A CPS AND WAITING FOR IT TO ARRIVE. IF THIS DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL. I DRIVE CONSTANTLY ON HIGHWAYS TO GET AROUND AND IF IT STALLS THEN, I WILL BE IN A LOT OF TROUBLE. I DO NOT HAVE A WARRANTY SO I AM DOING ALL THESE REPAIRS MYSELF.

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 THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD IT CHANGED. *TR

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.

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

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

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

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 ASKED IF THEY CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PRICE CONSIDERING THEY MISDIAGNOSED IT THE FIRST TIME, THEIR RESPONSE WAS ?YOU NEED A TUNE-UP AT 30,000 MILES ANY?. FIRST OF ALL WHEN I GOT THE TUNE-UP IN MAY THERE WERE ONLY 23K MILES ON THE CAR (I STILL DON?T HAVE 30K MILES ON IT). SECOND OF ALL IF I WAS TOLD A TUNE-UP WAS NOT GOING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM I NEVER WOULD HAVE AGREED TO GETTING ONE. I?VE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT THE IGNITION COIL IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THE '99 AND '00 MIATA THAT MAZDA REFUSES TO ADDRESS. SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE INSPECTED THE IGNITION COIL WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST BROUGHT IN AND IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE. NO OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE.*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

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

BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CONVERTIBLE TOP LATCHES, WHICH SECURE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP WHEN IT IS CLOSED, FAILED TO LOCK AS DESIGNED WHEN THE LATCHES ARE IN THE CLOSED POSITION. THIS POTENTIALLY LEADS TO THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LATCHES INADVERTENTLY OPENING AT ANY SPEED, RESULTING IN THE CONVERTIBLE TOP OPENING INADVERTENTLY AT ANY SPEED.

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 75MPH ON HIGHWAY AND ROCK HIT CONDENSOR, AIR CONDITIONER COOLANT AND OIL CAME LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

FUEL TANK SHUTS OFF AFTER ONLY 3 TO 4 GALLONS. THEN I HAVE TO SQUEEZE AND PUMP A GALLON AT A TIME UNTIL FULL! I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL GAS STATIONS, SEVERAL PUMPS AND PUMP TYPES, I HAVE VARIED THE FLOW RATIO AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP IS VERY HELPFUL AND THE MOST CURTIOUS, BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT AFTER THEY HAVE REPLACED THE CHARCOAL CANNISTER, CHECKED THE LINES AND REPLACED THE GAS TANK (SINCE THE BACK FLOW TRAP IS INSIDE THE TANK. THEY WILL BE TRYING AGAIN TO FIX THIS PROBLEM ON MAY 10TH. THEY HAVE A TECHNICIAN THAT IS HERE FROM JAPAN THAT WILL BE CHECKING IT OUT ALL DAY. THIS APPOINTMENT MAKES 4 SCHEDULED VISITS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. I LOVE THIS VEHICLE,BUT THE FUEL FILLER PROBLEM IS UNACCEPTABLE. I KNOW THERE WAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THE 1999 MIATA. ON THE MIATA FORUMS ON THE WEB OTHER 2000 MIATA OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM TOO. THANK YOU, MR. [XXX]*AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

BRAKES FAIL IN THE RAIN! WHEN IT IS RAINING THE BRAKE SURFACES GET COVERED IN WATER AND THE PADS ARE TO SMALL TO SUFFICIENTLY SQUEEZE THE WATER OFF AND OUT TO ALLOW IMMEDIATE BRAKING. THIS HAS RESULTED IN SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE OFFERED FIX IS DIFFERENT BRAKE SHIELDS, BUT THE CORRECT FIX IS WHAT MAZDA IS PUTTING ON THE CURRENT MIATAS...BIGGER BRAKES AND PADS! IF YOU LOOK ON THE MIATA SITES IN THE FORUMS YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ISOLATED AND IS ACTUALLY QUITE PREVELANT. THANK YOU FOR CHECKING INTO A VERY DANGEROUS DESIGN DEFFECT! MR. JARDINE. *AK

ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN, STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL PRODUCED NO BRAKING ACTION FOR 1-2 SECONDS. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. DEALER WAS INFORMED AND ATTEMPTED TO REPRODUCE ON A DRY DAY. I KNEW THEY WOULD NOT BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT WANTED TO GO ON RECORD WITH THEM AS HAVING REPORTED THE PROBLEM. OTHER LATE MODEL MIATA OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM.*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

TRANSMISSION CAN NOT BE SHIFTED SAFELY DURING NORMAL OPERATION. GRINDS, KICKS-OUT AND BLOCK SHIFTING INTO GEAR.*AK