Power Train. Review the 313 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 81 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports5 fire reports11 injury reports

What owners actually said

434 reports

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2001

Power Train

TRANSMISSION WILL GO FROM FIRST GEAR TO OVERDRIVE AND JUMP FORCIBLY INTO GEAR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #884416

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2001

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

Read full complaint

TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH , VEHICLE CAME TO A DEAD STOP WITH ENGINE RUNNING. FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP, AND WOULD NOT MOVE DUE TO TORQUE CONVERTER FAILURE. *AK ENGINE WOULD STALL DURING RIGHT TURNS, DEALER RESET COMPUTER, THEN ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, DEALER STATED THE TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH WAS SLIPPING, TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP ON THE WAY TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPLACEMENT OF TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH, A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED AND 20 MILES LATER THE OD OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATED, VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING AND LOSING POWER, THIS TIME DEALER STATED THE COOLING SYSTEM IN THE RADIATOR WAS NOT LARGE ENOUGH TO COOL THE TRANSMISSION, AN EXTERNAL COOLING SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED, NOW TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN, CONSUMER REQUESTS THAT VEHICLE BE REPLACED OR REPURCHASED BY THE DEALER. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #882983

Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 2001

Power Train

TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REPLACED. RESEARCH THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD MANY REPORTS OF BEING PROBLEM PRONE POINTED TO THIS WEBSITE FOR INVESTIGATING THESE REPORTS. THE COST OF REPAIRING IS OVER $2500 AND OTHER MAZDAS WERE AT THAT DEALERSHIP THE SAME DAY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #742207

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2001

Power Train

WHILE TRAVELING AT 10 MPH VEHICLE IS COASTING WITH OVERDRIVE INDICATION FLASH, AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE JUMPED INTO GEAR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #882312

Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

LOSS OF POWER DURING ACCELERATION FRON STOP OR AT SLOW SPEED, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON DURRING FAILURE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #741619

Mileage unknown · Feb 15, 2001

Power Train

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT GO INTO REVERSE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #880607

Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 2000

Power Train

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #737972

Mileage unknown · Dec 12, 2000

Tires

BRIDGESTONE POTENZA 92 TIRES EXPERIENCED DRY ROT AT ONLY 9110 MILES AND CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT TIRES NEEDED REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #558448

Mileage unknown · Dec 7, 2000

TiresInjury

TIRE (NO MAKE/MODEL PROVIDED) EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT, THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO THE CONCRETE WALL, THE DRIVER INJURED HER WRIST AND ARM. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *SLC

NHTSA ODI #557974

Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 2000

Power Train

AFTER THREE TRIPS TO AFOREMENTIONED DEALER WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT, DEALER REPEATEDLY SAYS THAT THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. HELP! *AK

NHTSA ODI #737333

Official recalls

15V674000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

Oct 19, 2015

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.

00V134000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

May 9, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER COULD BREAK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE BROKEN SPRING MAY GET CAUGHT IN THE TIMING BELT, RESULTING POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL CHECK THE TENSIONER INSTALLED AND REPLACE IT IF THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE AFFECTED TENSIONER.

98V243000 · Equipment:electrical:radio/tape Deck/cd Etc.

Oct 2, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN A HOT, HUMID ENVIRONMENT WITH THE WINDOW OPEN AND AIR CONDITIONER RUNNING, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR CONDENSATION TO ENTER THE AUDIO UNIT AND CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURS AT ONE SPECIFIC SET OF TERMINALS, THE SPEAKER CAN OVERHEAT AND IN SOME CASES, CATCH FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL AFFIX ALUMINUM TAPE OVER THE AUDIO UNIT TO PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING.

97V228000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System

Dec 17, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO A PROGRAMMING ERROR, THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) INSTALLED CAN, UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, TRIGGER A SHIFT IN AIR-FUEL RATIO TO AN OVERLEAN CONDITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN AN ENGINE STALL, WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND/OR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PCM WITH THE CORRECT ENGINE CONTROL LOGIC.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

SQ98024 · Speedometer Inoperative

Opened Oct 29, 1998 · Closed Sep 10, 1999

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train

SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.