IllustrationENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE INTO DEALER A FEW TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE.*AK
1998 Mazda Mpv
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Mpv years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 9 of 19 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
19 reportsWE DO NOT FEEL THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE FOWLERERS WHEN IT IS PART OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER 50,000 MILE AND THE INSERVICE DATE IS 5-29-1998. ITS ONLY 3 MONTHS AFTER THE FACTORY WARRANTY. WHICK MEANS IT WAS PROBLAY BAD AT THE TIME IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. WE HAD ONLY HAD IT 2 WEEKS BEFORE WE HEAR…
Read full complaint
WE DO NOT FEEL THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE FOWLERERS WHEN IT IS PART OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER 50,000 MILE AND THE INSERVICE DATE IS 5-29-1998. ITS ONLY 3 MONTHS AFTER THE FACTORY WARRANTY. WHICK MEANS IT WAS PROBLAY BAD AT THE TIME IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. WE HAD ONLY HAD IT 2 WEEKS BEFORE WE HEARD TAPPING COMING FROM THE ENGINE,. WE TOOK IT TO ROSE CITY MOTORS AND THEY TOLD US IT WAS BAD FOWLERS AND MAZDA SAID WE SHOULD REPLACE ALL FOWLERERS WHICK COST 1,500.00 DOLLARS. THEY ARE WILL TO ONLY CHARGE US HALF. WE DO NOT CONSIDER THIS AS FAIR. THE ENGINE IS A MAJOR PART OF A VEHICLE. ITS SCARY TO THINK YOUR BUYING A GOOD VEHICLE AND SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE MOTOR ALREADY.*AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CUT IN FRONT OF HIM. CONSUMER HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE ON THE SIDE. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN FRONT END CRASH. NO INJURIES. *AK *JB
WHEN VAN WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS.
REAR ANTI-SWAY BAR BRACKETS SNAPPED OFF (BOTH) FROM REAR AXLE HOUSING - MAZDA SERVICE REFERRED TO AUTO BODY - DETERMINED BY AUTO BODY THEY WERE NOT WELDED ENTIRE LENGTH OF BRACKET (ENGINEERING/PRODUCTION OVERSIGHT) - MAZDA CONSUMER COMPLIANCE HAS DENIED RESPONSIBILITY
WITH THE TOW PACKAGE, THE OPTIONAL FEATURE LOAD LEVER WHICH IS USED BY AN AIR PUMP FAILED, CAUSING THE REAR SUSPENSION TO DROP AND MISALIGN. THIS MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. ALSO REAR PASSENGER SEATBELT DOES NOT "RECOIL" PROPERLY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ABS BRAKE PROBLEMS. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, VAN STARTED ROLLING FORWARD AND HIT A COMMERICAL TRUCK TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH. VAN WAS TOTALLED. ALSO, AIR BAGS FAILED TO INFLATE. *AK
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE, CAUSING A REAR-END COLLISION. NO WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON DASHBOARD. VEHICLE BEHIND ME NOTED REAR BRAKE LIGHTS ON. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
AIRBAG SENSOR FAILED ONE DAY AFTER PURCHASE. MJS
Official recalls
115V674000 · 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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.