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1996 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Mazda MX-5 Miata do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 12 of 29 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 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Steering complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 2020
SteeringSuspensionCrash

THE VIN IS FOR MY 1996 MAZDA MIATA. MY COMPLAINT IS THE M291 GOING WEST BOUND TO 350 HIGHWAY IN RAYTOWN THAT VEERS TO THE WEST. THE EXIT, SEEMS TO DANGEROUS WITH CONCRETE BLOCKS SEPERATING LANES. MY SECOND INQUIRY IS A POSSIBLE CAR WRECK THAT MY DAUGHTER, [XXX] MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN. SHE DROVE A GREEN AND BLACK MUSTANG …

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THE VIN IS FOR MY 1996 MAZDA MIATA. MY COMPLAINT IS THE M291 GOING WEST BOUND TO 350 HIGHWAY IN RAYTOWN THAT VEERS TO THE WEST. THE EXIT, SEEMS TO DANGEROUS WITH CONCRETE BLOCKS SEPERATING LANES. MY SECOND INQUIRY IS A POSSIBLE CAR WRECK THAT MY DAUGHTER, [XXX] MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN. SHE DROVE A GREEN AND BLACK MUSTANG FORD CONVERTIBLE. WE LIVE APART AND AS SHE IS A YOUNG ADULT LIKE MOST, AS A MOTHER, I DON'T GET ENOUGH INFO, SOMETIMES. 2006 FOUND ME WITNESSING HER CAR OR ONE THAT LOOKED LIKE IT OVERTURNED ON 350 HIGHWAY GOING WESTBOUND ON THE CLOVERLEAF TO M291/470 HIGHWAY. AN AMBULANCE WAS THERE AND THE PASSENGER, HER FRIEND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. I HAVE SEEN HER SINCE THEN, SO OBVIOUSLY SHE SEEMS ALRIGHT AND SAFE, HOWEVER, I WOULD SURE BE APPRECIATIVE IF SOMEONE COULD FOLLOW UP ON THAT IF ANYTHING SEEMS ASKEW. HER ADDRESS AT THE TIME WAS [XXX] WHERE SHE LIVED WITH HER OWN FATHER, [XXX]. HER DATE OF BIRTH IS 1/29/89. I AM [XXX]- OF [XXX]. MY DRIVER'S LICENSE # IS [XXX]. THANK YOU. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #11320169

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.