IllustrationTHE LATCHES THAT HOLD THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LOCKED IN POSITION CAN BE DEFECTIVE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, CAUSING THE LATCH NOT TO LOCK PROPERLY, AND ALLOWING THE TOP TO BECOME UNLATCHED AND FLY UP WHILE DRIVING. THE PART NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WILL ONLY REPLACE IT FREE IF THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *JB
2001 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2001 Mazda MX-5 Miata do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 20.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all MX-5 Miata 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: 12 of 22 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.
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.
3 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
22 reportsEMAIL FM CARLOS PIAD (FL) REQUEST NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THE SOFT TOP LATCH FAILURES ON THE 2001 MAZDA MX-5/MIATA.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE LATCH CAN POSSIBLE BECOME LOOSE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WIND CAN TEAR THE TOP OFF. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE MANUFACTURER UNDER-DESIGNED THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LATCH MECHANISM. *JB
MAZDA MIATA LS 2001 ON HUMID DAYS THE CAR WILL START AND THE ENGINE WILL IMMEDIATELY CUT OFF. AFTER CHECK UP FROM DEALER THE FUEL PUMP WAS FOUND TO BE FAILING. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH THE MIATAS WHICH MAKES ME FEEL THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP DESIGN\ENGINEERING. *JB
CAR STALLS CONSISTENTLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP IN NEUTRAL CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. ENGINE SPEED DROPS BELOW 500 RPM AND ALMOST ALWAYS CAUSES A STALL.
THE SOFT TOP (CONVERTIBLE TOP) LATCH CAN SNAP OPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND CAN TEAR OFF THE TOP. FOR THE AFFECTED VEHICLE THE DRIVER CAN BE SIGNIFICANTLY DISTRACTED AND CAN BE HIT BY THE FLAPPING TOP. OTHER VEHICLES BEHIND THE IMPACTED CAR CAN BE HIT BY FLYING DEBRIS AS THE TOP TEARS OFF. MAZDA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND I…
Read full complaint
THE SOFT TOP (CONVERTIBLE TOP) LATCH CAN SNAP OPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND CAN TEAR OFF THE TOP. FOR THE AFFECTED VEHICLE THE DRIVER CAN BE SIGNIFICANTLY DISTRACTED AND CAN BE HIT BY THE FLAPPING TOP. OTHER VEHICLES BEHIND THE IMPACTED CAR CAN BE HIT BY FLYING DEBRIS AS THE TOP TEARS OFF. MAZDA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND ISSUED A TECHINCAL SAFETY BULLETIN, BUT THEY NEVER MADE OWNERS AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL LATCH FAILURE. THEY WILL ONLY REPLACE THE LATCHES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY. MANY OF IMPACTED VEHICLES HAVE LATCH FAILURES AFTER THE WARRANTY IS EXPIRED AND THE REPAIR CAN RUN UP TO $500.*AK
2001 MAZADA MIADA RIGHT FRONT BRAKE PAD WORE OUT IN 22,000. WIFE DOES NOT DRIVE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL AND MAZDA MIATA REPLACEMENT BRAKE PADS PARTS ARE ON A NATION WIDE BACK ORDER ACCORDING TO LOCAL DEALER. *AK
THE VEHICLES REAR WHEEL JUMPED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM
THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR GET VERY HOT WHEN THE TOP IS UP AND THE WINDOWS ARE DOWN. IT IS HOT TO THE POINT OF CAUSING YOU TO MOVE YOUR RIGHT LEG AWAY FROM THE TUNNEL. THIS CAUSES YOU TO NOT BE DRIVING BUT, TRYING TO NOT GETE BURNED. *AK
POOR WEAR AND BLOW OUT CAUSING ACCIDENT WHERE CAR FLIPPED AND CONSEQUENTLY WAS TOTALLED. ONLY GOOD DRIVING SAVED THE PASSENGERS, PLUS THE CAR'S INTEGRITY.
ON SPEED 50MPH SUDDEN TURNS AND VEHICLE LOSES CONTROL. VEHICLE SYSTEMATICALLY JERKS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. CONTACTED MAZDA. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.