- The problem
- Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2023 MX-5 Miata vehicles. A software error in the air bag control module may cause the front air bags to deploy with excessive force during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- The risk
- An air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will update the Sophisticated Air Bag Sensor (SAS) control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 6924I.
Vehicle safety record
2017 Mazda MX-5 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 2017 Mazda MX-5 with NHTSA, most often about the visibility & wipers (4) and the steering (2). Those complaints describe 1 crash and 1 injury. It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in September 2024 for the software. For comparison, the 2016 has 34 and the 2018 has 3.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical MX-5 year, for its age
#203 most complained-about 2017 vehicle
- Complaints
- 11
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2017 Mazda MX-5 problems
Share of all 11 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2017 Mazda MX-5 recalls 2
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2019 MX-5 (Miata) vehicles with automatic transmissions. Due to incorrect programming of the Transmission Control Module (TCM), certain conditions may cause the vehicle to unexpectedly downshift and abruptly decelerate.
- The risk
- If the vehicle abruptly downshifts, the driver may lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the TCM with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3019A.
What owners say
Be the first MX-5 owner to share.
Problems or none - your experience is exactly what the next buyer is looking for. Write it now
11 complaints about the 2017 Mazda MX-5
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
I am filing this complaint regarding a manual transmission failure on my 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata (VIN: [[redacted]] ) at 55,000 miles. The failure occurred without warning while driving, causing immediate and significant transmission malfunction. Mazda issued Technical Service Bulletin 05 [[redacted]] c addressing this exact defect - defective synchros in 2nd and 3rd gear causing grinding, inability to engage gears, and transmission failure. My VIN falls within the TSB coverage range. The cutoff is sequential number...
Read the full complaint
[redacted] and my sequential number is [redacted], placing me within the affected range. Despite this documented defect and my vehicle being under Mazda's Powertrain Limited Warranty at time of failure (under 60,000 miles), Mazda refused full coverage. The dealer offered only 50% goodwill. I escalated to the Mazda regional representative, who also declined full coverage and redirected me back to the dealer - evasive given the documented nature of this defect. This is not isolated. Multiple 2016-2017 MX-5 owners have reported identical failures, and a Mazda engineer publicly acknowledged on video that weak transmission tolerances cause gear teeth to shear under load. Active petitions are calling for a formal recall. While I was able to drive to the dealership, this failure occurred without warning. A similar failure at highway speeds or in a less favorable situation could result in complete loss of vehicle control, posing significant danger to the driver and surrounding traffic. I request that NHTSA: (1) investigate this defect across all 2016-2017 MX-5 Miata manual transmission vehicles, (2) determine whether a formal recall is warranted, and (3) require Mazda to honor full warranty coverage for VINs within the TSB range. I have retained all documentation and am prepared to provide additional information upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Happened at US 101 Southbound 0.1 MILES SOUTH of RENGSTORFF AVENUE. "Power Steering Malfunction" light came on, then suddenly after 1 second, the car's steering went stiff and suddenly braked while at freeway speed flow of traffic. Car then sharply veered left into center divider due to automatic sudden braking with no control of the steering wheel
I have 205/45/R 17 on a car that I drive on short trips maybe once a week or two. Driving on the highway, the tpms light came on and the handling was instantly strange. I pulled over and checked the tire, the sidewall was blown out on the passenger rear. I had it replaced. Now about 2 months later, the right rear went flat after a trip. I took it to be repaired and was told that the sidewall was splitting and it could not be repaired. I am concerned that this may not be coincidence.
Vehicles rear windshield spontaneously shattered. Vehicle was idle and upon starting the vehicle a cracking sound was heard in the cabin and the rear view mirror was unusable as the rear windshield was entirely shattered into <1 inch pieces. Small pieces of loose glass had fallen from both upper corners of the windshield. The windshield is still attached to the vehicle and rear visibility is severely limited. No third-party inspections have been executed. There was no previous damage to the windshield and the car was idling when the failure occurred. There were no indications of potential failure before the incident.
Airbag recall mail received from Mazda, when trying to book online mazdausa.com service depart denies vehicle has a recall and refused to schedule appointment
The windshield cracked while the vehicle was parked in a lot. The crack appears to have started on the passenger side edge of the windshield and rapidly propogated horizontally along the center of the windshield to roughly the center of the glass. The car had 12000 miles on it when the windshield cracked.
At 8300 miles this car has dozens of rock chips in the windshield, most of which were picked up from driving on relatively clean interstates and some of which have begun to spiderweb. I believe that the glass on this vehicle is abnormally susceptible to picking up chips from rocks which will in time create stress risers and cause the windshield to fail prematurely. I talked to a mazda rep and they said that there were no recalls on this vehicle nor was the windshield covered by the factory warranty. They directed me to take my complaint to my insurance company. More pictures are available upon request.
When using android auto while the vehicle is in motion the touchscreen is disabled which means I need my eyes on the screen to watch the selection move by turning the selection wheel rather than just touching the screen. I think this is much more of a distraction. Other car models allow touchscreen use.
Front brembo brakes locked after car is parked overnight. It unlocked after I force the car forward. It releases with a loud snap. This occurs 2 or 3 times a month. Car drives fine. Dealer has no solution. Dealer requests overnight assessment unfortunately this occurs without predictability.
While making a right turn, suddenly lost all steering with car going straight across lane. "Power steering malfunction" warning light appeared, then steering returned. "Dsc malfunction" warning light remained on and "tpms malfunction" warning light remained on. If there was a car in opposite lane, would have ran into. Once car was restarted, all warnings disappeared. Bringing into dealer 5/11.
The headliner on my convertible top comes unfastened right above the rear window. It sags down blocking the veiw by an inch and a half. This has been fixed 3 times and continues to happen. This window is small to begin with. The car was stationary and the top was being taken down.
Mazda MX-5: every year compared
All MX-5 years2017 Mazda MX-5 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Mazda MX-5 | 11 | 2 | D | |
| 2017 Chevrolet Camaro | 191 | 3 | F | Compare |
| 2017 Dodge Charger | 129 | 4 | D | Compare |
| 2017 Subaru WRX | 53 | 1 | F | Compare |
| 2017 Dodge Challenger | 50 | 3 | C | Compare |
| 2017 Subaru BRZ | 7 | 0 | D | Compare |
| 2017 Nissan 370Z | 5 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2017 Toyota 86 | 2 | 2 | C | Compare |
| 2017 Ford Mustang | 0 | 6 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2017 Mazda MX-5
Does the 2017 Mazda MX-5 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2017 Mazda MX-5: software (September 2024); control module (tcm / pcm / tecm) (February 2019). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Mazda MX-5?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the visibility & wipers (4), steering (2), transmission & drivetrain (1).
How many complaints has the 2017 Mazda MX-5 had?
11 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on March 9, 2017 and the latest on March 19, 2026. Of these, 1 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 1 injury and 0 deaths.
Is the 2017 Mazda MX-5 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 29 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Mazda MX-5 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Mazda MX-5 years have the most complaints?
2016 (34), 2017 (11), 2019 (11). See every Mazda MX-5 year compared.
What should I do if my 2017 Mazda MX-5 has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data