- 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
2023 Mazda MX-5 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 7 complaints about the 2023 Mazda MX-5 with NHTSA, most often about the transmission & drivetrain (4) and the airbags (1). Those complaints describe 1 crash and 1 injury. It is covered by 1 recall, the latest in September 2024 for the software. For comparison, the 2022 has 5 and the 2024 has 5.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical MX-5 year, for its age
#195 most complained-about 2023 vehicle
- Complaints
- 7
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2023 Mazda MX-5 problems
Share of all 7 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2023 Mazda MX-5 recalls 1
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
What owners say
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7 complaints about the 2023 Mazda MX-5
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
Steering feels sticky at higher speeds, once the vehicle is at full operating temp. The steering requires some pressure to "break free" from whatever position it is in. If I'm continually moving the wheel, it steers normally. However, if I'm driving straight and need to initiate a turn or make minor steering corrections (like on the highway), I have to turn the wheel harder than normal, then it gives way and turns with regular force. This makes it difficult to control, causing the car the jerk around a lot. This is...
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an issue many others have noticed on online forums, and there does not seem to be a known fix for this. The Mazda dealership near me could not duplicate the issue (since it takes 20-30 minutes of continuous driving for this steering issue to get worse to the point of concern), and therefore refused to look any further. This makes it unsafe to drive longer than 20-30 minutes. I am currently awaiting an appointment with an independent service center. There are no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms that I'm aware of
Manual transmission will not reliably shift from 2nd to 3rd gear without a grinding noise. Other owners are reporting similar issues that have required a full replacement of the transmission in MY2023 cars.
On [[redacted]] my [[redacted]] son was driving the vehicle and at low speed (30 mph or under) lost control of the vehicle in a turn. The vehicle hit a telephone pole that was rotted from termite infestation which shattered into three pieces (one piece landing on the cars windshield frame and driver roll bar hoop) . He impacted the airbags and had an unstable anterior fracture of the c5 vertebrae and a stable posterior fracture of the C5 vertebrae. He was graded an Asia B spinal cord injury and was paralyzed...
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from the neck down. He spent 42 days in trauma ICU and then Neuro Rehab learning how to walk and use the bathroom. He has many lingering effects and still has loss of use of fingers on both hands as well as difficulties walking and gripping objects. His passenger did not hit the airbags and was uninjured. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My vehicle has only 8700 miles. At around 2500 miles first gear refused to engage, and I had to start the car in second for a week. That week I scheduled for service but the problem was not reproducible, since then it has been intermittent by never prolonged like that full week. This is and was a safety risk because I have been stuck on a hill, stop signs, and green traffic lights etc. Because it was not reproducible, the claim was dismissed. At around 4000 miles and on, third gear became very inconsistent in...
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shift action. Typically it won't allow me to shift into third at all, other times it will grind, or requires excessive force to engage gear. This happens both in motion and at a stop. In traffic, the sudden loss in speed and rpm from being unable to shift into third poses a risk, especially getting onto on ramps. The dealer still cannot reproduce the issue, and in fact I have a 2 minute long video of the fault - pending their response to the video. Mazda corporate claims this is not a known or common issue. No warning lights pick up this fault. I have since continued to come to a resolution, and will return to the dealership.
Dear, I'm writing to address the delayed response to the recall for my Mazda MX-5, which began on September 18. It has been nearly two months without any remedy or guidance from the manufacturer. As I rely on this vehicle daily for business purposes, this prolonged delay has caused significant disruptions. I urge NHTSA to assist in expediting a resolution with Mazda to minimize further impact on my work. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
The manual transmission has a synchronizer failure. Safety was put at risk due to inability to safely complete a gear change reliably. The problem has been reported to the dealer and the transmission has been replaced once and is scheduled to go in 9/23/24 for a possible second transmission replacement. There are no warning lights associated with the failure. The only symptom is the inability to complete a shift with no warnings of this failure prior to it first presenting itself.
Mazda Miata model years 2022-2024 with manual 6sp transmission are experiencing a large number of failures at low mileage. Some owners are reporting 2 failed transmissions at less than 10,000 miles. 3rd and 4th great become unusable without warning, increasing the potential for a crash. There have been over 50 reports of manual transmission failure from 2022-2024 Miata owners. Concern: When the transmission internals fail without warring the vehicle experiences loss of power and forward movement, substantially...
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increasing the chance of an accident in a highway driving scenario. This problem has been confirmed by Mazda dealer network. Mazda is offering to replacement transmissions, but has not told the owners if there have been modifications and improvements to the replacement units to resolve the issue, or if they are replacing the defective transmission with same kind.
Mazda MX-5: every year compared
All MX-5 years2023 Mazda MX-5 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Mazda MX-5 | 7 | 1 | F | |
| 2023 Dodge Challenger | 43 | 2 | C | Compare |
| 2023 Dodge Charger | 27 | 2 | C | Compare |
| 2023 Subaru WRX | 9 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 2023 Subaru BRZ | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 2023 Ford Mustang | 0 | 6 | F | Compare |
| 2023 Chevrolet Corvette | 0 | 1 | C | Compare |
| 2023 Toyota GR86 | 0 | 1 | A | Compare |
| 2023 Toyota Supra | 0 | 2 | F | 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 2023 Mazda MX-5
Does the 2023 Mazda MX-5 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2023 Mazda MX-5: software (September 2024). 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 2023 Mazda MX-5?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the transmission & drivetrain (4), airbags (1), seats & seat belts (1).
How many complaints has the 2023 Mazda MX-5 had?
7 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on July 6, 2024 and the latest on April 1, 2026. Of these, 1 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 1 injury and 0 deaths.
Is the 2023 Mazda MX-5 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 21 out of 100 (grade F: far 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 2023 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