2006 MAZDA MX-5 Complaints

EXCESSIVE FLOODING IN CABIN ON DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE AS WELL AS TRUNK. MAZDA HAS SINCE MODIFIED THEIR ROOF DRAIN SYSTEM AS THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT. ONCE THE MODEL IS OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY, THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE PARTS WITH UPDATED PARTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CONVERTIBLE ROOF ITSELF DOES NOT LEAK. IT IS THE DESIGN OF THE ROOF DRAINAGE SYSTEM. MAZDA NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR FIXING ALL OF THESE CARS. THE NEW PARTS INCLUDE DEBRIS FILTERS AND RIBBED VALVES WHICH REDUCE BAFFLES GETTING STUCK SHUT IN THE DRAIN LINES. *TR

IT HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS IN 2006 MAZDA MIATAS FAIL TO RETRACT THE SEAT BELT. INITIAL MAZDA DENIED THE EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM AND IN MY CASE TOLD ME IT WAS NORMAL FOR A SEAT BELT NOT TO RETRACT. IN RESPONSE MAZDA FINALLY ISSUED A TSB (08-001/11) IN 2008 WHICH RECOMMENDS WASHING THE SEAT-BELT AND REPLACING THE RETRACTOR GUIDE - BUT NOT REPLACING THE RETRACTOR. THE SOLUTION OFFERED BY MAZDA IS INADEQUATE AND FAILS TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE CONDITION. THE RESULT IS SEAT BELTS THAT DON'T RETRACT LEAVING THE SEAT BELT EXPOSED TO BEING DAMAGED BY BEING PINCHED IN DOOR CLOSINGS. ET CETRA. *TR

9/19/2011 12:00 P.M. DRY ROAD CONDITIONS. DRIVING SOUTHBOUND AT JUNCTION OF INTERSTATE 15 AND STATE HWY 163 THE LEFT REAR SIDE OF MY 2006 MAZDA MIATA EXPERIENCED A LOUD EXPLOSION RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL OF STEERING. THE VEHICLE SPUN COMPLETELY AROUND 3 TIMES CROSSING 3 LANES OF HIGHWAY 163, HIT THE CURB AND WAS THROWN ONTO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE DID NOT OVERTURN. THE TIRE WAS OFF THE RIM. THE RIM HAS EVIDENCE OF AN IMPACT TO THE INNER WHEEL. THE CONTROL ARM ON THE LEFT HAD SHEARED OFF. I AM FILING THIS AS PREVIOUS SUSPENSION PROBLEMS CONTROL ARM FAILURES (SEE BELOW). THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING FIXED AT JOHN HINE MAZDA SAN DIEGO CA. RECALLS MAZDA RX-8: 05V325000 THE LOWER CONTROL ARM MAY CRACK SUSPENSION & STEERING, AUGUST 30, 2005 SUMMARY: DUE TO IMPROPER FORGING OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, CRACKS MAY OCCUR IN THE BALL JOINT SOCKET. IN SEVERE DRIVING CONDITIONS THE BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE BALL JOINT SOCKET AND LOSS OF STEERING MAY OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS AS REQUIRED. THIS RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON AUGUST 30, 2005. THE MAZDA RECALL NUMBER IS 3405G. ORIGINAL RECALL FROM THE NHTSA MODEL YEAR(S): 2004 MFR'S REPORT DATE: AUGUST 30, 2005 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V325000. *TR

MAZDA MIATA 2006, YOKOHAMA TIRE ADVANA11A205/50R16, DRIVING ON I-10 ON RAMP ABOUT 45-50MPH, BIG POP AND THUD, PULLED OVER ON SHOULDER, LOOKED AT BACK RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD SPLIT ON INSIDE OF TIRE BETWEEN RIM AND TIRE EDGE ABOUT 10 INCHES LONG. TIRE WAS MAINTAINED WITH CORRECT AIR PRESSURE AND ROTATION BY AUTO DEALER THAT SOLD ME THE MIATA. THE CAR DEALERSHIP HAD A TIRES FOR LIFE PROGRAM ON MY MIATA AND THIS WAS MY SECOND SET AND I HAD APPROX. 45,500 MILES ON THE CAR. I WAS VERY THANKFUL THE TIRES HAD BEEN ROTATED ON THE LAST OIL CHANGE/INSPECTION POINT ON MY CARS MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.--OR THAT TIRE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON MY FRONT--PROBABLY WOULD HAVE FLIPPED THE CAR. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS PARTICULAR TIRE IS DEFECTIVE OR A FLUKE, BECAUSE THIS IS THE KIND OF TIRES THAT MY DEALER WILL PUT ON MY MIATA FOR THE ENTIRE TIME I OWN THIS CAR? THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. *TR

HAZING OF HEADLIGHT LENSES. THERE IS SEVERE DEGRADATION OF LIGHT OUTPUT OVER TIME DUE TO ABRASION. THIS CAUSES DECREASED VISIBILITY AND OVERDRIVING THE LIGHTS, PARTICULARLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, BUT ALSO DURING NORMAL DRIVING. I HAVE TWO 2006 CARS, A MAZDA MIATA AND A TOYOTA RAV4, AND BOTH BEGAN TO SHOW ABRASION BY 20,000 MILES. NOW MY 1963 CHEVY, WITH GLASS HEADLIGHTS, HAS NEVER HAD THAT PROBLEM. TWO RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. CHECK THE PRICE OF REPLACING MODERN LIGHTS. YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY WHEN YOU DO RECOMMENDATION #2 WHY OWNERS DON'T REPLACE THEM . 2. LOOK AT CAR LIGHTS WHILE YOU'RE OUT AN ABOUT. OBSERVE HOW BAD MANY LIGHTS THERE ARE. UNLESS THIS ONLY A PROBLEM IN PLACES LIKE ARIZONA. NOW MY 1963 CHEVY, WITH GLASS HEADLIGHTS, HAS NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. THEY'VE BEEN BROKEN BY DEBRIS BUT THAT'S KIND OF OBVIOUS AND A NEW LIGHT IS (STILL) ONLY ABOUT $9. ALSO WHEN THEY BREAK OR BURN OUT THE RESULT IS IMMEDIATELY NOTICED. WITH THE ABRASION ISSUE LIGHTING IS DEGRADED OVER TIME AND GOES UNNOTICED. LIKE HOW SHOCK ABSORBERS WEAR OUT A LITTLE BIT OVER TIME AND THE DRIVER DOESN'T NOTICE ARE THERE STATISTICS WHERE THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS AT NIGHT ARE ATTRIBUTED TO "I DIDN'T SEE HIM" OR "I DIDN'T SEE HER IN TIME"? THIS COULD BE CAUSED BY LIGHT OUTPUT RATHER THAN HUMAN ERROR. I UNDERSTAND THAT PLASTIC IS SAFER THAN GLASS. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MATERIALS AVAILABLE THAT ARE SAFE AND WON'T ABRADE . THINK AIRCRAFT. LIGHTING SHOULD BE HELD TO A REASONABLE MILEAGE WARRANTY AND MADE TO LAST AT LEAST AS LONG AS THE WINDSHIELD. *TR

I HAVE NOTICED A "SQUEAK" IN THE CONSOLE BETWEEN THE 2 SEATS, AND A HUGE LEAK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE (ENTIRE FLOOR CARPET WAS SOAKED FROM THE FRONT TO UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SEAT) OF OUR NEW MIATA MS-5 (LESS THAN 5,000 MILES). *JB

CAR STARTED RATTLING FROM THE CONSOLE AREA BETWEEN THE SEATS WHERE YOU OPEN YOUR GAS CAP AT. THIS STARTED ABOUT A MONTH INTO HAVING THE VEHICLE. THE CONVERTIBLE TOP IS LEAKING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR IT'S 3000 MILE MAINTENANCE. I WAS TOLD THAT "CONVERTIBLE TOPS LEAK AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE RATTLE." THE RATTLE HAS SINCE GOTTEN WORSE AND THE CONVERTIBLE TOP IS STILL LEAKING. I WILL BE TAKING THE VEHICLE IN AGAIN FOR THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I DO NOT FEEL THAT I AM MAKING MUCH PROGRESS. *JB

COMPLETE POWER LOSS AT 40 MILES PER HOUR WHILE IN OPERATION. ALL WARNING DASH LIGHTS CAME ON CONCURRENT WITH LOSS OF POWER. NO RESTART. *NM

THE DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL (DSC) ACTIVATED, DASH LIGHT STAYED ON, WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE PROBABILITY THAT HAD THE PAVEMENT BE SLIPPERY WITH RAIN, SNOW OR ICE THE DSC BRAKING THE WHEELS TO PREVENT A SKID, THAT WASN'T THERE, WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY HAVE CAUSED A SKID, PROBABLY LEADING TO AN ACCIDENT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, SLIGHT DOWNWARD PRESSURE MUST BE APPLIED TO FIRST GEAR. SINCE THE PRESSURE IS SO SLIGHT, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO TELL IF THE VEHICLE IS IN FIRST GEAR OR REVERSE UNTIL THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED.