What breaks most · 1990 to 2005 model years
Mazda Mazda problems by year
Owners have filed 56 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mazda Mazda across model years 1990 to 2005. Three years stand out: 2004 for engine and cooling complaints, 2005 for speed control and throttle complaints and 1995 for air bags complaints. The quietest years are 2001, 1992 and 1994.
- Years to check closely: 2004, 2005, 1995
- Fewest complaints: 2001, 1992, 1994
- Complaints on file
- 561990 to 2005, all trims
- Worst year
- 200425 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 100 fires · 8 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 10kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 0Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 0 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Tires (1) | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Exterior lighting (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (2) | |
| 5 | 2 | 0 | Air bags (3) | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Seats (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Fuel system (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Tires (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Fuel system (1) | |
| 25 | 6 | 0 | Engine and cooling (12) | |
| 6 | 0 | 0 | Speed control and throttle (2) |
What fails on the 2004 Mazda Mazda
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 48% |
12 | 2 | Shop all engine and cooling parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Air bags | 12% |
3 | 3 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 12% |
3 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 12% |
3 | 0 | Shop all fuel system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Equipment and infotainment | 8% |
2 | 2 | — |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 8% |
2 | 0 | Shop all electrical system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 4% |
1 | 1 | — |
| Tires | 4% |
1 | 1 | — |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Has no power, hesitates badly, bucks above 3-4 rpm, has caused me to all most crash and or get hit 2-3 times. Returned to dealer no "code" found was told there is nothing wrong. 10-20 people are having the same issue as i am (see information here http://mazda-speed.com/forum2/index.php?topic=86.0 )
-
Consumer stated that while driving at any speed and without warning the alternator failed causing the consumer to pull over. Dealer notified. Mr
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Mazda Mazda years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2004, 2005, 1995 carry the most filings on the Mazda Mazda. The 2004 alone has 25 complaints, led by engine and cooling.
What is the most common Mazda Mazda problem?
On the 2004 model year, the most-reported component is engine and cooling with 12 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mazda Mazda problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mazda Mazda complaints that include mileage is about 10,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.