What breaks most · 1990 to 2006 model years
Mazda MPV problems by year
Owners have filed 915 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mazda MPV across model years 1990 to 2006. Three years stand out: 2000 for engine and cooling complaints, 2002 for powertrain and transmission complaints and 2003 for powertrain and transmission complaints. The quietest years are 1999, 1996 and 1995.
- Years to check closely: 2000, 2002, 2003
- Fewest complaints: 1999, 1996, 1995
- Complaints on file
- 9151990 to 2006, all trims
- Worst year
- 2000149 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 10726 fires · 129 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 65kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 39Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | 10 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (13) | |
| 66 | 6 | 3 | Powertrain and transmission (16) | |
| 61 | 7 | 1 | Engine and cooling (20) | |
| 51 | 7 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (17) | |
| 36 | 12 | 1 | Air bags (12) | |
| 19 | 2 | 1 | Engine and cooling (6) | |
| 18 | 2 | 1 | Air bags (3) | |
| 22 | 9 | 1 | Air bags (8) | |
| 19 | 4 | 1 | Air bags (5) | |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Tires (1) | |
| 149 | 12 | 5 | Engine and cooling (24) | |
| 70 | 10 | 3 | Engine and cooling (15) | |
| 124 | 4 | 4 | Powertrain and transmission (66) | |
| 113 | 12 | 4 | Powertrain and transmission (35) | |
| 71 | 2 | 5 | Engine and cooling (23) | |
| 36 | 5 | 3 | Air bags (10) | |
| 12 | 2 | 2 | Speed control and throttle (2) |
What fails on the 2000 Mazda MPV
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 16% |
24 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2000 Mazda MPV |
| Tires | 12% |
18 | 0 | — |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 11% |
17 | 1 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2000 Mazda MPV |
| Air bags | 10% |
15 | 9 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Seat belts | 9% |
13 | 1 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
| Latches and locksDoor latches and actuators | 7% |
11 | 0 | Shop latches and locks parts for the 2000 Mazda MPV |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 7% |
11 | 0 | Shop suspension parts for the 2000 Mazda MPV |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 7% |
11 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2000 Mazda MPV |
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.
-
Good morning .my muffler system sounds like an airplane. Please assist me with this problem as i might have recalls for this vehicle.
-
Transmission failed, completely disengaged. No warning. Had to be towed. Required a $2500.00 complete overhaul. Very low miles on this vehicle, always properly maintained.
-
My 2003 mazda mpv has a horrible transmission shifting problem. Took it to dealer and they said it's the transmission control module. They charged me 1,500 dollars to install new and and reflash it and the transmission still doesn't shift properly.
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 MPV years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2000, 2002, 2003 carry the most filings on the Mazda MPV. The 2000 alone has 149 complaints, led by engine and cooling.
What is the most common Mazda MPV problem?
On the 2000 model year, the most-reported component is engine and cooling with 24 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mazda MPV problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mazda MPV complaints that include mileage is about 65,000 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.