Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1987 Mazda 323, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Air bags1
- Power train1
- Visibility1
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Engines
The most common engines in 1987 Mazda 323 cars on Dutch roads are the 1.3 petrol (49 kW, 66 hp) and 1.5 petrol (54 kW, 72 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.3 petrol | 49 kW 66 hp | 71 |
| 1.5 petrol | 54 kW 72 hp | 38 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
168 first registered in 1987 are on Dutch roads; 14% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse8
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen7
- Band onvoldoende profiel7
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde6
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm4
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht4
- Schokdemper aanwezig die lekkage vertoont4
- Ruitensproeierinstallatie werkt niet3
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
14 cars built in 1987 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 77 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
25 of these cars first registered in 1987 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 172,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
101 1987 cars are on the New Zealand register; 23% arrived as used imports, 71% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1987 Mazda 323.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mazda told its dealers about the 1987 Mazda 323: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 52503 | MAINTENANCE FREE BATTERY - DIAGNOSTIC AND CHARGING PROCEDURE. *TW |
| 52497 | USE OF A/C TRACER DYE. *TW |
| 52492 | WIPER MOTOR INOPERATIVE - CIRCUIT BREAKER ACTIVATION. *TW |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)