Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2006 Mazda MX-5, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Structure6
- Seat belts4
- Unknown or other3
- Power train3
- Air bags2
- Electrical system2
- Steering2
- Tires2
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Visibility1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 7 2006 MX-5 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2006 Mazda MX-5 failed the safety check 1.22% of the time — 48% less often than the average 2006 passenger car (2.34%). Median odometer at inspection: 62,771 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2006 Mazda MX-5 cars on Dutch roads are the 1.8 petrol (93 kW, 125 hp), 2.0 petrol (118 kW, 158 hp) and 1.6 petrol (81 kW, 109 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.8 petrol | 93 kW 125 hp | 590 |
| 2.0 petrol | 118 kW 158 hp | 205 |
| 1.6 petrol | 81 kW 109 hp | 24 |
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
826 first registered in 2006 are on Dutch roads; 81% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €31,939.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde381
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt160
- Band onvoldoende profiel158
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld151
- Stadslicht werkt niet (goed)132
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht110
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm95
- Schijf-, trommelrem loopt niet vrij87
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
4,634 cars built in 2006 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 2,027 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
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 6,774 of these cars first registered in 2006 took their annual MOT test. 65% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2006 the figure was 56%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2006 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 17.1% | 17.3% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 9.1% | 21.5% |
| Brakes | 7.7% | 13.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.8% | 6.6% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 5.1% | 8.6% |
| Visibility | 4.9% | 7.3% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
51 of these cars first registered in 2006 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 121,000 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
140 2006 cars are on the New Zealand register; 32% arrived as used imports, 66% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 9.9–10.2 L/100 km (about 23–24 mpg US), CO₂ 228–235 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| MX-5 · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 10.9 | 8.7 | 9.9 |
| MX-5 · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 11.1 | 8.6 | 9.9 |
| MX-5 · Two-seater · Premium gasoline | 11.7 | 8.5 | 10.2 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BOLT ATTACHING THE HORN ASSEMBLY TO THE STEERING WHEEL HUB MAY FAIL DURING A DRIVER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN EXTREMELY LOW AMBIENT TEMPERATURE.
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 2006 Mazda MX-5: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11007022 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage such (melted, separating, etc.) when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 11006987 | In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealers responsibility to comply with Federal, State, and local laws concerning odometer and related documentation requirements when providing a repair or replacement. Mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers. When a speedometer is replaced, the new speedometer will read zero (0) miles. This procedure is extremely important to accurately represent actual vehicle mi |
| 11005671 | Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. |
| 11003398 | Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. |
| 10251387 | Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. |
| 10243569 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 10240496 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 10232299 | Speedometer replacement procedure |
| 10225724 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 10217209 | In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. |
| 10215274 | This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery replacement cost. For new vehicles in stock at the dealer, inspect and maintain the battery periodically according to the repair procedure. |
| 10213422 | PROPER USAGE OF DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT. |
| 10213333 | Battery test procedure requirements using the GR81291 |
| 10213329 | Engine Start /Stop Procedure with room fuse removed |
| 10213326 | Mazda guidelines for factory scheduled maintenance |
| 10213185 | Some customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. In most cases the oil that is present is normal, and a result of the oil that remains on the shaft during the normal sweeping process of the shaft seal. Follow the inspection guidelines below to determine if the condition is a result of the normal sweeping process or a failure of the shaft seal. |
| 10209778 | The Mazda DCA-8000 is required for all warranty battery testing. If the Mazda DCA-8000 is not used, incorrect battery testing may result in unnecessary battery replacement. Use the following test procedures in this Service Bulletin to test Mazda vehicle batteries and to generate a Warranty Code. |
| 10209761 | Accessory instructions can be found on OneMazda under Dealer Resources - Parts & Accessories. |
| 10208567 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 10208556 | Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop manual or owner's manual. Services performed outside of Mazda's factory scheduled maintenance are not recommended. These services are unnecessary and create unneeded expenses for your customers. |
| 10206002 | Automatic Transmission/Transaxle Cooler and Lines Flushing Procedure: Automatic Transaxle/Transmission (A/T) oil cooler and lines must be power flushed completely before an overhauled or replacement A/T is installed (except SKYACTIV-DRIVE). The most common cause of repeat A/T failures is lack of lubrication to the front and rear planetary gears. This is usually caused by an accumulation of metal particles and debris (from a previous A/T failure) on the internal mesh type baffle of the oil cooler. Power flushing will remove the restriction by back flushing, followed by forward flushing to disl |
| 10205994 | Battery Maintenance: This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery replacement cost. For new vehicles in stock at the dealer, inspect and maintain the battery periodically according to the repair procedure. |
| 10202695 | Ethanol is becoming a common additive in gasoline. Gasoline containing ethanol is likely available at your local gasoline station. Typical blends of ethanol include E10 and E85. E10: A blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. E85: A blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline All Mazda vehicles can run on gasoline containing up to 10% ethanol (E10) but only some 1999-2001 B3000 trucks can run on gasoline with more than 10% ethanol blended. E10 compatible vehicles: All Mazda vehicles. E85 compatible vehicles: 1999-2001 B3000 Mazda trucks with the 8th VIN digit is V. |
| 10201777 | Ethanol is becoming a common additive in gasoline. Gasoline containing ethanol is likely available at your local gasoline station. Typical blends of ethanol include E10 and E85. E10: A blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline, E85: A blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, All Mazda vehicles can run on gasoline containing up to 10% ethanol (E10) but only some 1999-2001 B3000 trucks can run on gasoline with more than 10% ethanol blended. E10 compatible vehicles: All Mazda vehicles. E85 compatible vehicles: 1999-2001 B3000 Mazda trucks with the 8th VIN digit is V. What if a customer puts E85 in ther |
| 10200933 | This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery replacement cost. For new vehicles in stock at the dealer, inspect and maintain the battery periodically according to the repair procedure. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)