"How reliable is the 1994 Mazda Mx-5 Miata?"

"Based on 20 NHTSA complaints, the 1994 Mazda Mx-5 Miata has a median complaint mileage of 72500 miles. The most common issue is Air Bags."

"What are common problems with the 1994 Mazda Mx-5 Miata?"

"The most frequently reported component in NHTSA complaints for the 1994 Mazda Mx-5 Miata is Air Bags, accounting for a significant portion of the 20 total complaints filed."

1994 Mazda Mx-5 Miata: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 20 complaints

Total Complaints

72,500mi

Median Mileage

Air Bags

Top Issue

Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

63,500 25th Percentile

72,500 Median Mileage

109,250 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Air Bags

Ignition

Windshield Wiper/Washer

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip

Vehicle Speed Control

Tires

Visibility

Fuel Pump

Seat Belts

Electrical System

Severity Assessment

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WINDSHIELD WIPER WORK PERIODICALLY, DUE TO ELECTRICIAL PROBLEM. TT"

"CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND ENGINE CUT OFF. TT"

"ABS, WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE ABS BRAKES CONTINUE TO STAY ON (YELLOW) RESTART, CONTINUE TO RESTART TO MAKE LIGHT GO OFF. *AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Air Bags 10 complaints

25th: 64,000 mi Median: 65,000 mi 75th: 99,500 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

CA: 5 MD: 3 VA: 2 MO: 2 00: 1 FL: 1 MI: 1 VT: 1 NC: 1 OH: 1

Who Files Complaints?

20%

Original Owners

80%

Second+ Owners

Mazda Mx-5 Miata — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

Year	Complaints	Median Mileage	Top Issue	Crashes
1990	32	-	Buckle Assembly	4
1991	21	64,750	Air Bags	2
1992	25	97,000	Air Bags	5
1995	36	-	Frontal	11
1996	32	78,000	Air Bags	2
1999	87	52,000	Disc	15
2000	34	40,000	Electrical System	2
2001	24	53,000	Fuel Pump	3
2002	23	35,000	Electrical System	2

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28