1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other MX-5 Miata years
- Fewer complaints than other years 8th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 11 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata. That ranks 8th out of 11 MX-5 Miata model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (2 complaints, 18%). Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 11owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 2 | 18% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 18% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 9% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I have a 1997 mazda miata with 113,000 miles. It has been a great car up until this recent problem. It started out that the "meter" fuse was failing intermittently. When the 15 amp fuse was replaced it would work fine for aproximately 2-3 minutes (maybe less) at which point i noticed the "service…
We took the car in to sunnyvale mazda today because the steering column was loose and they said the safety clamps are broken and that the steering column needed to be replaced (plus the safety clamps) and that we must have run over a "bump" to cause the steering column to have to be replaced. I…
The thread about to separate from the tire (tiresize: p185-60r14)( dot number: tire size: p185-60r14 )
At all timesthere is a strong gasoling odor in vehicle and in trunk which causes occupants to get sick. Dealer cannot determine the cause. *ak
Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision at 35-40mph, and the airbags did not deploy, causing injuries. *ak
Other Mazda MX-5 Miata years
← 1996 MX-5 Miata · 1998 MX-5 Miata →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 MX-5 Miata | 4 | 0 |
| 2004 MX-5 Miata | 8 | 0 |
| 2003 MX-5 Miata | 14 | 0 |
| 2002 MX-5 Miata | 20 | 0 |
| 2001 MX-5 Miata | 22 | 0 |
| 2000 MX-5 Miata | 29 | 0 |
| 1999 MX-5 Miata | 74 | 0 |
| 1998 MX-5 Miata | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | 11 | 0 |
| 1996 MX-5 Miata | 29 | 0 |
| 1995 MX-5 Miata | 30 | 0 |
See all Mazda MX-5 Miata problems by year, every Mazda model, or the Mazda VIN decoder.
Similar Mazda models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other MX-5 Miata model years, the 1997 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.