2006 Mazda MX-5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other MX-5 years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Mazda MX-5. That ranks 2nd out of 21 MX-5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (6 complaints, 24%), typically at around 30,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 25owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 Mazda MX-5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 6 | 24% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 16% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 12% | 2,050 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 12% | 51,350 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 8% | 177,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 8% | 17,950 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 8% | 25,508 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 8% | 45,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 4% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 4% | 100,200 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 4% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 4% | 9,550 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 4% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 4% | 4,575 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 4% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 4% | 1,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 Mazda MX-5 recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: 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.
Risk: Should this occur, the horn assembly may separate and could injure the driver.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver-side frontal air bag module free of charge. The recall began on april 28, 2006. Owners may contact mazda at 800-222-5500.
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.
Started out as intermittent Air Bag/Seat Belt Pretensioner system warning light about 3 months ago. Over the last 2 weeks, the warning stayed on per the manual and required replacement. I had this service performed on 3/6/2024 at a cost of $811.43 by Sumter Tire and Auto using Preordered Mazda…
air bag warning light for passenger will not go off
When it rains, water leaks into and pools under seats and in the trunk. Just had the top replaced, so it is not due to an old top. Just recently purchased this car.
Passenger airbag seat sensor not detecting persons in seat. Airbags remain turned off. Passenger airbag off indicated, code 48 flashes on dash. Common problem. Doesn't matter if car is moving or not.
The mx-5 has a design flaw in the roof drain on the candace convertible top. It floods your car your floorboards and your truck is filled with water. It is very costly to have this replaced and carpets drained of water and then cleaned. I love my car but if i had known of this defect i would not…
Other Mazda MX-5 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 MX-5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 MX-5 | 3 | 1 |
| 2024 MX-5 | 5 | 1 |
| 2023 MX-5 | 7 | 1 |
| 2022 MX-5 | 5 | 1 |
| 2021 MX-5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2020 MX-5 | 3 | 1 |
| 2019 MX-5 | 11 | 3 |
| 2018 MX-5 | 3 | 3 |
| 2017 MX-5 | 11 | 2 |
| 2016 MX-5 | 34 | 3 |
| 2015 MX-5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 MX-5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2013 MX-5 | 2 | 0 |
| 2012 MX-5 | 5 | 0 |
| 2011 MX-5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2010 MX-5 | 4 | 0 |
| 2009 MX-5 | 3 | 0 |
| 2008 MX-5 | 7 | 0 |
| 2007 MX-5 | 17 | 0 |
| 2006 | 25 | 1 |
See all Mazda MX-5 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 2006 Mazda MX-5?
Owners most often report structure, seat belts, power train problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2006 Mazda MX-5?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2006 Mazda MX-5 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other MX-5 model years, the 2006 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.