2017 Mazda MX-5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other MX-5 years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 11 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Mazda MX-5. That ranks 4th out of 21 MX-5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is visibility/wiper (4 complaints, 36%), typically at around 8,300 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 11owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2017 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 36% | 8,300 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 18% | 915 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 9% | 915 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 9% | 9,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 9% | 8,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2017 Mazda MX-5 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags: air bag/restraint control module:software
Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2023 MX-5 Miata vehicles. A software error in the air bag control module may cause the front air bags to deploy with excessive force during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: An air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the Sophisticated Air Bag Sensor (SAS) control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 6924I.
Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2019 MX-5 (Miata) vehicles with automatic transmissions. Due to incorrect programming of the Transmission Control Module (TCM), certain conditions may cause the vehicle to unexpectedly downshift and abruptly decelerate.
Risk: If the vehicle abruptly downshifts, the driver may lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the TCM with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3019A.
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 am filing this complaint regarding a manual transmission failure on my 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata (VIN: [XXX] ) at 55,000 miles. The failure occurred without warning while driving, causing immediate and significant transmission malfunction. Mazda issued Technical Service Bulletin 05 [XXX] c addressing…
Happened at US 101 Southbound 0.1 MILES SOUTH of RENGSTORFF AVENUE. âPower Steering Malfunctionâ light came on, then suddenly after 1 second, the carâs steering went stiff and suddenly braked while at freeway speed flow of traffic. Car then sharply veered left into center divider due to…
I have 205/45/R 17 on a car that I drive on short trips maybe once a week or two. Driving on the highway, the tpms light came on and the handling was instantly strange. I pulled over and checked the tire, the sidewall was blown out on the passenger rear. I had it replaced. Now about 2 months later…
Vehicles rear windshield spontaneously shattered. Vehicle was idle and upon starting the vehicle a cracking sound was heard in the cabin and the rear view mirror was unusable as the rear windshield was entirely shattered into <1 inch pieces. Small pieces of loose glass had fallen from both upper…
Airbag recall mail received from Mazda, when trying to book online mazdausa.com service depart denies vehicle has a recall and refused to schedule appointment
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 | 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 MX-5 | 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 2017 Mazda MX-5?
Owners most often report visibility/wiper, steering, air bags problems. The top one, visibility/wiper, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2017 Mazda MX-5?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2017 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 2017 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.