2018 Mazda MX-5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other MX-5 years
- Not enough data 13th of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Mazda MX-5. That ranks 13th out of 21 MX-5 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (1 complaints, 33%). There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 3owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 1 | 33% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 33% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 33% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 33% | 9,700 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 33% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Mazda MX-5 recalls (3)
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.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
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.
2018 Mazda Miata MX-5 Club Sport, manual transmission Heading home from a friends house that evening, transmission started whirring/whining in 6th gear, then 5th, and so on through 2nd - 1st gear seems to be unaffected. I was forced to apply hazard flashers and travel well below the speed limit in…
I've owned my 2018 mazda mx-5 for about two years. The problems slow started arising. At first i hadn't noticed, but when going in and out of 'drive' the vehicle felt like it was either going to stall or accelerate. I had initially thought was because it's a 'sports car.' in august of 2020 the…
Started from creak noise as car start to move, accelerate or stop. Now it developed to some ticking noise every time car accelerate or decelerate. The car is only at about 9700 mi went to spreen mazda loma linda ca to inspect the car. They said it is normal and come back when it gets worse
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 | 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 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 2018 Mazda MX-5?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine, power train problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Mazda MX-5?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 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 2018 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.