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2006 Mazda MX-5 Problems and Recalls

Owners filed 25 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Mazda MX-5, most often about the body and structure (24% of complaints, typically around 30,000 miles). It is the 2nd most complained-about MX-5 model year since 2000 and has 1 recall.

Complaints25
Recalls1
Crashes reported1
Fires reported0
Injuries reported1

Most common 2006 Mazda MX-5 problems

  1. Body and structure

    6 complaints · 24%

    Half of these problems showed up before 30,000 miles. Parts named most often: body.

    My car was parked at work. It was raining. When I got into the vehicle, it was flooded on the inside up to 6 inches. The gas pedal was slippery. It smelled musty, like mildew and mold. I contacted the dealer but got no return phone calls. I wrote them a letter and received a phone call then. They told me to trade the…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2014, at 30,000 miles
    Excessive flooding in cabin on drivers and passenger side as well as trunk. Mazda has since modified their roof drain system as this is a known defect. Once the model is out of factory warranty, they refuse to replace parts with updated parts to fix the problem. The convertible roof itself does not leak. It is the…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2013, at 17,000 miles

  2. Seat belts

    4 complaints · 16%

    It has been well documented that the seat belt retractors in 2006 Mazda miatas fail to retract the seat belt. Initial Mazda denied the existence of the problem and in my case told me it was normal for a seat belt not to retract. In response Mazda finally issued a tsb (08-001/11) in 2008 which recommends washing the…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2012, at 30,000 miles
    My car was parked at work. It was raining. When I got into the vehicle, it was flooded on the inside up to 6 inches. The gas pedal was slippery. It smelled musty, like mildew and mold. I contacted the dealer but got no return phone calls. I wrote them a letter and received a phone call then. They told me to trade the…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2014, at 30,000 miles

  3. Transmission

    3 complaints · 12%

    Parts named most often: manual transmission, clutch assembly.

    This MX-5 has the 5 speed manual transmission. With approximately 1,200 miles on the vehicle, the clutch friction point (the location in pedal travel where the clutch begins to engage) moved from the bottom of the pedal (near the floor) to approximately one inch from the top (pedal normal position -- not depressed).…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2006, at 1,200 miles
    : the contact stated to put the vehicle in reverse, slight downward pressure must be applied to first gear. Since the pressure is so slight, it is not possible to tell if the vehicle is in first gear or reverse until the accelerator pedal is depressed. The dealership has not been alerted.
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2006, at 2,900 miles

  4. Other or unspecified

    3 complaints · 12%

    Car started rattling from the console area between the seats where you open your gas cap at. This started about a month into having the vehicle. The convertible top is leaking. I took the vehicle in for it's 3000 mile maintenance. I was told that "convertible tops leak and they could not duplicate the rattle." the…
    Owner report to NHTSA, 2006, at 2,500 miles

Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.

2006 Mazda MX-5 recalls

  1. Air bags: frontal

    NHTSA 06V103000 · April 5, 2006 · 2,600 vehicles

    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.

    Full defect summary

    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.

Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.

Questions about the 2006 Mazda MX-5

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Mazda MX-5?
By NHTSA owner complaints: body and structure (6 complaints, typically around 30,000 miles); seat belts (4 complaints); transmission (3 complaints).
How many recalls does the 2006 Mazda MX-5 have?
1 recall listed by NHTSA, the latest from April 5, 2006 (air bags). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
Is the 2006 a bad year for the Mazda MX-5?
It is the 2nd most complained-about MX-5 model year since 2000, with 25 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.

Other Mazda MX-5 years

Mazda MX-5 problems by year