car has had multiple airbag lights come on I have fixed them all I cannot buy parts to fix my airbag new so I have to go and find used parts that just keep breaking I know many people with this problem almost every owner of one of these cars has this exact problem
The worst 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags6
- Seat belts6
- Transmission6
- Engine4
- Brakes3
- Acceleration2
- Seats2
- Lights1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata 7
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4‑cyl | RWD | 21-22 | 26-28 | 23-24 |
What 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Www.southbaymazda.com hawthorne blvd. X atresia blvd manhattan beach ca 91246-0762 3103235712 fax
I was driving to the gas station to get some tea and on my way back as I was shifting into 5th gear I felt a pop and I finally got it into gear but I had to shift into neutral to stop I started to depress the clutch because of the pop I felt and with every push it lost more and more pressure and eventually after the 4th push there was no resistance at all two people helped push me to the side of the road and I had to drive home by shutting off the car and shifting into first gear and turning it over and pressing the gas pedal to start it and we had it towed to the mechanic and he said that a bolt came loose and fell into the slave cylinder damaging it which caused all my clutch fluid to leak out and these cars are known to cause some bolts to vibrate out and this problem could simply be fixed with a little loctite thread locker and that would have saved over 1,000 dollars in repairs if I didn't have green lights all the way home there could have been an accident.
Dt*: the contact stated while shifting from 5th gear or reverse to neutral, the transmission would go into reverse. An independent repair shop determined the swing arm was bad on the vehicle and should be repaired.
Driver's side seat belt fails to latch it often takes multiple attempts to cause it to hold.
Consumer noticed that while traveling air bag indication light flashed . Dealer and manufacturer have been contacted.
Consumer noticed frontal seat belts will not lock in place. Dealer and manufaturer had been contacted.
When pressing on brakes there be no difference in brake lights and tail lights. Consumer feels brake lights are not bright enough.
Gear gets stuck in reverse. Also, vehicle is placed in neutral and foot is released from the accelerator pedal vehicle will roll backwards.
When it rains enough to generate some standing water on the road, the brakes may not work at all for a couple seconds after applied.
Compare the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Other model years
1990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005
Questions about the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Is the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata reliable?
Owners have filed 28 complaints about the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata, 2.0 times a typical MX-5 Miata model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata?
Airbags, with 6 complaints. Next is seat belts (6).
How many recalls does the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Mazda MX-5 Miata have bad airbags?
The Mazda MX-5 Miata model years with the most airbags complaints are 1996 (17 complaints), 1995 (16 complaints) and 1991 (10 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata get?
Official estimates for the 1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata range from 23 to 24 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.6L 4-cyl, RWD) gets 21-22 city and 26-28 highway.
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