1992 Mazda MX3
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Have the VIN?
These records cover every 1992 Mazda MX3. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
3 recalls name the 1992 Mazda MX3. Newest first.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.
Risk and remedy
Risk
If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.
Remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with front seat automatic shoulder belts. the rail of the automatic shoulder belt can wear sufficiently such that the cable which retracts the buckle assembly can become jammed in the rail rendering the shoulder belt inoperative.
Risk and remedy
Risk
A seat occupant may not be properly restrained in the event of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the passive shoulder belt assembly with a modified one (with additional dust lip) in vehicles which have experienced a problem. in vehicles in which the automatic shoulder belt functions properly, the rails will be inspected and replaced with modified rails if they exceed the inspection criteria.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the following states: connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, nw hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and washington, dc. in areas where large…
Risk and remedy
Risk
This condition increases the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Dealers will install a guard assembly which will prevent the broken coil spring from contacting the tire. in addition to performing the recall campaign, mazda IS extending the warranty coverage on the front coil springs for the lift of the vehicle. if owners have already paid for the repair or replacement of these front coil springs, due to road salt damage, mazda will reimburse these owners for reasonable expenses.
Owner complaints
45 complaints1 involved a crash1 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Seat belts
Automatic seatbelt is stuck in the middle position and cannot secure you in the event of an accident. Vehicle was taken in for an open recall but no work was performed due to lack of parts. They then closed the recall not allowing me to take it back for any repairs if parts become available. I thought they disabled the motor but as I got in one day the seatbelt moved and cannot be retracted anymore.
- Structure › Body
Car has a interior frame metal problem inside the structure of the car its welds,are coming apart sheet metal,wheel wells core support,front bumper,floor rear spare tire,sheetmetal,the rust proofing was not enough on car,or they forgot to zinc coat the inside+outside of the car metal frame(body)
- Electrical system
TL* the contact owned a 1992 mazda MX3. The contact smelled an abnormal burning odor and noticed sparks coming from the steering column near the ignition. In addition, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the steering column. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was turned off…
TL* the contact owned a 1992 mazda MX3. The contact smelled an abnormal burning odor and noticed sparks coming from the steering column near the ignition. In addition, the contact noticed white smoke coming from the steering column. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was turned off and the sparks stopped. The vehicle was repaired; however, they sold the vehicle to be salvaged. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
- Seat belts · Suspension › Front
TL* the contact owns a 1992 mazda MX3. The contact stated that the front coil spring fractured continuously. The coil spring was repaired by the contact the first three times the failure occurred yet the failure persisted. In addition, both the front driver and passenger side automatic seat belts…
TL* the contact owns a 1992 mazda MX3. The contact stated that the front coil spring fractured continuously. The coil spring was repaired by the contact the first three times the failure occurred yet the failure persisted. In addition, both the front driver and passenger side automatic seat belts were inoperable. the dealer was contacted who advised that there was a recall for the vehicle for both failures (nhtsa campaign ID numbers: 97v116000 - suspension: front: springs: coil springs and 97v211000- seat belts: front: webbing) yet the parts would need to be ordered in order to complete the repairs. The vehicle was left with the dealer but was never repaired. The manufacturer was contacted who confirmed that there were two recalls on the vehicle and advised that they would give him a return call but never did. The failure mileage was 168,000.
- Seat belts › Front › Webbing
TL* contact owns a 1992 mazda MX3. The vehicle was parked and the contact observed the driver side seat belt retractor does not extract the webbing properly. The authorized dealer was notified and informed that a prior recall repair was performed on the vehicle in december of 1998. The nhtsa…
TL* contact owns a 1992 mazda MX3. The vehicle was parked and the contact observed the driver side seat belt retractor does not extract the webbing properly. The authorized dealer was notified and informed that a prior recall repair was performed on the vehicle in december of 1998. The nhtsa campaign ID number was 97v211000 (seat belts: front: webbing). The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The contact had concern of the safety hazard involved. The failure mileage was 120,000. The current mileage was 120,500.
- Seat belts
1992 to 1993 mazda MX-3 automatic shoulder belt recall mazda dealership IS not willing to honor the lifetime warranty on the automatic shoulder belt in spite of the documentation that was provided. the automatic seat belt IS a safety issue and nhtsa ordered the recall and not mazda. *Tr
- Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
Tl*the contact owns a 1992 mazda MX3. while driving 30 mph, the front wheels on the vehicle moved uncontrollably. a mechanic stated that the front coils springs failed. the mazda dealer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign ID number 97v116000 (suspension:front:springs:coil…
Tl*the contact owns a 1992 mazda MX3. while driving 30 mph, the front wheels on the vehicle moved uncontrollably. a mechanic stated that the front coils springs failed. the mazda dealer stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign ID number 97v116000 (suspension:front:springs:coil springs). the manufacturer would not assist with the repair since the vehicle was not included in the recall. the current mileage was 117,000 and failure mileage was 100,000.
- Power train › Automatic transmission
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 60 mph the vehicle's transmission lost first and second gears, the vehicle was slowed to 30 mph and lost third and fourth gears. it was coasted off the road without incident. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. this IS the third transmission failure. the manufacturer was not alerted.
- Seat belts › Front › Retractor
Dt: the contact stated recall 97v211000 for the front seat belts was issued. a warning light illuminated, indicating the seat belt was not fastened. when stopping the vehicle the passive restraint will not lock to keep the occupant from moving forward. when he took the vehicle to have the…
Dt: the contact stated recall 97v211000 for the front seat belts was issued. a warning light illuminated, indicating the seat belt was not fastened. when stopping the vehicle the passive restraint will not lock to keep the occupant from moving forward. when he took the vehicle to have the recall repairs performed the dealer wanted him to pay for the repairs. the dealer stated the recall component was different than the component that failed on vehicle. *ak updated 11/29/2005 - *nm
- Seat belts › Front
The automatic seat belt became stuck and IS unable to retract on the driver's side. the dealer has examined the vehicle and found that the cable was twisted inside of the housing. *nm
- Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint · Suspension › Front › Control arm › Upper ball joint
While driving 55 mph a loud noise was heard coming from the front of the vehicle. Consumer drove vehicle to dealer for inspection, and the mechanic determined that both frontal upper and lower ball joints needed to be replaced due to worn out parts. *Ak
- Electrical system
While driving at 35 mph vehicle stalled without warning. no sparks were coming from the distributor to the plugs.*ak
- Seat belts › Front › Webbing
Seat belt malfunction previously repaired under recall 97v211000 IS recurring with same symptoms of seat belt not retracting when door IS opened to exit vehicle. IS the cause now the same as it was when first repaired and if so, does the same recall apply as it seems the cause remains a defect? *Jb
- Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
Passenger's front seatbelt buckle does not buckle. Took vehicle to dealer, and they could not correct the problem. Please provide any further information.*ak
- Seat belts · Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
I took my vehicle to northpark mazda/isuzu and the guy at the repair shop said they wouldn't do it because my recall had already been serviced. however if that IS true then whomever did it before put defective parts on it because they are messing up to this date. the problem lies with both automatic seatbelts and both front coil springs.
- Seat belts
Automatic seatbelt will not retract around the driver. belt will not stay fasten.ed. dealership IS aware of problem.*ak
- Seat belts
When dealership examined vehicle for recall 97v211000, no work or modifications were made to the vehicle to correct the defect. consumer stated that automatic shoulder belt rails have become stuck. dealership stated that the recall obligations have been met. Please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak
- Seat belts
Consumer had recall work performed for nhtsa recall 97v211000 concerning restraint belts. remedy performed did not correct defect because consumer's passenger side seat belt will not move in track/rail. also, belt will not allow movement of passenger because it continues to lock up and will not release. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak
- Electrical system › Wiring › Fuses and circuit breakers
Ongoing problem with engine flooding. when occurring, consumer would have to remove the 30 amp fuse for fuel injectors, and try to stop the flood. Replaced the fuse and started again. Dealer notifed, and informed consumer that IS was the only way to correct the problem for now. *ak
- Electrical system › Ignition · Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
While driving at any speed vehicle stalls unexpectedly which may result in a crash. common problem. dlr replaced distributor., but problem persisted. Please provide further information. *Ak
- Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
This vehicle had the protective shield placed on to protect the tires if the springs broke, the springs broke, and the tires were still damaged. The dealer has been contacted. *Ak
- Seat belts › Front › Webbing
Recall work performed on the automatic shoulder belts (97v-211), however failed after repair, additional component required to fix failure. Mjs
- Unknown or other
No summary listed for this vehicle. *ak
- Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
I have taken the car in for several check ups and inquired about the idle problem. was told that there was nothing that could be done about it. I would just have to get use to it. car idle will drop so low that the whole car will shudder and then the idle will pick pack up. this will continue as long as sitting still at a intersection or traffic light. once car IS in motion there IS no idle problem.
- Electrical system › Ignition › Module
While driving vehicle engine cuts off, causing loss of power steering and other vehicle components. dealer stated possible computer malfunction. *ak
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Front coil spring fracture
There is no summary currently available
- Auto restraint system fail
There is no summary currently available
- Alternator fires
There is no summary currently available
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10213425Speedometer replacement procedure
- 10208555Radio Unlocking Codes.
- 10153339In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealer's responsibility to comply with Federal, State, and local laws concerning odometer and related documentation requirements when providing a repair or replacement. Mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers. When a speedometer is replaced, the new speedometer will read zero (0) miles. This procedure is extremely important to accurately represent actual vehicle mileage. Prior to speedometer removal, complete the information required on the "Speedometer Replacement Label". Labels can only be ordered through Mazda eStore. In an effort to achieve a higher level of Customer Experience and retain the value of Mazda's vehicles, MNAO Warranty Operations is allowing all Mazda dealers to utilize a third party, SPECMO Enterprises, Inc., for Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) odometer setting service. With the use of SPECMO's services, it is possible that the odometer will be set between 10 to 31 miles over the odometer mileage at the time of replacement for both warranty and customer pay repairs. Please make sure that the customer is aware that there may be a slight variance to the odometer, in which case the customer may have to accept the slightly higher mileage. Since odometer setting service is not part of the warranty repair, it is not warrantable nor required, but optional. However, Mazda Warranty policy provides after-warranty assistance (AWA) or DSA that can be utilized to cover this service expense.
- 10148072In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealer's responsibility to comply with Federal, State, and local laws concerning odometer and related documentation requirements when providing a repair or replacement. Mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers. When a speedometer is replaced, the new speedometer will read zero (0) miles. This procedure is extremely important to accurately represent actual vehicle mileage. Prior to speedometer removal, complete the information required on the "Speedometer Replacement Label". Labels can only be ordered through Mazda eStore. In an effort to achieve a higher level of Customer Experience and retain the value of Mazda's vehicles, MNAO Warranty Operations is allowing all Mazda dealers to utilize a third party, SPECMO Enterprises, Inc., for Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) odometer setting service. With the use of SPECMO's services, it is possible that the odometer will be set between 10 to 31 miles over the odometer mileage at the time of replacement for both warranty and customer pay repairs. Please make sure that the customer is aware that there may be a slight variance to the odometer, in which case the customer may have to accept the slightly higher mileage. Since odometer setting service is not part of the warranty repair, it is not warrantable nor required, but optional. However, Mazda Warranty policy provides after- warranty assistance (AWA) or DSA that can be utilized to cover this service expense.
- 10144333In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealer's responsibility to comply with Federal, State, and local laws concerning odometer and related documentation requirements when providing a repair or replacement. Mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers. When a speedometer is replaced, the new speedometer will read zero (0) miles. This procedure is extremely important to accurately represent actual vehicle mileage. Prior to speedometer removal, complete the information required on the "Speedometer Replacement Label". Labels can only be ordered through Mazda eStore. In an effort to achieve a higher level of Customer Experience and retain the value of Mazda's vehicles, MNAO Warranty Operations is allowing all Mazda dealers to utilize a third party, SPECMO Enterprises, Inc., for Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) odometer setting service. With the use of SPECMO's services, it is possible that the odometer will be set between 10 to 31 miles over the odometer mileage at the time of replacement for both warranty and customer pay repairs. Please make sure that the customer is aware that there may be a slight variance to the odometer, in which case the customer may have to accept the slightly higher mileage. Since odometer setting service is not part of the warranty repair, it is not warrantable nor required, but optional. However, Mazda Warranty policy provides after-warranty assistance (AWA) or DSA that can be utilized to cover this service expense.
- 10118467In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealer?s responsibility to comply with Federal, State, and local laws concerning odometerand related documentation requirements when providing a repair or replacement. Mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers. When a speedometer is replaced, the new speedometer will read zero (0) miles. This procedure is extremely important to accurately represent actual vehicle mileage. Prior to speedometer removal, complete the information required on the ?SpeedometerReplacement Label?.Labels can only be ordered through Mazda eStore. In an effort to achieve a higher level of Customer Experience and retain the value of Mazda?s vehicles, MNAO Warranty Operations is allowing all Mazda dealers to utilize a third party, SPECMO Enterprises, Inc., for Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) odometer setting service.With the use of SPECMO?s services, a Mazda dealer can get the odometer setting updated to reflect the correct mileage at the time of replacement for both warranty and customer pay repairs, therefore resulting in a higher level of customer satisfaction. Since odometer setting service is not part of the warranty repair, it is not warrantable nor required, but optional. However, Mazda Warranty policy provides after- warranty assistance (AWA) or DSA that can be utilized to cover this service expense.
- 10098367In accordance with federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer.note:mazda vehicles are manufactured with tamper-proof speedometers.when a speedometer IS replaced, the new speedometer will read zero (0) miles.this procedure IS extremely important to accurately represent actual vehicle mileage.prior to speedometer removal, complete the information required on the speedometer replace-ment label. Labels can only be ordered through mstore, not mdcs.
- 10009427Battery test procedure requirements.
- 10009424Speedometer replacement procedure.
- 6092410Some vehicles may exhibit erratic shifting, o/d off indicator light flashing with malfunction indicator lamp on as a result of the valve body harness (transaxle fluid temperature sensor circuit) being pinched by a metal clip which IS attached to the transmission control valve body, causing a short / open circuit.
- 605988Experiencing popping noise from front brake caliper during slow speed braking.
- 604035Experienceing a metallic tapping noise heard from the right ( rear ) cylinder head exhaust cam area.
- 603992Automatic transaxle selector lever IS difficult to operate.
- 603891Conditions with steering wheel slightly off center.
- 603890Information regarding a/t selector lever hard to operate.
- 603882Subject on passive seat belt retractor switch.
- 54319Pre-painting preparations for front and rear bumpers.
- 54318Subject pertaining to mtx overhaul information.
- 53007Descriptions of typical engine noises.
- 52520Parts replacement after airbag deployment.
- 52503Maintenance free battery - diagnostic and charging procedure.
- 52498Partial engine replacement (pcv system modification).
- 52497Use of a/c tracer dye.
- 52492Wiper motor inoperative - circuit breaker activation.
- 44098Engine idle vibration in d range.
- 44000Unknown
- 43094Unknown
- 43093Unknown
- 40066Clutch squealing noise.
- 39763Hard start with cold engine.
- 39753Hinge holder breakage.
- 38092Frozen door/hatch lock cylinders.
Every Mazda MX3 model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.