2001 Mazda MPV Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report engine and cooling problems — an exhaust sulfur odor, repeated check-engine lights, coolant leaks — along with air bags that either failed to deploy in a crash or deployed with no impact at all. Transmission complaints cluster around rough or delayed shifting and loss of gears, usually past 70,000 miles, while several smaller groups cover headlight and ignition switch electrical faults, a sticking accelerator pedal, and sliding door hardware.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Air bag did not deploy, or deployed with no impact

   • 11 complaints (16%)
   • median 114,500 mi at 10.9 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2014

   Complaints describe frontal collisions in which none of the air bags deployed, and separately describe the passenger or side air bag firing while parked or with no crash, in a couple of cases with injury to the occupant. Owners report the dealer or manufacturer either could not explain the deployment or declined to inspect the vehicle. The input recalls include an air bag module campaign for vehicles where the passenger module welds may keep it from deploying. Reports span very low to high mileage, from near-new vehicles to ones above 130,000 miles.

   Recall 02V196001

   What to check: Ask whether the passenger air bag module recall (02V196001) was completed, and have the air bag warning light and system codes checked before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On may the 5th 2014 while sitting still and the engine not running the passenger seat airbag deployed causing deep bruising and a cracked rib to my daughter who was sitting in the seat at the time. Since then I have been afraid to drive my vehicle which is a 2001 Mazda MPV. This is the only vehicle that I have and can not afford another because I am disabled and draw ssi. Please help!”

   NHTSA complaint #10605463, filed 2014-06, 140,000 miles

   “I had an accident the 01/18/05 in Mazda MPV 2001 van, the insurance company declare total lost of the car, and my complaint is because the air bags did not work, never came out, that`s why me and my family are in therapy for neck and back, I asking for help, because I called the Mazda company and they do not give me any solutions, this is my first accident and, I don`t know what I have to do.”

   NHTSA complaint #10110038, filed 2005-02, 99 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Rough or failing automatic transmission

   • 14 complaints (20%)
   • median 73,500 mi at 6.0 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2002–2018

   Complaints describe harsh or violent 1-2 upshifts, slipping in third, no fourth gear, and total loss of forward or reverse gears, with rebuild or replacement quoted at roughly $2,500. Owners say some units had already been replaced once and that fluid condition looked fine when the failure appeared. Dealers and shops generally recommended a rebuild or replacement rather than a repair. Mostly reported between about 70,000 and 150,000 miles, though one complaint came at very low mileage on a cold engine.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check transmission fluid color and smell, drive from cold and note any harsh 1-2 shift, and ask for service records or a prior replacement history.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2001 Mazda MPV minivan began to shift hard and quick between gears. Had the transmission fluid drained at 45k miles. The van has 74k right now and I feel Mazda's design of this transmission is the culprit and not myself who takes good care of vehicle and have records to prove it. Would like to have Mazda rep. Explain to me his company's position of my complaint.”

   NHTSA complaint #10176904, filed 2006-12, 73,500 miles

   “When I initially bought this vehicle it had been through previous owners and I have been trying to fix things but am a single mother of three and I just can afford much but I happen to put the yr make and model into the google one day and notice of recalls and as I read the same as whats I had already noticed had already happened and I figured I could live with it but I woke up one morning got in it and boom driving for ten minutes and boom all of a sudden I have no gears and then I get 1st and nothing else then eventually no reverse , so …”

   NHTSA complaint #11151384, filed 2018-11, 99 miles
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Check-engine light and rough running

   • 8 complaints (11%)
   • median 58,000 mi at 3.6 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2002–2008

   Owners report the check-engine light returning repeatedly with the same codes, hesitation or jerking, and repairs that included oxygen sensors, manifold gaskets, spark plugs and throttle body cleaning without a lasting fix. In some cases a leaking exhaust manifold produced a ticking noise at startup along with the light, and one owner was told a coolant leak had led to a cracked engine block. Dealers in several complaints reset the light or said they could not identify the cause. Reported from very low mileage up into the 70,000s, with exhaust manifold leaks noted around 58,000 miles.

   What to check: Have any stored codes read and ask what was already replaced; listen for a ticking exhaust leak on a cold start and check coolant level and condition.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Since we got the van it was a new vehicle and the engine light has consistently come on. The dealer tryed to tell us we were not tightening the gas cap. Then it was we needed a new gas cap. You have to take it to the shop every time the light comes on. One mechanic stated it was an 02 sensor that was supposed to have been replaced after much hassle. Now 10 days later the engine light is back on. The warranty is about to run out.”

   NHTSA complaint #10074576, filed 2004-06, 6,500 miles

   “I am experiencing a malfunctioning number 1 spark plug for my 2001 Mazda MPV dx. Prior to the check engine light illuminating, the vehicle experiences serious hesitation when speeding up. I live near many railroad crossings and the hesitation is serious enough for me to question whether the vehicle will stop altogether. I have had the check engine light serviced three times. Each time the dealer claims that the number 1 spark plug is cracked. The spark plug is covered by the standard warranty, so the dealer replaces it without question. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10016840, filed 2003-05, 25,798 miles
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Exhaust sulfur (rotten egg) smell

   • 12 complaints (17%)
   • median 49,000 mi at 3.5 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2002–2011

   Owners describe a strong rotten-egg odor coming from the exhaust and into the cabin, noticed from new, on hills, at idle or under acceleration, and in some cases bad enough to make passengers uncomfortable. Dealers variously attributed it to the fuel, said it was normal, or replaced the catalytic converter, sometimes more than once. A service bulletin in the input describes the same sulfur odor after cold starts and full throttle and notes it is not by itself an indication of an emissions fault. Reported from very low mileage, often within the first 25,000 miles and in some cases from new.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the catalytic converter has been replaced and note any sulfur smell during a cold start and a hard acceleration on the test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Purchased the car, drove it up a hill had a terrible egg smell seems to be every time I go up a hill. Took it back to the dealer they said it was the gas I was using. Took it to another garage and they say it the catalytic converter needs to be replaced. The dealer won't do anything the smell is very embarrassing. We bought this for a family car now no one wants to ride in it. Maybe that's why it's a 2001 and only has 12,000 miles on it.”

   NHTSA complaint #10018622, filed 2003-05, 25 miles

   “Consumer complained about a catalytic converter problem. Catalytic converter was under warranty and was replaced twice within 1 year. Comsumer maintained that dealer was not doing what was needed to remedy the problem. Dealership asked consumer to return the rental car although the catalytic converter problem was not resolved.”

   NHTSA complaint #10060963, filed 2004-02, 40,000 miles
5. 5
   Vehicle speed control

   Sticking accelerator pedal and engine surging

   • 5 complaints (7%)
   • median 48,222 mi at 4.3 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2006

   Owners describe the accelerator pedal sticking after shifting into drive or reverse and the van lurching or surging when the pedal is pressed, mainly on a cold start. Dealers attributed it to carbon buildup or a faulty throttle body and in some cases treated it as maintenance rather than warranty work. A related complaint describes engine surging when trying to stop, which was not resolved. A recall in the input covers a cruise control actuator cable on certain minivans with cruise control. Mostly reported between roughly 25,000 and 70,000 miles, often on a cold engine.

   Recall 04V2340001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the cruise control cable recall (04V234000) was completed, and check that the pedal moves freely and returns smoothly from a cold start.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Accelerator pedal was sticking after placing the vehicle in drive or reverse. The consumer was told by the dealership, that the problem was caused by carbon build-up on the throttle body which was not covered under warranty and considered a maintenance problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10066829, filed 2004-04, 25,000 miles

   “Accelerator pedal was sticking after placing the vehicle in drive or reverse. The van would jump when pushing the pedal. The consumer was told by the dealership, that the problem was caused by bad throttle body.”

   NHTSA complaint #10107554, filed 2005-01, 48,222 miles

Buying note. This model year has a long list of small and mid-sized faults rather than one dominant problem, so service history matters more than mileage alone. Confirm the open recalls were completed, listen for a sulfur smell or exhaust tick, and drive the van from cold to judge the transmission and accelerator pedal.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.