1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 10about this part
- Share
- 14%of 74 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 52,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 10 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata, 14% of the 74 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 52,000 miles. 2 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“On 11/10/03, my 1999 miata stalled when clutch is pushed at idle. I was driving on highway 101 at that time and would create a danger environment for the surrounding cars. After a car mechanic inspected my car, he found that the crankshaft end play was approximately .5 wide. The mechanic suspected that the problem might have been caused by the failure of the thrust bearing. My car currently has about 70,000 miles. Mazda installed improper thrust bearing on many 1999 miatas, causing the car to stall when clutch is pushed at idle. …”
NHTSA complaint #10046899, filed 2003-11, 69,500 miles“Blindness caused by airbag. Crash caused by throttle sticking open. Full braking immediate as shown by skid marks and while brakes slowed vehicle unable to stop the car or turn before impact. Video and witnesses confirm cause must be open throttle. Both braking and turning failed to stop or turn the car. Throttle open or accelerator jammed full on.”
NHTSA complaint #10389908, filed 2011-03, 52,000 miles“Blindness caused by airbag. Crash caused by throttle stucking openg. Full braking with skid marks slowed vehicle but did not stop the car before impact.”
NHTSA complaint #10389907, filed 2011-03, 52,000 miles“Loud noise from transmission in 4th gear from 3500 - 4000 RPM at full throttle. Mazda claims this is normal and after driving 10 seperate 99 miata's this noise is not normal. The noise is present on all 99 miata's but the loudness varies. On my miata the noise is 2 -3 times as loud as all other 99 miata's I have driven.”
NHTSA complaint #718873, filed 2000-02“The contact owns a 1999 Mazda miata. The contact heard a loud rattling noise near the engine when the clutch pedal was depressed. The failure occurred for more than a year when the vehicle became hot. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10597657, filed 2014-06, 25,000 milesTransmission and drivetrain: other model years
Other parts of the 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata
16 complaintsEngine cooling
11 complaintsElectrical system
10 complaintsFuel system
6 complaintsVehicle speed control
6 complaintsBody and structure
5 complaintsAir bags
4 complaintsTires
4 complaintsSteering
3 complaintsSuspension
2 complaintsExterior lighting
1 complaintsSeat belts
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology