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2017 Mazda MX-5Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 11 owner complaints about the 2017 Mazda MX-5, most often about the visibility/wiper. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 24V-695 the manufacturer reports only 69% of affected cars repaired.

2017 Mazda MX-5
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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 69%Owner complaints112 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage8kVisibility/wiper, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 19, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2017 Mazda MX-5 has problems

11 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Visibility/wiper40
Steering21
Electronic stability control (ESC)10
Power train10
Air bags10
Tires10
Service brakes10
Electrical system11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2017 Mazda MX-5 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

69%repaired · 2026 Q3

Air bag/restraint control module: software

Recall 24V-695 · Sep 18, 2024 · 77,670 vehicles · 53,965 repaired

Risk. An air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

90%repaired · 2020 Q2

Automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Recall 19V-072 · Feb 1, 2019 · 14,370 vehicles · 12,951 repaired

Risk. If the vehicle abruptly downshifts, the driver may lose control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mazda.

Best & worst years

2017 vs. every other MX-5 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the MX-5 median. How we score

'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2017 Mazda MX-5 safety ratings

2017 Mazda MX-5 C RWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: Optional
In owners' words

What MX-5 owners report

Recent visibility/wiper complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

Vehicles rear windshield spontaneously shattered. Vehicle was idle and upon starting the vehicle a cracking sound was heard in the cabin and the rear view mirror was unusable as the rear windshield was entirely shattered into <1 inch pieces. Small pieces of loose glass had fallen from both upper…
Complaint 11667552 · Jun 17, 2025
THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A LOT. THE CRACK APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND RAPIDLY PROPOGATED HORIZONTALLY ALONG THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD TO ROUGHLY THE CENTER OF THE GLASS. THE CAR HAD 12000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE WINDSHIELD…
Complaint 11221551 · Jun 20, 2019 · 12,000 miles
AT 8300 MILES THIS CAR HAS DOZENS OF ROCK CHIPS IN THE WINDSHIELD, MOST OF WHICH WERE PICKED UP FROM DRIVING ON RELATIVELY CLEAN INTERSTATES AND SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEGUN TO SPIDERWEB. I BELIEVE THAT THE GLASS ON THIS VEHICLE IS ABNORMALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO PICKING UP CHIPS FROM ROCKS WHICH WILL IN…
Complaint 11186624 · Mar 13, 2019 · 8,300 miles

Own a 2017 MX-5?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.