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1993 Mazda MX3Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 54 owner complaints about the 1993 Mazda MX3, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-674 the manufacturer reports only 1% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 1%Owner complaints547 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage113kSeat belts, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 10, 2020. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1993 Mazda MX3 has problems

54 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
Seat belts302
Power train70
Electrical system61
Visibility30
Service brakes, hydraulic30
Suspension30
Vehicle speed control30
Air bags32
Engine and engine cooling20
2 other systems20

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

3 recalls

1993 Mazda MX3 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.

1%repaired · 2017 Q1

Ignition: switch

Recall 15V-674 · Oct 19, 2015 · 1,368,500 vehicles · 8,332 repaired

Risk. If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

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

1993 vs. every other MX3 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 MX3 median. How we score

'92'93'94'95'96'99
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1993 Mazda MX3, and the recalls they led to.

  1. AUTO RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILEA94039 · closed Nov 26, 1997
    Led to recall 97V-211
  2. ALTERNATOR FIRESPE94075 · closed Dec 21, 1994
    No recall
  3. FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURERQ98001 · closed Nov 16, 1998
    Led to recall 97V-116
In owners' words

What MX3 owners report

Recent seat belts complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

DRIVERS SIDE AUTOMATIC BELT DOES NOT WORK. CAN ONLY USE LAP BELT. HAD DEALERSHIP CORRECT DURING INITIAL RECALL BUT THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM THEN. YEARS LATER PROBLEM BEGAN AND MAZDA WILL NOT CORRECT. SEAT BELT KEEPS MOVING BACK AND FORTH IN TRACK AND WILL NOT LOCK IN PLACE. I HAVE TO REMOVE FUSE…
Complaint 11210519 · May 29, 2019 · 150,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MAZDA MX-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ORDERED THE SEAT BELT REPLACEMENT KIT AND REPLACED THE PART YEARS AGO, BUT THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO SECURE AND RETRACT AFTER THE REPAIR. BROWNING MAZDA (18827…
Complaint 11175041 · Feb 7, 2019 · 55,000 miles
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MAZDA MX3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE MOTOR FOR THE SEAT BELT FAILED AND LOCKED WHEN SHE OPENED THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER; NOR WAS IT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS…
Complaint 10399092 · May 4, 2011 · 99,000 miles

Own a 1993 MX3?

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