Mazda Miata Problems and Solutions

garymgreene

I have the same problem-creaky left front brake. What type of lube did you use?

barbiecar

Water pools in the drain of my new miata and I get soaked every time I open the door when it is raining. The dealer says ALL miatas do this. A drip is understandable, but this is like a bucket of water is dumped on me. Anyone else have this problem?

erics6

What do you mean drain. The top? It's a convertible. Usually the weight of a person getting in or out causes some water to drip. There's no real gutter, just a seam along the edge. If there's a lot of standing water on the top I just use my hands to wipe it off before I open the door.

barbiecar

Thanks, but it's mainly a problem when I'm seated in the car and opening the door to get out. I get a bunch of water dumped on me. If I'm getting in, there's no visible water standing on the roof but,when I open the door it comes pouring down (from somewhere). Have you heard of any others that do that? I'm wondering if I have an ill-fitting roof.

erics6

Not really a problem for me. Pouring down sounds like a lot of water. Don't know what would cause that. You might google miata.net for more information.

camrysev6owner

Hi all, I am new to this discussion because I just got my 97 Miata yesterday, the basic model with manual everything. The car has 140,000 km on it, which is not bad. I do have some questions about the car though.

1) When I'm driving at around 90km, rpm is around 3000. Is that normal? And I feel I always have to shift at around 3500rpm in order to catch up with others.

2) Does the car run on regular fuel?

3) When I got my car yesterday, I broke the right rearview mirror while trying to adjust it. Found out the joint inside is entirely rusted. Any cheap solutions for that problem? The part is around $170 at a Mazda dealer, but I wonder if it's difficult to install. If I need to get the dealer to fix it it would cost another 80 bucks.

All else seems fine. The car is basically rust-free except the little spot at the edge of the trunk lid. The engine runs great but I am not sure if the high revs are normal.

When I bought the car, the rear plastic window was cracked about the size of an apple. Luckily the seller was kind enough to bring it to a shop to fix it for me for 230 dollars. Now it's like new.

Oh by the way, the only complaint is that I can't find any cupholders in the car!???

ateixeira

1. Yes, gearing is short to compensate somewhat for the low torque from the engine.

2. Regular, they only started recommending premium in '99 or '00.

3. I would try to source one from the local junk yard.

Cup holders came in an insert that rested on top of the middle console, at least on my '93. They're horrible anyway. Shop Griot's Garage for some better ones.

-juice

erics6

miata.net has various cupholder options. rpm sound fine. Rev the HECK out of it. That's what it's meant for. Zoom zoom...

Sunny and warm yesterday. Got to drive around with the top down. Spring is on the way??? Okay, probably not, possible snow by the end of the week.

camrysev6owner

Thanks to Ateixeira and Erics6 for your useful information. Ya I guess I just need to rev the heck out of it. Tried driving it in the snow with the summer tires last night. Boy was it a challenge! A little fish-tailing was kinda fun though.

I guess I can live without a cupholder... for now...

chet4

99 miata vibrates @ 60 to 70 mph ,new tires and rims,balanced and checked by dealership.Says not vibrating enough to find the problem.Any ideas?

ksuleman

Hi, I have a 2001 Miata 6 spd with the Sport package. My Miata has a slight shimmer or a vibration at 60Km/hr (~40 mph). I took the car to the dealer many times, they finally adjusted the yoke from the drive shaft to the tranny, this provides some relief. However, the car still has the same vibration at 60kmph and Mazda knows about this problem, they just don't know what to do, they keep saying its within their tolerance. They claim Miatas have vibrations, but they keep adjusting the yoke when it gets misalligned.

chet4

Thanks much.Will have this checked.I was going to change everything from driveshaft rearward.

khaines

Recently my 2000 Miata will not restart after driving for awhile. If I let it sit for 15-20 minutes it usually starts again. Yesterday, it started missing while I was driving and then quit totally. 15-20 minutes later it cranked back up. Any thoughts?

ateixeira

Strange. Fuel pump, maybe? Just a guess.

-juice

papai

I just bought a 2002 Miata- Atlanta is perfect for a convertible! I'm so excited. My 6'4''-240 husband can only barely fit in the passenger seat - oh well, he just slows us down anyway! Thoughts about roll bars-cost, safety etc.They look cool. Also where to go for a cover. Thanks

kymike

For the best Miata roll bar, do a search on Bethania Garage, they make the Hard Dog roll bars. Great fit. If you need help with installation, contact someone with the Peachtree Miata CLub in Atlanta or visit RSpeed in North Atlanta - they work almost exclusively on Miatas and have a great national reputation.

erics6

Are you asking whether you should get one? Some folks like them, and some don't. Depends on your driving. Good for a rollover, but not so good if someone rear-ends you and your head smashes into the bar. If you do get one, I would definitely get the optional padding. Some of the roll bars may limit seat travel too.

lekat

Is there a fix for what I believe to be an access on the under body of my Miata that allows small rocks from my driveway to enter the car somewhere behind the seats. When I turn quickly they can be heard rolling from one side to another. Will Mazda fix this under warranty?

Mr_Shiftright

nope. Road hazard.

ateixeira

That's strange, I've never had that issue.

I wonder if they are getting up the drains? I didn't think those would be big enough. :confuse:

-juice

camrysev6owner

After driving my Miata for over 2 weeks, I found there are shifting problems on it. The clutch seems fine for the first 15 minutes of driving. But afterwards it because really soft. It eventually comes to a point where I have to depress the clutch pedal all the way down to the floor in order for the car NOT to stall. What's even worse is that it is difficult to shift into any gear with the cluth all the way down.

However, when I park the car and let it rest for a night. The next day it goes back to normal, but the problem comes back to haunt me again after 15 minutes of driving.

I went to the dealer to have bodywork done to the car, and they found a loose cable which might be the problem. I just drove the car back home and it was fine. Then again, the drive from the dealer to my home was around 15 minutes. So I will keep on driving it this week to see if the problem comes back.

Any ideas?

ateixeira

I don't think it would be a loose cable, because the clutch system is hydraulic, i.e. it pushes brake fluid out of the master cylinder and into the slave cylinder to activate the clutch.

My guess is you have a leak somewhere in the system, probably at the slave cylinder. Mine failed and my clutch pedal went soft. You can buy a rebuild kit at NAPA for around $11.

Make sure you add fluid and bleed the system.

-juice

sgm

Never drive with the top up! I think I have had mine up less than a dozen times in five years.

jmcdonner

Hi all...just bought an 06 MX5, 6speed auto, has 1100 miles. The oil pressure guage fluctuates wildly...from L when at idle to H when revving engine.....while running it generally stays near the middle but every time I get on the gas it swings right and when I stop, it swings low. I have taken it to the dealer twice and have been assure both times that is normal for the 06, and told their was a service bulletin on that topic. No one could provide a copy. I have not been able to find one on the NHTSA website and Mazda North American HQ says there is not one. Anyone else have a problem similiar to this? I'm thinking of taking it to another service location.

erics6

Sounds normal. IIRC, the 06 went back to a real oil pressure gauge like the 90-94 Miata. A real gauge would show a higher pressure when the engine is cold and will fluctuate when revved. Not like the dummy gauge in the 95-05 Miata's. On my 93, once my car is warm, the needle sets at about 30, and when revved jumps up to 60+.

I haven't heard of any TSB's... no reason the dealer couldn't provide you a copy, if it exists. Sounds pretty normal though. I wouldn't worry.

royp1

I have a 92 Miata w/almost 200k miles on it. It's been a great & dependable car. I replaced the clutch & slave cylinder about 5-6 years ago. Just recently it has started to slip intermittently. It seems to happen when I've been driving it for awhile. The free play is ok, I tried the 3rd gear @ 4,500 rpm w/my left foot on the brake while maintaining engine speed, doesn't seem to slip there. There's no apparent oil leakage. Any ideas?

THX

camrysev6owner

This is a follow-up to my earlier post about the clutch on my 97 Miata becoming soft and the biting point dropping to the floor after driving for awhile.

Assuming the Miata has a cable instead of hydraulic as the linkage from the clutch pedal to the clutch release bearing, tightening the loose cable seemed to have fixed the problem... well at least I've been trouble free for a week now after continuous driving. Anyone knows whether the Miata has a cable or hydraulic clutch linkage? The dealer said they tightened a loose cable for me so I assumed it would be cable. However, a Edmunds.com member who responded to my post claimed it has a hydraulic system.

Also, has anyone (other than me) accidentally folded their soft convertible top down without unzipping the back plastic window? I just got the plastic window replaced and now it has a crease in it. It is quite visible when I look into my rearview mirror because it distorts the images. Any ideas as to how to fix it? Weather is quite cold here recently so I guess I have to wait until it gets warmer in order to fix the plastic.

Looking forward to any responses to my questions, thanks!

ateixeira

I was the one mentioning the hydraulic clutch system, at least part of it is because I replaced and bled the system myself.

That doesn't mean there aren't also some cables involved, but I didn't notice any.

-juice

camrysev6owner

Just went out to try heel-and-toe with my Miata. I know the concept, but being able to do it is another thing. I had been practicing the basics such as matching the revs to wheelspin when downshifting from 4th to 3rd, then 3rd to 2nd... without braking. I can get it to downshift smoothly half of the time.

So I went on to the next step... doing the downshifting with the braking. IT WAS SO HARD! I have tried using half of my right foot for braking and the other half for blipping the gas, but every time I blip the gas I let go of the brake naturally. I am not sure if the gas and brake pedals are too far apart for heel-and-toeing or not. Can anyone tell me?

I have also tried using my heel for blipping the gas, but my leg keeps on hitting the steering wheel when I do that so I gave up.

Do I need new pedals? Anyone can do it with stock pedals?

ateixeira

The footwell is so tight, this is harder than it sounds. My knees and thighs end up hitting the steering wheel.

To be honest, while it's useful on a race track in extreme circumstances, on public roads it's basically overkill. You're more likely to have your foot slip off the brake pedal than you are to benefit from the heel-and-toe manuever.

You could try driving mocassins, any small footwear that feels like a 2nd skin. Just don't wear boots!

-juice

kathieandlucy

Have you been able to find the problem with your miata? I have had 4 batteries and an alternator in my 1997 miata in the past 3 months and now my car does not start again. The dealership has no idea what is wrong.

The car is dead, but the dealership is telling me that they have done diagnostic tests and nothing is draining the battery. This morning I tried to start it and all it did was make a clicking noise and then die again.

Any ideas would be approciated!

papai

After reading through the owners manual of my recently purchased '02 Miata I see there is supposed to be a cover for the top when it's down- don't have one! Do I really need one, if so, where do I find one? ">

ateixeira

I've never used one. I bought mine used and it did not have it, and it hasn't ever mattered to me.

-juice

camrysev6owner

Thank you Ateixeira regarding the useful information on heel-and-toe driving.

Just wondering what's the best way to wash the Miata. I don't want to go to an automatic car wash. Afraid the powerful pressure washers will damage the soft top. However, I am not sure how to wash it myself.

How can I wash the underbody of the car so that I can get rid of the dirt and grime as good as in an automatic car wash? Also, if I happen to get the soft top dirty, what's the best way to wash it? Also, the rear plastic window says do not rub on it, what's the best way to wash that?

ateixeira

You want to be real gentle with the vinyl top. Mild detergents and a soft sponge only. Same for the rear plastic.

Oddly enough, if you don't want to buy specialized plastic window cleaner, Pledge works well on the plastic. It gives it a slight gloss and makes it a little easier to see through. I used it up until I replaced my top and got a glass rear window.

-juice

papai

I've had my '02 for 3 weeks- drives great.Today while driving normal the check engine light came on.Should I go immediately to the machanic? What the hell!
Thanks!

camrysev6owner

Hey there,

What kind of Pledge should I use for the rear window?

ateixeira

The lemon scent furniture spray. Try it, use very little. Spray it on a cotton rag and then apply. It worked for me.

Check-engine light could be a loose gas cap, or a single engine misfire. Some AutoZone location will scan the code for free for you, of course they'll want to sell you whatever part might fix it (Oxygen sensor, maybe).

-juice

camrysev6owner

I have a 97 Miata and the Owner's Manual says that for better performance, Octance 91 should be used in order to free the engine from knocking and to make the car's emission control system effective.

However, I heard from the guy who sold the car to me, as well as other members here, that regular octance 87 can be used as well for a 97 generation 1 Miata.

Any ideas?

erics6

91 Octane... on a 97... hmmm... maybe a Canadian owners manual.

Your Miata will be fine with regular 87 unless you modify it. 01+ Miata's recommend premium.

ateixeira

Regular is fine, I didn't even think premium was recommended (definitely not required). It's not unusually high compression or anything like that.

-juice

camrysev6owner

Thanks people. Good to know it doesn't need premium fuel. Gas prices these days are sky rocketing in Canada.

Yes, it is a Canadian manual I have. It does recommend 91 octane for better performance and emissions reasons.

But the car is nearly 10 years old now, so I don't really care about performance nor emissions.

aviboy97

Mazda will be announcing a recall on '06 MX-5's. I do not know the specifics just yet if it is all MX-5's or just some, but it has to do with the driver's air bag.

aunt_audrey

I recently relocated to Michigan, just discovered that my jack and lug wrench are missing from the trunk. I need to replace the tires and need the darn wrench on the locking lug nuts especially. Have cruised the web trying to find one, to no avail, any ideas?????

kymike

Here is one on ebay in Kalamazoo

Miata Jack

aviboy97

The driver side air bag recall is only for select MX-5's produced between Dec 05 and Feb 06 are effected. I do not know the extent of the defect, or how long it will take to complete the recall. Mazda has not announced that just yet.

mkpa

? I had a dealer sell me a car with locking lugs. They had a set of "Masters" To Take off the locked lugs as They did not have a key when they traded for it.

Good Luck!

sunnymiata

I've had my 10thAE to the dealer(where I purchased it used-full warranty) 3 times and tomorrow will be the 4th. My check engine light came on and so far I have replaced the o2, the ignition coil and the pre-cat, plus the car recently got it's 60K from the dealer. After picking car up, drove it for about 20 miles, the light came back on again, it's not the gas cap, and the ignition wires are new from dealer, as is the timing belt, air filer, oil filter, all the stuff that goes with a 60K. Any other suggestions? Oh, and the timing belt is a little noisy, dealer says this will stop as the belt becomes accustomed. Is the dealer full of S___T?

ateixeira

Do you know what the code was? Cylinder misfire maybe?

Hard to say anything without knowing the codes.

Did that tune-up include new spark plugs?

-juice

camrysev6owner

The rain was really coming down here in Canada today. After parking my Miata in the rain, I found there was water dripping from the edge of the window adjacent to the windshield on both the driver and passenger side. The water landed on the car's carpet after sliding down the two doors. The temperature here was like a roller coaster ride recently, with temperatures dropping to 0 at night and going up to 15 during daytime.

Has anyone had the same problem? Is it a common problem for the Miata, or all convertibles in general?