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Mazda Miata Problems and Solutions

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    kneisl1kneisl1 Member Posts: 1,694
    Instead of putting a new top, what about getting a car cover and just covering it? Does that work?
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    mazdaman1994mazdaman1994 Member Posts: 1
    My 1994 MX5 took unsually long to start (usually starts first crank). The same evening it started first crank but then died. Checked for sparks. No sparks from any of the leads. Checked coil pack. Cleaned and checked resistance between High voltage outputs - 10kOhms on both coils. Reconnected coil but still no spark and engine just cranks over but does not even fire.

    Cam belt seems fine.

    Car has an alarm but no idea if it has the ability to kill the engine.

    How does one get access to the fuse panel inside the car?

    Appreciate any input.
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    kymikekymike Member Posts: 115
    The interior fuse panel is by the driver's left foot on the 89-97 models.
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    91whtmiata91whtmiata Member Posts: 1
    In the mornings, not exactly cold this summer, but starts fine, but no radio, fan, windows, but lights work then slowly over one to two miles fan starts, windows work. wierd thing radio works sometimes, but flip the lights and the radio goes off. turn off the lights radio back on....? Help me on where to start looking
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    ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I would have the alternator looked at and maybe check the belt tension to see if it's slipping. I hope it's not an electrical short, those are hard to trace.

    -juice
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    dmitch2dmitch2 Member Posts: 2
    I removed my battery and put it back. Now the parking lights flash and the anti theft red button flashes but car will not start. Please any help would be appreciated.
    dmitch2
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    ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I don't have anti-theft on my Forester, but the lights flash like that. I have to lock/unlock a few cycles to get it to stop. Do you have keyless? If so try that.

    -juice
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    swetnikaswetnika Member Posts: 1
    We just bought a 1996 Miata with automatic transmission. The previous owner said something about the button on the gearshift being a "half" gear? When we push it the dashboard lights up and says "Hold". As you can tell, we are very car illiterate, and there was no owner's manuel. When we try to accellerate hard, it feels like it slips out of gear. Can anyone help us understand how to work this button?
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    playachildplayachild Member Posts: 1
    tonight heading out to check the mail I got the worst electrical smell coming inside my car from the engine. Lifting the hood to check the engine I saw a craftsman magnetic laying on from what I can tell from the manual is the canister purge solenoid valve & EGR boost sensor. Left side if your looking at the engine in the middle of the windshield fluid bottle & radiator bottle. This is also a 1990 Miata
    Can anyone tell me if this might've been a interference causing a electrical smell? I noticed that when I put it in 2nd gear it didn't seem to have the power it usually has, this was before the smell.
    Of course once I saw the tool & took it out, I drove it back home, ran it for 5 min looking to see if wires were touching or if I could see smoke. Smell is gone from the engine & seemed to run fine, but I had to leave the windows open to air out. Any thoughts would be great! thanks :sick:
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    Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    It's just a way to keep your transmission from shifting into high gear...it's a manually enforced downshift and will cause your engine RPMs to go up---which you will see on your tachometer....You use it for going up hills, so that you don't "lug" the engine in the highest gear.
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    casaugcasaug Member Posts: 3
    I recently bought an '06 Miata (loving it) and gave my '96 to my son who lives in eastern TN. I live in FL and never had many weather driving concerns. However, a friend recently told me that he had a Miata while living in New Hampshire, and it was rough driving in ice and snow. Is that a serious problem, and if so, what can my son do, e.g. sand bags in trunk or certain types of tires?
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    Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    tires + driving skills are 50% of it, definitely. Sand bags are a sort of compromise...you may get a little better traction in the rear, but then you have also upset the balance of the car.
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    driverightdriveright Member Posts: 91
    I drive a '96 Miata year-round in Maryland. Summer tires will not perform well in cold weather and should NOT be driven in the snow. One option is to change seasonally between summer tires and snow tires. A second option, and the one I prefer, is to use a set of all-season tires year-round but to switch over to dedicated snow tires for periodic snowy conditions.

    I use and recommend Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 snow tires, available from the Tire Rack on steel rims for about $500 shipped. I like to drive in the snow and haven't had trouble getting around my area in the Miata with Blizzaks. Note that the snow handling of the Miata is very different from a front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive car. The tendency of the car to oversteer in snow is pretty pronounced, so you have to drive cautiously.

    I put a 60-pound bag of sand in the trunk when I mount the snow tires, but I don't think it makes a really big difference. I like having a hard-top for the winter.

    Now a question for you. How do you compare the '06 to the '96? I've driven the '06 and the new '07 with PRHT, but I'm not sold. Am I missing something?
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    kinggmkinggm Member Posts: 1
    The same thing was happening to me , I had the tires Re-balance all 4 of them , that took care of the problem. No more Vibration
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    casaugcasaug Member Posts: 3
    Mine is the '06 MX-5 Sport with the optional suspension package, and it handles really well. That option might have been what you missed. I'd certainly recommend the '07 with PRHT in your climate, though. It would even be good here in FL. (I had to replace the '96s vinyl roof at one point, when the heat separated it from the main cross strut.) Compared to the '96, I like the extra power of that 170-hp, the extra room inside and in the trunk, the glass rear window, the ride of the 17in. wheels, and the ease of putting down the top. My only complaint so far is that there is a nasty rattle in all that plastic behind the seats, and Mazda is ordering me a free replacement there. I'm getting ready to take it for a week on WV's back roads, and I can't wait, after so many straight and flat roads down here.
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    allcarsrcoolallcarsrcool Member Posts: 113
    i started a form back in august, it is for driving stories and is under the miata, i realized after testdriving one that actual owners might have some fun-driving stories. So if you do have fun on those back roads, post your stories ;)
    ~Allcarsarecool
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    ataylor2ataylor2 Member Posts: 1
    You might look under the hood for the voltage regulator. If it hangs up, it will either drain your battery or boil the water out.

    It could be the EGI relay. If not working, the car will not crank and run.

    The key may have lost its memory.

    The latter of the three above mentioned possibilities have been experienced by me!!!!
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    patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    You may have noticed that we're moving toward smaller, more focused discussions. Please go to the top level of the Miata board and look for an existing topic or create a new one if you don't see something suitable. Here's the link: Mazda Miata.

    Thanks!
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