NHTSA vehicle safety data

1998 Mazda MPV Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 1998 Mazda MPV has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 19 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Mazda dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1998 Mazda MPV, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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1998 Mazda MPV owner complaints

Owners have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Mazda MPV, describing incidents dated January 16, 1999 to December 7, 2015.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 4 complaints
Electrical System 3 complaints
Engine 2 complaints
Service Brakes 2 complaints
Steering 2 complaints
Suspension 2 complaints

Of the 19 complaints on file, 4 report a crash and 3 a fire; across all 19 complaints, owners report 4 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10861969 · Filed April 28, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA MPV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEY FAILED TO TURN IN THE IGNITION SWITCH INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORST. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND THE…
ODI #10822861 · Filed January 28, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA MPV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION SWITCH STARTED TO EMIT SMOKE AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER…
ODI #10820229 · Filed January 14, 2016
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 MAZDA MVP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE…

Read all 19 complaints

Ignition Switch may Overheat

NHTSA #15V674000 · Electrical System — Ignition — Switch · NHTSA notice

Reported October 19, 2015 · Mazda North American Operations

Potentially affected: 1,368,500 vehicles

Repair completion: 0.62% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Mazda campaign 8715J · Owners notified December 17, 2015

Defect description

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.

Safety consequence

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

Manufacturer remedy

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

1998 Mazda MPV

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 4, Passenger: 4

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

19 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1998 Mazda MPV.

Electrical System

ODI #10861969

Incident: December 7, 2015 · Filed: April 28, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA MPV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEY FAILED TO TURN IN THE IGNITION SWITCH INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORST. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR MONTHS AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

Electrical System

ODI #10822861

Incident: November 16, 2014 · Filed: January 28, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA MPV. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION SWITCH STARTED TO EMIT SMOKE AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 217,000.

Engine

ODI #10820229

Fire

Incident: January 14, 2015 · Filed: January 14, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 MAZDA MVP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 55 MPH, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300,000.

Electrical System

ODI #10818944

Fire

Incident: May 14, 2008 · Filed: January 8, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA MVP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE IGNITION BEGAN TO SMOKE. NO FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE FLAMES. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V674000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 101,000.

Seat Belts

ODI #10365463

Incident: October 12, 2010 · Filed: November 12, 2010

BOLT HOLDING THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH SNAPPED IN TWO AND LEFT THE LATCH HANGING FREE. *TR

Steering

ODI #10255863

Fire

Incident: May 17, 2008 · Filed: January 21, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MAZDA MPV WAGON. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR PROVIDE A REMEDY. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE FLAMES. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF RETRIEVING A REPORT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 113,000.

Tires

ODI #10202267

Incident: September 7, 2007 · Filed: September 8, 2007

TRAVELING 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 275 NORTH OF TAMPA, FLORIDA AT 10:30 P.M. ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2006 WHEN THE TREAD SEPARATED ON A NEARLY NEW (6 WEEK OLD) FIRESTONE TIRE. I NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SKIDDING SIDEWAYS TO THE LEFT AND THEN TO THE RIGHT, ALMOST OVER TURNING BEFORE BEING ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I ALSO ALMOST COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE SEPARATING TREAD HIT THE LEFT BACK WHEEL WELL, TEARING OUT THE WHEEL WELL COVER, DAMAGING THE BACK BUMPER BEYOND REPAIR AND DAMAGING THE FRONT OF THE WHEEL WELL COVER AND LEFT BACK PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL WAS CALLED AND A TROOPER KEPT HIS VEHICLE BEHIND ME WITH HIS EMERGENCY LIGHTS FLASHING WHILE I CHANGED THE TIRE BUT HE DID NOT WRITE A REPORT. REPAIRS WILL HAVE TO BE MADE. *JB

Steering

ODI #10128300

Incident: June 28, 2005 · Filed: July 11, 2005

(1) IT WAS RAINING. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AT AS THE HIGHWAY TURNED SLIGHTLY. (2) WHEN I TURNED THE WHEEL THERE WAS A DELAY FOR THE WHEELS TO RESPOND. CONSEQUENTLY, I LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE WHEEL TURNED, THEN I TURNED THE WHEEL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 5 TIMES. AS I SLOWED DOWN TO BELOW MINIMUM HIGHWAY SPEED, I FINALLY GAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. (3) I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE & HAVE DONE NOTHING SO FAR EXCEPT TO CALL MAZDA, AS I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.

Power Train

ODI #10051567

Incident: July 12, 2003 · Filed: January 3, 2004

PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WITH ONLY 66,000 HIGHWAY MILES, TRANSMISSION STARTING SLIPPING.VEHICLE HAS TRANSMISSION COOLER AS PART OF FACTORY TOWING PACKAGE.*AK

Visibility

ODI #10010725

Incident: March 18, 2003 · Filed: March 19, 2003

CRACKED FRONT WINDSHIELD : A CRACK DEVELOPED AT THE BOTTOM CENTER. NO SIGN OF AN OBJECT HITTING IT. IT IS SYMMETRICAL, STRAIGHT UP APPROX. 2" AN ARC THEN STRAIGHT ACROSS 6-8" THEN AN ARC AND STRAIGHT DOWN. THE CRACK IS SMOOTH AND STRAIGHT. *NLM

Other Mazda MPV model years

Check your 1998 Mazda MPV VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mazda MPV at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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