Mazda MX-5 Miata VIN Number Check

A free NHTSA vPIC decode tells you which Mazda MX-5 Miata you are looking at. Then check its model year against 6 NHTSA recall campaigns and what owners have reported.

VIN prefixJM1

Free decode plus the NHTSA recalls for its model year. 17 characters, no I, O or Q.

Mazda MX-5 Miata

About the Mazda MX-5 Miata

Mazda has sold the MX-5 Miata in the US since the 1990 model year, and there have been four generations. NA first (1990–1997), then NB (1999–2005). The NC arrived for 2005–2015, and the ND took over for 2015–2026. Across those years NHTSA lists 6 vehicle recall campaigns and 494 owner complaints. The 1999 has the most complaints of any model year (74). EPA rates the NA at 21–24 mpg combined, while the ND gets 23–30 mpg. A free VIN decode gives you NHTSA vPIC’s record for the car (model year, engine, plant) and the NHTSA recalls for its model year. It won’t show theft, flood or lemon-law history.

US model years1990–2026

GenerationsNA · NB · NC · ND

NHTSA recall campaigns6

Owner complaints494 at NHTSA

Mazda MX-5 Miata photographed at a US vehicle auction — Auction lot photo, for illustration

Generations

Mazda MX-5 Miata generations

Four generations since the 1990 model year. The NA (1990–1997) and NB (1999–2005) have the most owner complaints, the ND (2015–2026) the most recall campaigns (5).

4 / 4

2015–20264th generation

Photo: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

19901995200020052010201520202025

2015–2026· Generation 4 of 4

ND · 4th generation

EPA classTwo Seaters

EPA combined mpg23–30

NHTSA recalls5

Engines (EPA)

2.0 L 4-cyl · 2015–2026

Drive & transmission (EPA)

RWD
manual (2015–2026), automatic (2015–2026)

Known issues to check

Powertrain (transmission, driveline) (26)Electrical system (12)Air bags (10)

Mentions in 85 NHTSA complaints.

Sample VIN pattern · NDJM1NDAD7?G0······NHTSA vPIC decodes it as a 2016 Mazda MX-5 Grand Touring/GT, built in Hiroshima, Japan

Check an MX-5 Miata VIN

Sources: EPA · NHTSA · vPIC

NHTSA campaign data

Which MX-5 Miata model years each recall covers

NHTSA data

NHTSA has 6 campaigns on file for MX-5 Miata model years 1990–2026, and the 2016, 2018 and 2019 show up in the most (3 each). Move the line to your model year to see which apply.

Pick a row

What to ask

Source: NHTSA recall database, vehicle campaigns only; row text is NHTSA’s summary. A listed year does not mean every car is covered, so check the VIN.

Transport Canada recalls for these model years were checked against this list; each one matches an NHTSA campaign shown here. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Transport Canada.

Owner reports · NHTSA complaints

What Mazda MX-5 Miata owners report

NHTSA data

Complaints peak with the 1999 (74 of 494). Tap any bar or generation.

494NHTSA complaints, 1990–2026

54mention a crash

10mention a fire

52injuries reported

Owner complaints by model yearND: 85 complaints · most for the 2016 (34)

Top complaint areas · ND

Mentions in 85 complaints, 2015–2026.

Powertrain (transmission, driveline)26

Electrical system12

Air bags10

Structure and body7

Steering7

Visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors)6

Crashes 7Fires 0Injuries 6

2015–2026 (ND)

NHTSA data summary

The 2016 stands out. On its own it has 34 of the ND’s 85 complaints (40%), and owners across the generation name powertrain most often (26 mentions), then electrical system (12).

Counts: NHTSA complaints file, records to October 1, 2026, one count per complaint; areas are NHTSA component groups.

Owner complaints · by model year

MX-5 Miata complaint breakdown by model year

NHTSA data

Every MX-5 Miata version is counted together. Tap a year to see its top systems.

494complaints, 1990–2026

54mention a crash

10mention a fire

52injuries reported

Most complaints: 1999 (74), 2016 (34), 1995 (30)

1999 · 74 complaints

Crashes 10 · fires 0 · injuries 12

Service brakes16

Engine and engine cooling11

Electrical system10

Power train10

Vehicle speed control6

Systems as NHTSA names them; a complaint can list several. Source: NHTSA complaints data, records to October 1, 2026.

EPA fuel economy & emissions

MX-5 Miata CO₂, smog rating and yearly fuel cost

EPA data

EPA lists 91 MX-5 Miata versions for model years 1990–2026. The lowest tailpipe CO₂ is 298 g/mi (2016). Pick a model year and powertrain to see each version.

NA1990–1997

21–24 mpg · CO₂ 370–423 g/mi

NB1999–2004

20–24 mpg · CO₂ 370–444 g/mi

NC2005–2014

20–24 mpg · CO₂ 359–444 g/mi

ND2015–2026

23–30 mpg · CO₂ 298–377 g/mi

Model year2025

29combined MPG

301CO₂ grams per mile (tailpipe)

$2,850EPA yearly fuel cost

2/10Smog rating

1 = worst · 10 = cleanest

6/10Greenhouse gas rating

California LEV-III ULEV125 · Federal Tier 3 Bin 125Emission standard

Cleanest gas version of 2025: MX-5 · Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L — 29 MPG · 301 g/mi

Best (lowest) CO₂ by model year

Gas

Annual fuel cost is EPA’s estimate at its current fuel-price assumptions (15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving), so older years are priced at today’s fuel prices. Smog rating and emission standard can differ by sales area (federal vs. California); both are shown. Greenhouse-gas ratings start with the 2013 model year. Source: fueleconomy.gov.

Compare rivals

MX-5 Miata vs BMW Z4 vs Porsche Boxster

NHTSA + EPA data

Take 2005–2015. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the MX-5 Miata, against 12 for the BMW Z4 and 5 for the Porsche Boxster. Pick a range to compare.

Mazda MX-5 MiataND

Model years 2015–2026

NHTSA recall campaigns: 5
NHTSA owner complaints: 85
EPA combined mpg: 23–30
Engines (EPA): 4-cyl 2.0 L
Drive (EPA): RWD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

Powertrain (transmission, driveline) 26
Electrical system 12
Air bags 10

BMW Z4

Model years 2015–2026

NHTSA recall campaigns: 13
NHTSA owner complaints: 22
EPA combined mpg: 19–28
Engines (EPA): 4-cyl 2.0 L · 6-cyl 3.0 L
Also listed: turbo
Drive (EPA): RWD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

Engine and cooling 9
Electrical system 7
Steering 3

Porsche Boxster

Model years 2015–2026

NHTSA recall campaigns: 14
NHTSA owner complaints: 10
EPA combined mpg: 16–25
Engines (EPA): 4-cyl 2.0, 2.5 L · 6-cyl 2.7–4.0 L
Also listed: turbo
Drive (EPA): RWD

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

Suspension 3
Engine and cooling 2
Wheels 2

NHTSA recalls (vehicle campaigns for all powertrain versions; equipment and tire campaigns left out), complaints (not sales-adjusted) and 5-Star overall ratings for the latest year rated for all three; EPA mpg, engines and drive. Rivals: same EPA class, picked by VinNumber.net.

Mazda MX-5 Miata VIN number location

Where to find the VIN on an MX-5 Miata

Tap a spot. Every location should show the same 17 characters.

Red Mazda MX-5 Miata (fourth generation) retractable-hardtop roadster, front three-quarter view, with the VIN locations marked

Photo: Hans Haase, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

Illustration: VinNumber.net

Photo: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0; edited and VIN pins added by VinNumber.net

The Miata roadster carries its VIN at the base of the driver's side windshield and on the door sill label on the driver's side. The door jamb sticker is the primary secondary location; no trunk lid label exists. The firewall in the engine compartment carries an additional stamp. The ND generation starts with the 2015 model year; the VIN’s 10th character (F for 2015) shows which side of that line a car falls on.

Windshield plateRead it through the glass at the base of the driver's side windshield.
Source: 49 CFR 565.13(f) (NHTSA): VIN inside the passenger compartment, readable through the glazing next to the left windshield pillar
Door jamb labelOpen the driver's door: the certification label on the B-pillar lists the VIN.
Source: 49 CFR 567.4 (NHTSA): certification label with VIN at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge

The title, registration and insurance card show the VIN as well. All locations should match.

FAQ

Common Mazda MX-5 Miata VIN questions

Which Mazda MX-5 Miata model years have the most owner complaints?

The 1999 leads with 74, ahead of the 2016 (34) and 1995 (30). Those first two alone make up 22% of the 494 MX-5 Miata complaints filed with NHTSA, not adjusted for sales.

How many recalls has the Mazda MX-5 Miata had?

NHTSA’s recall records show 6 vehicle campaigns for model years 1990–2026, leaving out equipment and tire campaigns. By generation, ND leads with 5. Then come the NC (1), NA (0) and NB (0), and a campaign can span two generations.

Which MX-5 Miata generation am I looking at?

By US model year, the NA is 1990–1997 and the NB 1999–2005. NC spans 2005–2015, ND 2015–2026. Read the year off the VIN’s 10th character (F is 2015).

What fuel economy does the Mazda MX-5 Miata get?

It varies. EPA rates the 2015–2026 ND at 23–30 mpg combined, depending on engine and drive, up from 21–24 mpg for the 1990–1997 NA (fueleconomy.gov).

How does the Mazda MX-5 Miata compare with the BMW Z4 and Porsche Boxster on recalls?

For 2015–2026 models the MX-5 Miata has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns. The BMW Z4 has 13, the Porsche Boxster 14. Complaints run 85, 22 and 10 in that order, with no sales adjustment.

Other Mazda models

Check another Mazda model

CX-5 CX-9 Mazda3 Mazda6 CX-30 CX-50

Mazda MX-5 Miata VIN Number Check

About the Mazda MX-5 Miata

Mazda MX-5 Miata generations