1992 Mazda MPV

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

71/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA about the 1992 Mazda MPV, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Service brakes	17	22%
Engine and engine cooling	13	17%
Power train	9	12%
Electrical system	4	5%
Steering	4	5%
Vehicle speed control	3	4%
Engine and engine cooling	3	4%
Tires	2	3%
Exterior lighting	2	3%
Equipment	2	3%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

WHILE DRIVING, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE THEN DOWN SHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR WITH THE THROTTLE WIDE OPEN. THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. THIS HAD NOT BEEN USED FOR A WHILE WHICH CAUSED
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE ACCELERATOR PEDAL GOT STUCK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control

THERE WAS A VERY STRONG GAS ODOR IN THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. *NLM
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

APPROACHING INTERSECTION WENT TO SLOW DOWN/STOP VEHICLE. BRAKES FAILED, UPON PRESSING ON BRAKE THERE WAS NOTHING BUT AIR. PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. CAR SKREECHED A FEW TIMES. ENDED UP GOING THROUGH RED LIGHT CAUSING ACCIDENT
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

WITH THIS VAN THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS SINCE AUGUST OF 1993. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS A TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. THE VAN WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 3 MONTHS WHILE THEY DALLIED AROUND TO FIX IT. I HAD IT TAKEN T
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

RECEIVED INFORMATION ON SPECIAL PROGRAM #SSP-33 FROM MAZDA REGARDING FUEL FUMES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC REFUSED TO DO ANY REPAIRS ON VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER ADDS WHILE DRIVING UP HILL, VEHICLE WILL ONLY ACCEL
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, CONSUMER WENT TO CHANGE LANES WHEN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND HIT A GUARDRAIL TWICE, PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE SUFFERED INJURIES, IN WHICH
NHTSA complaint: Tires

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1992 Mazda MPV. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Electrical system:ignition:switch 15V674000

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 co

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

Fix: 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,

The seven scores

Reliability raw	78	good
Longevity est.	80	excellent
Maintenance	85	excellent
Depreciation	62	average
Performance	56	average
Efficiency	35	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other other in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 23% of other
Longevity: better than 52% of other
Running costs: better than 94% of other
Value retention: better than 53% of other

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 78: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 80: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1992 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 85: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1992 Mazda MPV?

Owners have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and service brakes is the most reported area with 17 of them (22%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1992 Mazda MPV reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 78/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1992 Mazda MPV last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 80/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1992 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1992 Mazda MPV?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 71/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.