2015 Mazda MX-5 problems

• 1.8 MZR 116-126 hp (L8-DE, 2002-2015)

  116–126 hp · L8-DE, L8-VE

  Gebrauchtwagenberater.de rates the petrol engines of the Mazda6 GG as reliable, the 1.8 among them; fiches-auto.fr records one case of a blown engine among 16 testimonials for the 1.8 of the Mazda6 GG, and a thermostat and a lambda sensor beyond 160,000 km in two testimonials for the GH. There is no data of its own for the Mazda5 and the MX-5 with this engine; the teaser of the auto motor und sport article (paywalled) only says that the MX-5 NC is not very problematic as a used car, without naming the engine.^[3][4][5][6]

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• 2.0 MZR 140-160 hp (LF-DE, LF-VE, 2003-2015)

  140–160 hp · LF-DE, LF-VE

  Gebrauchtwagenberater.de considers the petrol engines of the Mazda3 and Mazda6 reliable and attributes no faults specific to the 2.0; fiches-auto.fr adds isolated cases of oil consumption (3 among 17 testimonials in the Mazda3 BK and 2 among 19 in the Mazda6 GG) and of sensors, and a damaged big-end bearing at around 50,000 km.^[3][4][7][8]

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Faults that affect 2015 cars

• Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalCylinder head and blockBig-end bearing damage in the 2.3 MZR, with isolated cases in the 1.8 and 2.0Gebrauchtwagenberater.de cites big-end bearing damage as a known weak point of the 2.3 MZR of the Mazda6 GG, and fiches-auto.fr adds two isolated cases: a Mazda6 1.8 with a blown engine and a Mazda3 2.0 with a damaged big-end bearing at around 50,000 km.
• Low severityFrequency: OccasionalLubricationOil consumption in the 1.3, 1.6 and 2.0 MZR at high mileageIn the smaller petrol MZR engines, oil use appears mainly at high mileage: gebrauchtwagenberater.de places it in the Mazda2 DE from around 150,000-200,000 km, and fiches-auto.fr records isolated cases in the 2.0 of the Mazda3 and Mazda6 and in the 1.3 of the Mazda2.Appears at around 150,000 km
• Low severityFrequency: OccasionalIgnitionMisfires from spark plugs and ignition coils in petrol MZR enginesSpark plugs appear among the fault points of the Mazda2 DE in the ADAC statistics cited by gebrauchtwagenberater.de, and fiches-auto.fr attributes the misfires of the Mazda3 1.6 to coils, spark plugs or sensors.

• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBrakesSeized calipers and worn discs and brake padsAutofácil, using DEKRA data, identifies the brakes as the MX-5 (2005-2015) problem: discs and pads worn excessively and calipers locked. A British breaker's yard notes that seized calipers are a known fault across all generations of the MX-5.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalBodywork and interiorBlocked soft-top drains and rust on the sills and rear wingsOn the MX-5 NC, the soft-top drain tubes can clog and overflow into the body structure; British owners cite rust at the bottom of the rear wheel arches, on the sills and under the boot lid.
• Low severityFrequency: OccasionalSuspensionLeaking rear shock absorbers, worn drop links and anti-roll barsAutofácil asks for the anti-roll bars, bearings and shock absorbers to be checked on the MX-5 (2005-2015). On the MX-5 Owners Club forum, Bilstein rear shock absorbers that sweat oil and broken drop links are cited, and the British breaker's yard mentions noises from worn drop links.