U.S. public vehicle records

1988 Mazda 929 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

34 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

197,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1988 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 34 complaints (20.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	4	11.8%
Transmission and shifting	2	5.9%
Fuel system concerns	1	2.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly

Structure:Body:Door

Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	7
Structure:Body:Door	7
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch	4
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	2
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	2
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	2
Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage	2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components	2

Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly: 7; Structure:Body:Door: 7; Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch: 4; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 2; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System: 2; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2; Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1

150,000 and above miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 33 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2003

1995: 11; 1996: 7; 1997: 6; 1998: 3; 1999: 3; 2000: 3; 2003: 1

Pattern summary

Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 518914 · 1997-08-29 (August 29, 1997)

WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULSATE DURING BRAKING. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 518914 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 801022 · 1996-09-09 (September 9, 1996)

ENGINE SURGED, BRAKES DID NOT WORK, VEHICLE HIT GAS PUMP AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE DOES NOT OWN VEHICLE, MR. TOMKO IS OWNER OF GARAGE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 801022 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 733276 · 2000-10-02 (October 2, 2000)

MAZDA SEAMS TO HAVE A HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION FAILERS WHAT CAN THE MAZDA OWNER DO WHEN MAZDA DOES NOT WANT TO COME CLEAN CHECK OUT HTTP://WWW.CARCAST.COM/CC/CONFERENCE/ I ALSO HAVE A 626/TURBO WITH A BAD TRANSMISSION. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 733276 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 977101 · 1995-12-28 (December 28, 1995)

WHILE DRIVING, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED NEEDING COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 977101 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 738064 · 2000-12-20 (December 20, 2000)

VERY STRONG FUEL VAPOR BOTH INTERNAL/EXTERNAL THIRD OCCURRENCE. FIRST TWO, BOTH RESULTED IN REPLACING FUEL RAIL AND ALL INJECTOR SEALS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 738064 at NHTSA ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

34 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

2.9%Usable mileage1 / 34 records

67.6%Valid incident date23 / 34 records

100.0%Valid filing date34 / 34 records

67.6%Ordered incident and filing dates23 / 34 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995
Structure:Body:Door	720.6% ODI 485833 OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE MALFUNCTIONED, COULD NOT OPEN DOOR FROM OUTSIDE. *AK Look up ODI 485833 at NHTSA ↗	1952.8% ODI 485789 UPON ENGAGING CHILD SAFETY LATCH, REAR/RIGHT PASSENGER'S DOOR HANDLE BROKE AT POINT WHERE HANDLE WAS CONNECTED TO ROD THAT CONTROLS LATCH/OPENS DOOR. *AK Look up ODI 485789 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	12.9% ODI 721039 FRONT DOOR PANELS ARE CRACKED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. *AK Look up ODI 721039 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	720.6% ODI 483048 PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLE RELEASES INTERMITTENTLY, LEAVING PASSENGER UNRESTRAINED. *SKD Look up ODI 483048 at NHTSA ↗	25.6% ODI 966219 PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT FAILURE, BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH. TT Look up ODI 966219 at NHTSA ↗	325.0% ODI 801087 CONSUMER SPOKE WITH ROBERT MOULDER ON 4-11-96. IN REFERENCE TO RECALL 95V-103.005 REGARDING SEAT BELT BUCKLE. CONSUMER HAS NOT RECEIVED THE PARTS.*AK Look up ODI 801087 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	12.9% ODI 978904 DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT UNLATCH OR LATCH AT ALL. TT Look up ODI 978904 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	25.9% ODI 733276 MAZDA SEAMS TO HAVE A HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION FAILERS WHAT CAN THE MAZDA OWNER DO WHEN MAZDA DOES NOT WANT TO COME CLEAN CHECK OUT HTTP://WWW.CARCAST.COM/CC/CONFERENCE/ I ALSO HAVE A 626/TURBO WITH A BAD TRANSMISSION. *AK Look up ODI 733276 at NHTSA ↗	411.1% ODI 484255 TRANSMISSION HESITATION. *AK Look up ODI 484255 at NHTSA ↗	18.3% ODI 848822 ENGINE IS HESITATING AS IF IN NEUTRAL DUE TO TRANSMISIION SLIPPING. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REBUILT. *AK Look up ODI 848822 at NHTSA ↗	211.1% ODI 516178 AUDIO SPEAKERS FAILED. Look up ODI 516178 at NHTSA ↗	38.6% ODI 717610 NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK Look up ODI 717610 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip	12.9% ODI 825332 CONSUMER EXPERIENCING PROBLEM CONCERNING REOCCURRING BRAKE MULFUNCTION DUE TO ROTOR WARPAGE EVERY 3000 MILES OF WEAR; DEALER NOTIFIED AND PROBLEM CANNOT BE RESOLVED. ALL COST STILL TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER FLUSH ABS, REPLACED FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS, CALIPERS, ROTORS, AND WHEEL BEARINGS, HOWEVER CONSUMER STATES THAT SYMPTOMS OF ROTOR WARPAGE STILL EXISTS. AK TT Look up ODI 825332 at NHTSA ↗	25.6% ODI 961970 ABS, BRAKE FAILURE, EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, IN FOR REPAIR, REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE ABS SYSTEM. TT Look up ODI 961970 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	422.2% ODI 479595 ANTILOCK BRAKE FAILED. *AW Look up ODI 479595 at NHTSA ↗	25.7% ODI 514599 ANTILOCK BRAKES LOCK UP. Look up ODI 514599 at NHTSA ↗	15.3% ODI 535282 ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE HITTING DITCH AND ROLL OVER. Look up ODI 535282 at NHTSA ↗	18.3% ODI 526523 ABS BRAKES FAILED. ALSO, FRONT BRAKE DISC ROTORS/PADS CONTINUOUSLY WARPED DUE TO MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. Look up ODI 526523 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Seats	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	15.6% ODI 516178 AUDIO SPEAKERS FAILED. Look up ODI 516178 at NHTSA ↗	720.0% ODI 489222 DRIVER'S SEAT UNBOLTED FROM FLOOR, CAUSING SEAT TO ROCK BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING. *AW Look up ODI 489222 at NHTSA ↗	210.5% ODI 542649 SEAT FRAME BROKE DUE TO WELD FAILURE. Look up ODI 542649 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Vehicle Speed Control	12.9% ODI 801022 ENGINE SURGED, BRAKES DID NOT WORK, VEHICLE HIT GAS PUMP AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE DOES NOT OWN VEHICLE, MR. TOMKO IS OWNER OF GARAGE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT. *AK Look up ODI 801022 at NHTSA ↗	38.3% ODI 517422 THE ENGINE SURGES INTERMITTENTLY. Look up ODI 517422 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	15.6% ODI 760664 IT DONT WANT TO PARK I HAVE TO RECHEECK IT ,I AM LOSING COLLANT FROM SOMEPLACE I DONT KNOW WHERE. I DIDNT KNOW ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR UNTILL I WAS TRING TO FIND OUT ABOUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MINE AND STARTED LOOKING ON THE COMPUTER .PEOPLE HAS HAD THESE SAME THINGS WRONG FROM THE TIME THEY BOUGHT THE CARS I THING THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMSIF THEY ARE NOT TAKEN CARE OF .IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN ALL THIS I WOULD NEVER HAVE BOUGHT IT. I DONT HAVE A LOT OF MONEY AND IT WAS USED I CANT IMAGINE HOW PEOPLE FELT BUYING A NEW O… Look up ODI 760664 at NHTSA ↗	411.4% ODI 10031276 · 89,000 mi THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING, AND JUMPED A CONCRETE BARRIER AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. MAZDA DENIED ANY LIABILITY. DEALER NOTIFIED. AK CB JB SCC *JB Look up ODI 10031276 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components	25.9% ODI 801022 ENGINE SURGED, BRAKES DID NOT WORK, VEHICLE HIT GAS PUMP AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE DOES NOT OWN VEHICLE, MR. TOMKO IS OWNER OF GARAGE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT. *AK Look up ODI 801022 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	316.7% ODI 500226 EXCESSIVE WEAR ON BRAKE PADS CAUSES VIOLENT SHIMMY IN EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATIONS. *DSH Look up ODI 500226 at NHTSA ↗	12.9% ODI 959426 AUTO-TRAN: CONTINUED FORWARD MOVEMENT AFTER APPLICATION OF BRAKES AT LOW SPEED; ENGINE ACCELERATED; JERKED FORWARD; REARENDED PARKED VEHICLE; NO WARNING. TT Look up ODI 959426 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	216.7% ODI 704115 WHEN BACKING UP, STOPPING, AND THEN SHIFTING TO THE DRIVE POSITION: ROTOR ASSEMBLY AND FRONT SUSPENSION CLASH. CAUSING ROTORS TO BECOM UNBALANCED AND WARPED, HAZARDOUS HANDLING AND EXCESSIVE MAINTENANCE Look up ODI 704115 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor	25.9% ODI 518914 WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULSATE DURING BRAKING. *AK Look up ODI 518914 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	325.0% ODI 481951 REPLACED LEAKING LEFT FRONT CALIPER. *AK Look up ODI 481951 at NHTSA ↗	15.6% ODI 960172 WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, CAUSING BRAKES TO VIBRATE. *AK Look up ODI 960172 at NHTSA ↗	12.9% ODI 510362 FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE. Look up ODI 510362 at NHTSA ↗	15.3% ODI 962813 BRAKES SYSTEM FAILURE, ROTORS ARE WARPING. TT Look up ODI 962813 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
No usable records for this analysis.

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

1994: 5 complaints · 1995: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
1994	0	2	5
1995	0	0	0

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
1994	12	0	0
1995	2	1	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	Structure:Body:Door	Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch	Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	Power Train:Automatic Transmission	Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage	Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components
Seat Belts:Front:Buckle Assembly	—	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Structure:Body:Door	0	—	1 ODI 969727 REAR OUTER DOOR HANDLES BROKE, WHEN LOWERING WINDOW, IT WILL RELEASE LATCH. TT Look up ODI 969727 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0	0	0
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch	0	1 ODI 969727 REAR OUTER DOOR HANDLES BROKE, WHEN LOWERING WINDOW, IT WILL RELEASE LATCH. TT Look up ODI 969727 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	0	0	0	—	0	0	0	0
Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System	0	0	0	0	—	0	0	1 ODI 825336 CONSUMER EXPERIENCED FUEL VAPOR SMELL COMING INTO THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALER SHOP THREE TIMES BEFORE CORRECTION WAS MADE, BUT ALL COST WAS TO THE CONSUMER. *AK THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WAS REPLACED, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE ONLY REPAIRS NEEDED WERE THE REPLACEMENT OF AN OLD/CRACKED RUBBER TUBING AND TO RETIGHTEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BOLTS OR THE HEAD BOLTS. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, CONSUMER STATES IT FEELS LIKE DRIVING OVER A BUMPY ROAD, DEALER REPLACED FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS, RESURFACED ROTORS… Look up ODI 825336 at NHTSA ↗
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	0	0	0	0	0	—	0	0
Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage	0	0	0	0	0	0	—	0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components	0	0	0	0	1 ODI 825336 CONSUMER EXPERIENCED FUEL VAPOR SMELL COMING INTO THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALER SHOP THREE TIMES BEFORE CORRECTION WAS MADE, BUT ALL COST WAS TO THE CONSUMER. *AK THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WAS REPLACED, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE ONLY REPAIRS NEEDED WERE THE REPLACEMENT OF AN OLD/CRACKED RUBBER TUBING AND TO RETIGHTEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BOLTS OR THE HEAD BOLTS. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, CONSUMER STATES IT FEELS LIKE DRIVING OVER A BUMPY ROAD, DEALER REPLACED FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS, RESURFACED ROTORS… Look up ODI 825336 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

1 patterns with matching reports.

Fuel smell or leak mentions

1 mentions · 2.9% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 703640

THIS FAILURE ONLY HAPPENS BELOW 20DEG F. PROBLEM GOES AWAY WHEN ENGINE WARM. ON VERY COLD STARTUP, FUEL DRIPS RAPIDLY AND VISIBLY FROM BOTTOM OF PRESSURE REGULATOR TO VALVE COVER. SEE ODI ID'S 380248, 437128, 416832, 825336, 946072, 956814, 979475. TURKEY DEALERS LET CAR WARM IN GARAGE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO LOCATE PROBLEM. PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS WHEN PART AND/OR FUEL IS UNCOMFORTABLY COLD. MY DEALER SAID "YOU HAVE A GAS LEAK" WHEN I DROVE IN. 2 HOURS LATER THEY CHARGED $25 AND SAID THERE WAS NO GAS LEAK, EVEN THOUGH I POINTED TO THE PART WHI…

Look up ODI 703640 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(fuel leak\w*|gas leak\w*|gas(?:oline)? smell|smell\w* (?:of )?(?:fuel|gas))\b