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2003 Mazda Mpv Recalls & Complaints

4

open safety recalls on record

Critical

141 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.94 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical03V206000

Exterior Lighting:Fog Lights

SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE BULB SOCKET AND THE HARNESS CAN DROP INSIDE THE BUMPER AND POSSIBLY BUT RARELY, THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE BULB CAN CAUSE THE BUMPER TO BURN.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING TO PREVENT THE SOCKET HOLDER FROM SEPARATING FROM THE LAMP CASE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JULY 14, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.

ON CERTAIN MINI VANS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE SOCKET HOLDER IN THE FOG LIGHTS IS INSTALLED IN THE LAMP CASING USING PRESSURE. DURING OPERATION OF THE FOG LIGHT, THE HEAT FROM THE BULB CAN EXPAND THE SOCKET HOLDER. THE EXPANSION CAN FORCE THE SOCKET HOLDER REARWARD. AFTER REPEATEDLY BEING SUBJECT TO THIS EXPANSION, IF THE FOG LIGHT IS ALSO SUBJECTED TO VIBRATION DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, THE SOCKET HOLDER WITH THE BULB HOLDER AND THE WIRING HARNESS MAY SEPARATE FROM THE FOG LIGHT CASING.

Critical03V053000

Exterior Lighting:Fog Lights

IF THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO BE USED WITH THIS CONDITION, THE BULB SOCKET AND THE WIRING HARNESS MAY SEPARATE FROM THE FOG LIGHT HOUSING IF EXPOSED TO SHOCK AND/OR VIBRATION AND DROP INSIDE THE BUMPER.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE INSTALLATION CONDITION OF THE FOG LIGHT BULB ASSEMBLY, AND REPAIR IT WHEN NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 31, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.

ON CERTAIN MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH FRONT FOG LIGHTS,THE FOG LIGHT BULB SOCKET MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IMPROPERLY.

Serious04V109000

Equipment:Other:Labels

Remedy & full details

OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AIR BAG CAUTION LABELS AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS WHICH WERE MAILED ON JULY 22, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.

CERTAIN MINIVANS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH AIR BAG WARNING LABELS INTENDED FOR THE CANADIAN MARKET. THUS, THE LABELS CONTAIN WARNINGS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND FRENCH. AS A RESULT, THE AREA OF THE ENGLISH WARNING IS ONLY 16 SQUARE CENTIMETERS, AS OPPOSED TO THE 30 SQUARE CENTIMETERS REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.

Serious04V282000

Equipment:Other:Labels

IF THE TIRE IS OPERATED IN AN UNDER-INFLATED CONDITION, THE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE VEHICLE MAY BE COMPROMISED, raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECTED LABEL THAT THEY CAN APPLY TO THEIR VEHICLE, OR THEY CAN HAVE A DEALER INSTALL THE LABEL, IF DESIRED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 16, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500, OPTION #4.

THE TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE INDICATED ON THE VEHICLE CERTIFICATION LABEL IS NOT CORRECT. THE LABELS SHOW THE MAXIMUM TIRE PRESSURE AS 240 KPA/32 PSI WHEN IT SHOULD BE SHOWN AS 240 KPA/35 PSI. AS A RESULT OF THIS ERROR, THE LOAD RATIOS FOR THE 205/65R15 94H AND THE 215/60R16 95H TIRES EXCEED THE LEVELS PERMITTED BY FMVSS 120.

Complaint volume

141 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

15Crashes
2Fires
24Injuries
0Deaths

Across 141 complaints. Severity Index 0.94.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Power Train · Automatic T…31 · 22%Engine And Engine Cooling9 · 6%Electrical System8 · 6%Air Bags7 · 5%Engine And Engine Cooling…6 · 4%Unknown Or Other5 · 4%Vehicle Speed Control5 · 4%Electrical System · Ignit…4 · 3%
  1. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 31 reports
  2. Engine And Engine Cooling — 9 reports
  3. Electrical System — 8 reports
  4. Air Bags — 7 reports
  5. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 6 reports
  6. Unknown Or Other — 5 reports
  7. Vehicle Speed Control — 5 reports
  8. Electrical System:Ignition — 4 reports
  9. Engine — 4 reports
  10. Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System — 3 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (1) · 1996 (1) · 1997 (1) · 1998 (1) · 2000 (5) · 2001 (3) · 2002 (4) · 2003 · 2004 (5) · 2005 (3) · 2006 (2)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.