Don’t Buy a 2024 Mazda MX-5 Miata Until You’ve Seen This.

[@wackit6756]

So to be clear, your car is a 2023 not a 2024? ND2 right? Because we are still waiting to hear from someone with the 2024 ND3 to see if they have a transmission failure because the hope is Mazda rectified it. 💁‍♂️

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Yes, it is a 2023. I just made this video for current potential buyers to be aware of this issue resurfacing on the last year model. The mechanic who’s swapping mine is going to look into the transmission with Mazda to see if there’s any supplier or part difference between the years or with the one they’re sending me. I’m unsure I’ll actually get a definitive answer back on this though.

[@wackit6756]

Thanks for letting people know about this. I’m still amazed that after all these years of transmission failures, Mazda hasn’t addressed if the replacement transmissions have been beefed up or exactly why they continue to fail (10%)? Crossing my fingers for my '21' 👍

[@le0redd104]

Not a huge difference between the 2nd gen/3 gen ND mx-5 on exterior wise but some very nice changes on the inside and it could be a huge factor to some

[@ag4allgood]

@@le0redd104 Apparently not as compared to June of 2023 Sales of MX-5s are down 10 % & down 28% for the year.

[@jgrc73]

are you sure you know what you're doing?

[@scottamy6496]

I am the owner of a 2024 ND3 Miata Club at currently at 1500 miles and just this week I changed the transmission fluid to the Ford XT-M5-QS Full Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid as hopefully a deterrent to any issues! The fluid looked ok upon draining with just a tiny bit of very fine goo on the magnetic drain plug that’s normal. In the subsequent 100 or so miles since the change I really can’t tell much of a difference, but we’ll just wait and see how it goes! I also did an early initial oil change at 850 miles and went with Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5w30 over the recommended 0w20! I live in hot and humid North Carolina and feel the 5w30 will be a great oil spec for my needs. I’ll just have to wait and see how this new 2024 ND3 will do and deal with whatever issues come up, if any!

[@ag4allgood]

Compared to June of 2023 Mazda MX-5 sales are down 10% & 28% for the year so far.

[@ZacharySound]

Not sure why you are deviating from what the manual is saying about oil weight. Heavier oil isn't going to make the car handle heat better than the recommended oil. You will cause more harm to that new '24 than good putting in the wrong oil spec.

[@ag4allgood]

It would be helpful to state the mileage on your ND2 Club before the transmission was replaced. Did you ever change the transmission oil on the 1st transmission ? Mazda quickly replaced your transmission. The ONLY refusal of a faulty transmission from Mazda is the ones with either a Turbo or Supercharger added. Even MX-5s that had broken down at the track coming in with numbers on the doors have had their transmissions replaced. Also before Buying a tuning kit that could be a 3rd reason Mazda would turn down a new transmission request. I replaced my transmission oil with the Mazda IS Manual Long Life oil ( OEM ) at 27,000 miles. My plan is to keep changing the transmission oil much sooner then the manual states.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Sorry about that, it was at 17k. And it has already been replaced, the transmission came it quite a bit quicker than originally expected. So far so good but I forgot that 1st and reverse weren’t the smoothest when new, thankfully the other 4 gears feel good so far, but I’ve hardly put any miles on it yet. I’ll share an update video on it soon, thank you for watching and sharing good insight!

[@MattAllen-cq8mf]

Pls000

[@ZacharySound]

I haven't noticed any transmission issues with my '22 and I'm about to hit 19k miles. The issue does occur with the 2022 as well however. Not just the '23's. I am thankfull for the 5 year/60k miles powertrain warranty!

[@NGMonocrom]

This is unfortunate. Mazda has been doing so much right during the last decade.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Yeah, they really have! I’m surprised they aren’t a larger company by now like Toyota or what Hyundai/kia have recently become.

[@paker51]

Had to replace my 2023 Miata 6 speed manual at 9300 miles. Third and forth gears ground. New transmission is good. No problems so far at 12000 miles.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m sorry to hear that! Hopefully we both have much better fortune with the new ones. 😅

[@raymondhumphrey2749]

Same issues with my 6speed manual.. Grinding gears in 3rd n 4th gear..2023 GT with only 7000 miles.. ?😡

[@paker51]

@@raymondhumphrey2749 The CS guy at my local Mazda dealer didn't seem at all surprised when I told him about my transmission problem.

[@AcoAegis]

you all might laugh at me, but I double clutch all my downshifts. It's how I learned, it gives better feedback which will prevent money-shifting. I test drove two brand new 2024's, and I noticed that the synchros would lock up prematurely, a LOT. I know they have a break-in period, of course, but I did find it kind of shocking. I'm wondering if it's a fluid issue, maybe changing the fluid will help (yours might already be fucked). Sounds like you've been powering through the grinding, which is always, no bueno.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s interesting insight! When the mechanic was riding with me and then driving in the video shown he mentioned sometimes the gears aren’t perfectly aligned for why you need to double clutch or go into R or 1st before going back to the other one as that realigns them. It sucked but I was told the issue had to be somewhat obvious so I actually had to keep driving it and make it worse to ensure they would acknowledge an issue and get a warranty claim with Mazda. But once they topped off the fluid it has been driving a tad bit better. When the new tranny comes in I’ll ask them to check fluid levels once it’s installed.

[@David_Journey]

I would add to double clutch when the engine and transmission oil is cold. Note that the indicator of coolant temp does not reveal if the transmission temp has come up to optimal. Also double clutch on both on up and downshift. That is from first -> second, second -> third.

[@AcoAegis]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Update: I bought a 2024. Also, I am glad they're sorting yours out by the way, I should have mentioned that the first time. The synchros on mine were a bit "crunchy", but have worn in. I also did a LOT of shopping to find a "good" one and a good deal. I'm at nearly 2000 miles now, and it's feeling very well sorted. If something comes up, I'll update my original comment. The only problem I've have is with reverse and human error. Sometimes the shifter goes almost all the way but is missing a little bit of travel, and the camera will turn on. The first time it happened, I ground the shit out of it. I've gotten used to it now, but I think I ground reverse 2-3 times before I got really consistent at remembering.

[@DezDav4]

The synchro issue issue is well known with 2022 and 2023, I don't think there have been reports for 2024 yet.

[@giovannipitino]

Own 2022 with 60,000 miles no problem 😎

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s awesome to hear, and holy cow have you been driving yours haha.

[@Masatao1]

So if you get new transmission, isn't that same as the transmission currently in your car?

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Yup, lol. That’s one of the reasons I sold the car a couple weeks after it was fixed.

[@royanderson535]

I have found that setting in the seat before putting my feet in is the easiest way to get into the car.Also you can use your hands to raise legs up so as not scuff the bottom of the opening (seal plate). Hope this helps .

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Great insight!! Thanks!

[@bobglaid3737]

You shouldn’t drive with your hand resting on the shifter. I ruined the synchro in a mach1 mustang in the 70s. They told me resting my hand on the shifter held pressure against the synchro and it ruined it.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s great advice, and I’m sorry to hear that you had experienced that. I would say 90% of this cars miles are crushing long distances in 6th gear at 60-80mph. And most of the around town driving if my hand is by the shifter it’s more just hovering over the top, not applying a downward pressure, as I’ve also heard that it’s not good to apply weight to the shifter. Thanks for watching and providing valuable insight!!

[@techne9992]

I have a 2024 and the transmission started whining. Taking it in this week to dealership. It’s a super fun car, hopefully they fix it.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m sorry to hear that! Just this morning I posted an update video to mine. Thankfully Mazda and the dealership had it all said and done fixed pretty fast!

[@PaulHojda]

Bought a 1.5l ND2 new in june 2023. Fast forward 12500km and now i'm waiting for a new transmission replacement under warranty, as it would refuse to go into 3rd gear. Very disappointed that Mazda hasn't yet rectified the ND transmission problems

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m sorry to hear that!

[@626texan]

I wonder what the difference is between the tranny the car ships with and the replacement tranny that appears to be working fine...

[@Timpala44]

Just wondering how hard the car has been driven for those 17,000 miles? Track?

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Literally babied it. 90% of the miles have been crushing 55-80mph in 6th gear. And In the 10% around town I’ve probably taken it to 7,000 RPM 40 total time. New transmission is in, so I’ll probably make an update video soon!

[@davidemrich8008]

I test drove a 2024 Sport manual, and it ground. I have a 2024 Sport manual on order from Japan. I saw a video where the guy said his ground.

[@joan4906]

The gearbox on my '23 1.5RF failed at 4000 miles. The 3rd gear synchro failed. Mazda are well aware of the problem but won't admit it. They told me that the replacement gearbox had not been modified but was just a newer version of the failed box. Jeez!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Dang, I’m sorry to hear that! I ended up selling mine shortly after it was replaced.

[@davidemrich8008]

I had a 1984 RX-7. I bought an automatic used because research showed they had trouble with their clutches. I had to replace a clutch in a 1973 manual RX-3 I had from new. The automatic went out on the RX-7, and I had it repaired, but it still wasn’t right. When it was stolen, and disassembled, the thieves too everything but the at.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Dang, I’m sorry to hear that! It’s a shame the manuals still aren’t over built and completely sorted out.

[@raymondhumphrey2749]

Same,same, same thing with my MX-5.. Grinding between 3rd n 4th gears.. 2023 soft top GT.. 7600 miles... Sad!!!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m sorry to hear that! Mines already been replaced, but I can’t say I trust it like I use to before this all started, lol. 😅

[@peterlewis3540]

Buy the 2024 MX5 MD then watch this video. You will then realise it was the best thing you ever did. I own a 2021 MD 1.5L with the superb 6 speed. You have to allow the gearbox to warm up gently before you move swiftly through the gears. From first into second cannot be rushed, until the gear oil has had time to warm up, then the gear changes are smooth and responsive. Its a known fact that the second gear on the Mazda box can be a bit stiff or unresponsive when cold, so give the gears time to warm up. Then you should have no issues.

[@EchoSigma6]

Your ND is beautiful! I own the undesirable NC, it’s got 190k miles and it’s taken up my local mountain roads every weekend. It’s been bulletproof. Once your ND’s tranny has been replaced it should be good to go. Have fun.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thanks! It’s been fun slowly building it to be “track ready” as I hope to make a few track videos with it someday. NCs are awesome, I drove and reviewed one a while back. It sounds like you’re having a lot of fun with yours, 190k miles is awesome haha.

[@mjolnirev7890]

Mazda should have stuck with the nc transmission .

[@Eddie-yc5yd]

Unfortunately....or Fortunately i bought a 2024 miata gt, automatic. My left knee is given out. So i traded in my 2018 manual.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

It’s a double edge sword for sure, but at least you don’t have to worry about this silly synchros flaw. I think I’ve driven an auto ND2 twice and it was surprisingly almost as fun as the manual in my opinion. Mazda came through quickly for mine and I just recently got it back with the new transmission. But I can’t say I 100% trust it the way I use to haha. 😬

[@miner4236]

jinba ittai and you weren't ready for it. Either you got super super unlucky or don't know how to shift. The transmissions are the weak link of the NDs, yes. They don't break out of nowhere, for no reason. No. I've owned 3, they're all fine. You don't know how to shift and same goes for most of the people crying about a broken trans in the comments. Turning on the AC makes a HUGE difference to how the engine behaves in this car, and 90% of the ND owners I tell this to ask me wtf I'm talking about. Simple proof that you guys have no idea how to shift a manual lmao.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Hahahaha 😂 I can’t tell if you’re serious or just trolling but thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!

[@richardshannon7563]

You obviously occasionally either road course track or autocross the car. It has tow straps front and back as well as aftermarket roll bar. Not that is an excuse for the transmission issues 22-23 cars are having. J/S you say you "baby" the car. There is a significant number of people on the forums with issues with those model years. I am curious why you choose to warn people about buying 24-25 models knowing they are a new variation of the ND and may not have those issues. I own 10 NC miatas and now a couple ND2s I JUST purchased, although I was careful, I bought 2019s (I buy salvge cars from CoPart and IAA to build track cars). My family and I track regularly, HPDE , TT, and some wheel to wheel.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I ultimately sold the car shortly after the transmission was replaced, but I had been building it to be a fun track or auto cross car. It’s never actually gone to a track or been driven more aggressive than a few very solemn sliding U-turns or single donut and roll outs. Over 80% of the miles were just cruising at highway/interstate speeds to get to work. I mention to be aware of this for 2024 because no body at Mazda was able to provide an answer to whether the 2024 model year has a new variation to the transmission or not.

[@mattylight8600]

Sorry to hear. Very nice Miata. Love the roll bar. Does the Blackbird Fabworx decal come shipped on the roll bar or can it be left off? Want to get that roll bar, but not a huge fan of the decal.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Thanks! And I also love the roll bar. It came on from the factory, you could always call the guy and ask for him to not include it if you want. Or you could just remove it with a hairdryer once it arrives. It look most of the day for myself and a much more mechanically knowledgeable friend to install it, but so worth it!!

[@mattylight8600]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Thanks for the info! I’ve installed a roll bar in a NB Miata before so I know what I’m getting into.

[@larrymorris8941]

I’m having the same issues with my 2022 nd2. Similar to your car, my transmission makes a grinding noise for 3rd gear. Hope you enjoy your car!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m sorry to hear that!

[@tanzee1233]

My 2023 MX5 Club had the same issue (1500 miles), and the dealer replaced it with a new one with warranty. It's fine now, but what will happen in the future?😢

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s where I’m at too lol. It’s now fixed and I’ll make another video on it very soon. But will it happen again…? 😬

[@adidasDC]

That sucks, I have had my 2017 RF since it came out I’m about to hit 100k I’ve tracked it a couple times but yea I’ve always know about the 16 issue.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m glad to hear you’ve been thoroughly enjoying yours and it’s held up well!

[@ag4allgood]

Its NOT a 16 issue. I have a 2016 Club soft top & the history of the transmission on ALL ND1 / ND2 / ND3 is that this was designed for the 1.5 Liter engine not the 2.0 Liter. This history all goes back to before the launch of the ND in 2016 Dave Coleman the North American Design engineer organized a meeting between US Miata enthusiasts with Japanese Mazda Engineers / Marketing & what they learned was here in the US the 1.5 Liter engine would not satisfy Americans. The US Miata enthusiasts wanted more HP ! Now Mazda Japan already had already designed the 1.5 Liter engine transmission. So in order to satisfy the US need for more HP that 1.5 Liter transmission would be mated to the 2.0 Liter engine. So it was no doubt an interesting internal Mazda engineering meeting to make that call. Now if the ND were designed with the 2.0 Liter engine from the start the transmission would not be the weak point of this roadster.

[@geraldbennett7035]

this issue has been around for a number of model years now and still Mazda wont address it.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I ended up selling mine shortly after it was fixed, I surprisingly haven’t actually missed it. I think it just feels good to take a break and downsize for a while.

[@PT-ww9nc]

Not surprising. They have also refused to admit and fixed the well known and common spider cracks at the corner of the infotainment screen. Poor form Mazda!

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Oh I haven’t heard of that one. It’s crazy how all the talk on the forums now is about the transmissions lol. 🤕

[@isocuda]

Double clutching is specifically for this situation, there's literally no reason to do so otherwise. If Mazda is shipping a rebuild kit or a new tranny to the dealer, I would reach out to Mazda NA and the dealer's warranty admin: See if you can get the gear set cryo'd or WPC treated at your own expense. They'll probably default to "we can't warranty it if it's modified", but Mazda would 100% have either treatment done if it wasn't cost prohibitive. Even just WPC treatment to the syncro rings alone can drastically reduce wear with the natural lubricity. That all said, I would no deviate from specified trans oil standards (the certs, I'm not saying you have to buy the dealer box oil), but a fluid will not fix a mechanical tolerance defect, it will only lengthen the MTTF. Also, resting your hand on the shifter, holding the clutch down, etc ARE bad practices, but they only matter over the course of double digit years of usage. If you have less than 5,000 engine hours and there's a failure, don't blame yourself for mild practices. Hopefully you get the answers and resolution you're looking for.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Great insights, that’s for commenting! I actually just picked it back up, they did replace the transmission and I’ve only driven it a few miles so far. Hoping this one is solid. I forgot when I first bought it that first and reverse were a bit less smooth initially and then smoothed out over the first couple months. I definitely felt that today, but 3-6 gear feels smooth!

[@davestadt49]

😮i would have a ha4d time getting in and then getting out😮😮

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

That’s why I’m enjoying it now while I can haha. And even now it’s not always the easiest to squeeze into and out of it. 🤪

[@asdf_asdf948]

I would say this is an isolated case and probably just a bad part. Don't see many complaints from other owners

[@TW-bx6xs]

There are heaps on the FB group. All replaced under warranty.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Yeah, I’ve heard quite a few others have also experienced this. But even if it is about 10% that’s at least better than 50% lol. When the new transmission comes in I’ll see if they can confirm it’s full of fluid. When they checked mine and found the brass it sounds like they also needed to top off the fluid. And since then it does drive noticeably better at low RPMs, but still occasional grinds and 5-6 great feels poorly lubricated.

[@totoro6214]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 it's likely not even close to 10% or even 1%.. i'm in miata clubs and rarely ever do i hear of anyone that's had issues with their nds.... more people will go online to speak about their transmission failures than would people go online to state that their transmission has no issues.

[@TheFlyrodder68]

Many people need to take care of their Miatas. They drive them hard, track them, and abuse the engine unnecessarily.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Very true! Although it seems like a lot of people on the forums have reported theirs holding up quite well to auto cross and track days. But when you push the limits things start to break, lol. But a babied 6speed shouldn’t fail with 90% highway miles in 6th gear. 🤪

[@TW-bx6xs]

Maybe they shouldn't *have* to withstand regular hardcore track days with mods etc but they absolutely should be designed to take hard street driving in stock form, that is what they are for.....

[@paulmagrich9182]

Time to sell and get a better car.

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

Lol, I’d probably consider it if there was a more fun vehicle but I haven’t found it yet. Most modern performance cars sound cool on paper, but in practice they’re heavy, numb, and honestly just not that much fun or useable in street driving. Since first driving one of these its become the benchmark and I realized how bad everything else drives and feels and it’s difficult to get past that. 🤷‍♂️🤪

[@bender2033]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 GR86/BRZ?

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’ve driven both of those cars, my GR86 review being the much more recent experience and much better video. I’ve said before those cars are like an 8-8.5/10 the experience of the Miata. They weigh 500 pounds more and being a closed roof coupe really takes away from the no compromise experience that the Miata offers. The MX-5 lacks so much for practicality (which is why they’re usually not a good only car to own) that they have such a purpose built driving experience u like anything else, in my opinion. 🤷‍♂️🙂

[@YouSoundButtHurt]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 The Fiesta ST is the only car I've driven that seems to be worth the money. It's like an old school GTI. Haven't driven a Miata.

[@bender2033]

@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 ill check out your review. I was mostly just thinking out loud about which other vehicles are out there can be had with rwd, manual, and less than 35k. Rare company indeed.

[@Saboda53]

Transmission failure!! OMG, can’t say I’m surprised. It’s no secret the MX-5 is one of the most unreliable cars you can buy. All those accolades from reviewer after reviewer? (“What an amazing transmission!,” “it doesn’t get better than this!!,” and “the best transmission in the business, at any price!!) well, what do they know!? Thank you for setting the record straight.🙄

[@AutomotiveAnonymous208]

I’m not sure how previous generation Miata’s were for reliability, but other than the

[@Accost2u]

The miata is one of the most reliable cars on the market…in literally any category of car. Not sure what you’re on about.

[@Eelgnotsa]

I’ve been reading reviews of this car since 2016. Ordered one this year 2024. I think this is the second time I hear of transmission issues first time this particular type not a deterrent for me at all. Good luck with yours you seem to have a isolated issue.

[@LZKaiMarc]

i will get soon my third ND from my Dealership - my first was a used ND1 from 2016 bought 2018 - it had the transmission problem. the first gen of this gearbox had issues with metal hardening. the transmission was changed from dealership within the guarantee. after that all was fine. 2021 i bought a brandnew ND2 - 30000 kilometres since and no issues. i am a sporty driver and the car saw the Nürburgring Nordschleife. i had no other technical issues at all with both cars. my wife drives a cx30 - since 2021 - no issues! okay, the drivers seat is squieking. Maybe the Mazdas aren't perfect, but they are not unreliable! Also they are worth the money and they are not expensive! Here in Germany we get 6 years of Guarantee, so what?

[@isocuda]

Honda and Mazda are one of the few that have direct linkage transmissions down pat. These issues are likely a QC/supplier gremlin. Even as far as failures go, when they do fail they're still functional. Everything on Miatas is like 2 to 4 bolts and simple. The ND1 transmissions did have defect failures, but they also raced in Global Cup. Yes they changed to a bespoke sequential race transmission for the ND2 era primarily because MX5GC is hyper competitive and you have trust fund kids beating the ever living fuck out of them. It's not inherently a poor design, but yes they should have already fully corrected this by now.