1998 Mazda B-Series Truck problems & reliability
67 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1998 Mazda B-Series Truck, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
4 complaints report injuries (11 injured, 12 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Tires → | 19 | 28% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 13 | 19% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 13% |
| Power Train | 5 | 7% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 6% |
| Suspension | 4 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 4% |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 4% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 4% |
| Structure | 3 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Mazdaspeed 3 turbo Vin:[XXX] ************************* Fuel pump EfI 400hp @ idel Turbo propultion not installed Cricket wireless broadband internet Connection.....? Swiage leakage: [XXX] [XXX] West covina sheriff dept. West covina ca INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Oct 28, 2022
“www.downeynissan.com Titan XD king cab Vin:[XXX]. Mazdaspeed 3 turbo Vin:[XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”
Tires · filed Oct 13, 2022
“Report s as stolen from Santa Clarita ca newhall. Reporting to the chp.gov [XXX] ca tip line [XXX] Western general insurance, clabasas www.downeynissan.com Management LLC INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).”
Lane Departure · filed Sep 30, 2021
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
120 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1998 Mazda B-Series Truck. The 10 most recent:
Some customers may experience a squeaking noise may be heard from the exhaust manifold when the idle speed drops from fast idle to normal idle speed during cold start. This is caused by a variable valve being stuck in…
01-010-22 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 26, 2022
In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer.
09-024-22 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 18, 2022
This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery replacement cost…
01-006-22 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 22, 2022
Some customers may complain of signs of oil on the struts or shock absorbers. In most cases the oil that is present is normal, and a result of the oil that remains on the shaft during the normal sweeping process of the…
02-004-22 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 24, 2022
Accessory instructions can be found on OneMazda under Dealer Resources - Parts & Accessories.
SA-014-22 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 29, 2022
The Mazda DCA-8000 is required for all warranty battery testing. If the Mazda DCA-8000 is not used, incorrect battery testing may result in unnecessary battery replacement. Use the following test procedures in this…
01-003/22 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 17, 2022
Battery Maintenance: This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery…
01-006-21-3779b · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 21, 2021
Automatic Transmission/Transaxle Cooler and Lines Flushing Procedure: Automatic Transaxle/Transmission (A/T) oil cooler and lines must be power flushed completely before an overhauled or replacement A/T is installed…
05-002-21-3854 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 8, 2021
This service bulletin provides testing and charging procedures in order to promote proper battery maintenance, to deliver new vehicles with fully charged batteries, and to reduce unnecessary battery replacement cost…
01-006-21-3779a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 24, 2021
This service bulletin provides information regarding the proper use of the driverâ  s floor mat to avoid any potential interference with the foot pedals. The following are possible causes of floor mat interference…
09-025-21-3824 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 17, 2021
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1998 Mazda B-Series Truck has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1998 Mazda B-Series Truck?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.