2003 Mazda MPV problems & reliability
113 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Mazda MPV, alongside 4 safety recall campaigns. 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.
15 complaints report injuries (18 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2003 Mazda MPV vehicles were involved in 3 fatal crashes with 3 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 35 | 31% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 23 | 20% |
| Electrical System | 16 | 14% |
| Air Bags | 10 | 9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 8% |
| Structure | 8 | 7% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 4% |
| Unknown OR Other | 5 | 4% |
| Engine | 4 | 4% |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 3% |
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.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 46,000 miles (middle 50% between 16,122 and 77,500 miles), based on 79 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My 2003 mazda mpv has a horrible transmission shifting problem. Took it to dealer and they said it's the transmission control module. They charged me 1,500 dollars to install new and and reflash it and the transmission still doesn't shift properly.”
Power Train · filed Jan 31, 2019
“I would like to report the vance who is the auto manager at sears auto in salem, oregon at 955 lancaster drive ne salem, oregon 97301. I bought 4 new tires in june 2018 and purchased a road hazard plus warranty. In between this incident I am reporting to you; I reported vance for being very unprofessional to me in the…”
Service Brakes · filed Sep 14, 2018
“Both sunvisors mirror housings drops hanging from the cables every time you lower the sunvisors. It happens stationary and in motion. Can't virtually use sunvisors. *js”
Visibility/wiper · filed Jan 31, 2018
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
124 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2003 Mazda MPV. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. 09-042/04 12/10/04 DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may exhibit inoperative electric rear window defroster grid lines…
09-022-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2026
This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are noted in Red. SA-011/24 02/12/24, 06/06/24, 07/29/24 DESCRIPTION Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance…
SA-029-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 21, 2026
A musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (A/C) system is operating. It is most noticeable when the A/C is first turned ON. This odor is the result of mold growth in the A/C…
07-004-25a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 10, 2025
A musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (A/C) system is operating. It is most noticeable when the A/C is first turned ON. This odor is the result of mold growth in the A/C…
07-004-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 25, 2025
In accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing a speedometer. NOTE: Tampering with a motor vehicle odometer is strictly prohibited by Federal, and State laws. It is the dealer’s…
09-038-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 8, 2024
Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop…
SA-011-24b · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2024
Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop…
SA-011-24a · Other · issued Jun 7, 2024
Mazda has developed factory recommended scheduled maintenance services that support all major vehicle systems. Mazda recommends dealers follow the scheduled maintenance tables as cited in the vehicle-specific workshop…
SA-011-24 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 12, 2024
Speedometer replacement procedure
09-016-23 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 28, 2023
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…
02-004-22a · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 18, 2022
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 2003 Mazda MPV has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns — 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 2003 Mazda MPV?
- · 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 46,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.