1998 Mazda MPV: common problems and reliability

24 owner complaints on record.

Most complaints are about air bags. 1 recall.

Should I buy a 1998 MPV?

The 1998 Mazda MPV has 24 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 1 recall on record. The most-reported areas are air bags and electrical system.

Safety record for the 1998 model year

24
Owner complaints
1
Recalls
4
Crash reports
3
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 1998 Mazda MPV vehicles (US, public record).

How we score it

Is 1998 a good year for the MPV?

Across the 11 MPV model years we track, complaint volume runs from 2 (1999) to 155 (2000). With 24 complaints, the 1998 MPV sits below the model's median of 42.

These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.

Where owners report problems

air bags
7
electrical system
3
steering
2
suspension
2
service brakes
2

Recalls affecting the 1998 MPV

electrical system:ignition:switch

Campaign 15V674000

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become conductive and overheat.

What owners say across generations

Sentiment is mixed and heavily dependent on the vehicle's age and maintenance history.

Owner insights cover all generations of the MPV. See the full MPV owner picture and every model year.

Typical used price

Used MPV listings typically run $3,950–$6,995 across 1989 to 2006 model years.

Other MPV model years

Compare every MPV year side by side to see how 1998 ranks against the rest.

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