2002 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MAZDA MIATA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND COULD NOT BE IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IMMOBILIZER MODULE ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED AND DISABLED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,700.

THIS CAR HAS A SAFETY IMMOBILIZER THAT PREVENTS CAR FROM RUNNING IF THE CORRECT TRANSPONDER KEY IS NOT USED. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 28,000 MILES, OF WHICH I HAVE DRIVEN THE LAST 10,000 MILES. THIS WEEK THE IMMOBILIZER CONTROL ELECTRONICS FAILED, RENDERING THE CAR TO STOP RUNNING AND WILL NOT RESTART. RESEARCHING ON THE WEB IT APPEARS THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH MANY 2001 AND SOME 2002 MODELS. FIRSTLY THIS FAILURE IS A SAFETY ISSUE. SECONDLY THE REPAIR REQUIRES REPLACING THIS IMMOBILIZER MODULE AS WELL AS THE MAIN ECU AND GETTING NEW TRANSPONDER KEYS, WHICH IS VERY COSTLY.

SPEEDOMETER ON 2002 MAZDA MIATA FAILS INTERMITTENTLY. MAZDA REFUSES TO REPLACE EVEN THOUGH UNDER WARRANTY. *NM