Most common 2005 Mazda MPV problems
Share of the 36 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mazda MPV complaints by model year
Best MPV years: 2006, 1998, 1995. Years to avoid: 2000, 2002, 2003, 2001, 2004. Compare all years →
2005 Mazda MPV recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2005 MPV, 2004 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 and 2004 MPV vehicles nationwide. Mazda is also recalling 2005-2006 MPV vehicles in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2005-2006 Mazda MPV vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington,…
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018 for MPV vehicles.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2005 Mazda MPV:
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
What 2005 Mazda MPV owners say
Engine & cooling
Engine stalls or shut down completely when auto moves from high speed to low speed. Mazda 6 w/ 3.0 liter engine, which is the same engine as this unit, has a similar issue - see here: http://www.6crew.com/files/TSB/01-016-06-2135.pdf this is happening persistently for the last 2 years.
We own a 2005 Mazda MPV. Two years after purchasing the vehicle it started to shake and jerk as if it wanted to turn off, after taking it to the dealership it turns out the engine was misfiring due an ignition coil giving out. Nine months later it happens again. This time they replaced all 6 six ignition coils. Two years after replacing all six coils it happens again. This time they replaced the #3 coil. While at the dealership the service lady told us that this is a consistent problem with this vehicle and that we would have this problem with the coils for as long as we own the van. All three times that this has happened the car shakes and acts as if the engine wants to shut off. After vigorous research online we found out that we are not the only ones dealing with this problem. …
Air bags
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2005 Mazda MPV. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V404000 (Air Bags) however, the nearest dealer location was nearly 5 hours away. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and attempted to send a mechanic from the dealer to the residence for the recall repair however, the dealer declined. The contact was then referred to a Subaru dealer for assistance; however, the manufacturer failed to send the part to the dealer. The contact had gone back and forth with the manufacturer and other dealers but the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl contact owns a 2005 Mazda MPV. The vehicle was traveling 40 MPH when the vehicle slid on the ice and crashed into the median onto the highway. The air bags did not deploy. This was the only time that the vehicle had been involved in a crash. The manufacturer told the contact that there was nothing they could do to assist him. The contact is concerned about the safety risk. The VIN was not available. The current and failure mileages were 45,000 .
Brakes
The contact owns a 2005 Mazda MPV. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the vehicle failed to come to a complete stop. As a result of the failure, the contact crashed into a tree on the passenger side of the vehicle. The driver's side air bag deployed; however, the passenger's side air bag did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. A Police report was filed, but no injuries were reported. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V781000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that the VIN was included; however, the vehicle had previously been repaired by the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. …
I was coming home from work doing the speed limit and my car would not stop I press the brake all the way to the floor and it still did not stop I pulled up my emergency brake and that did not work so finally I got the car to stop because I kept pumping the brakes and the car started slowing down and I threw it in park I was so scared I searched around for recalls on the brake and the emergency brake the only recall I seen was in 2017 in detroit. Please anything suggestions
2005 Mazda MPV engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Mazda MPV a good car?
Based on 36 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 MPV rates better than average: 41% fewer complaints than a typical year of the MPV at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Mazda MPV?
The engine & cooling — 12 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the air bags (10) and brakes (4).
How many recalls does the 2005 Mazda MPV have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2005 Mazda MPV, the most recent from October 31, 2019 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mazda MPV?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2006, 1998 and 1995. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 2002, 2003, 2001 and 2004. See the full Mazda MPV years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Mazda MPV problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 59,000 miles; 50% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.