Independent · Not affiliated with NHTSA or any automaker MethodologyData sourcesData refreshed Oct 6, 2026

1996 Mazda MPV: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1996 Mazda MPV, most recently filed October 2015. Owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
Caution Fewer than 50 complaints filed. With this few reports, patterns may not be meaningful.
Compare

Recalls (1)

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1996 Mazda MPV. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 1996 Mazda MPV. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 15V674000 Filed Oct 19, 2015

Ignition Switch may Overheat

Electrical system · ignition · switch
Official NHTSA text
Summary
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.
Consequence
If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.
Remedy
Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500, option#6. Mazda's number for this recall is 8715J.
0.6% repairedof 1,368,500 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 15V674000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (18)

18 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The air bags is mentioned most often.

2involved a crash
0involved a fire
4injuries reported
0deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1996 Mazda MPV, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 18.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 1996 compares with other MPV years

Best and worst MPV years →
1992199319941995199619971998199920002001
This year (1996)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 17 mpg combined

17
mpg combined
15
city
20
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$3,950
CO₂ tailpipe
523 g/mi
EPA class
Special Purpose Vehicles

What it costs you to run

$3,842per year
$320per month
882gallons a year

Miles ÷ 17 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

1996 Mazda MPV configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
3 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automaticRear-Wheel Drive15 / 20 / 17$3,950523
3 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive14 / 17 / 15$4,450593

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 1996 MPV for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All MPV years

Where to next

1996 Mazda MPV FAQ

How many recalls does the 1996 Mazda MPV have?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign: 15V674000 (electrical). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 1996 Mazda MPV problems?

Owners filed 18 complaints with NHTSA. Air bags (3), Vehicle speed control (3), Engine and engine cooling (2) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 1996 Mazda MPV get?

EPA rates the 3 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic version at 15 city, 20 highway and 17 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.

How does the 1996 MPV compare with other years?

Among the 1992–2001 Mazda MPV model years at least five years old, the 1999 drew the fewest complaints (2) and the 2000 the most (149). The 1996 drew 18. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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