MazdaMX-5 Miata2002Overview/mazda/mx-5-miata/2002/base/

2002 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 MX-5 Miata.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2002 Mazda MX‑5 Miata is a lightweight passenger‑car built on Mazda’s long‑standing rear‑wheel‑drive platform and equipped with an automatic four‑speed transmission that delivers a modest 20 mpg city and 25 mpg highway fuel economy (22 mpg combined). Despite its simplicity, the model registers only 21 owner‑reported complaints overall, with the electrical system emerging as the most frequent issue and two factory recalls recorded for the year. Compared with the preceding decade’s record—where complaints peaked at 75 in 1999 and fell to a single report in 1998—the 2002 Miata occupies a middle ground in Mazda’s reliability trend, indicating a generally stable but not flawless reputation for this generation.

Model year202520242023202220212003200220012000

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

EPA fuel economy20/25/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter B6Y114302A. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Tail / brake / turnFUSEOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterB6Y114302A
Fuel filterBP4W13480
Spark plug000018BP01 alt BP0218110
Battery0000800MX5WB
Front wiper bladesNC1067330
ThermostatBP6F15171A alt B62115173

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length155.9 in
Overall width66.1 in
Overall height48.4 in
Wheelbase89.4 in
Curb weight2350 lb
Track (front / rear)55.9 / 56.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)53/47

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 25 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the MX-5 Miata of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.7–8.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.70 sec — 2004 Mazdaspeed
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2001Convertible 1.8L I-47.90 sec15.92 sec140 hpRWD
2001Convertible 1.8L I-48.10 sec16.30 sec140 hpRWD
2004Mazdaspeed 1.8L Turbo I-46.70 sec15.20 sec178 hpRWD
2004Mazdaspeed 1.8L Turbo I-47.10 sec15.40 sec178 hpRWD
199910th Anniversary Edition 1.8L I-47.40 sec15.60 sec140 hpRWD
199910th Anniversary Edition 1.8L I-47.50 sec15.80 sec140 hpRWD
199910th Anniversary Edition 1.8L I-47.60 sec15.90 sec140 hpRWD
199910th Anniversary Edition 1.8L I-47.80 sec16.00 sec140 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine GL-5 in the differential. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear OilGL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.1 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Power Steering FluidDEXRON VI OR MERCON V

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque11-17 ft-lbs
Spark Plug Gap0.040-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0-16.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.88 lbs
Oil TypeND-9 Oil
Oil Capacity5.07 oz

Service checks

Engine Compression146-198 psi

Brakes

Wheel Application15 inch WHEELS / 16 inch WHEELS
Torque Caliper to Bracket37-50 ft-lbs / 58-65 ft-lbs / 26-28 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle65-87 ft-lbs / 37-50 ft-lbs
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.354 in / 0.787 in / 0.866 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.354 in / 0.787 in / 0.866 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.331 in / 0.74 in / 0.819 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.315 in / 0.709 in / 0.787 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Weatherstrip Seal (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miFuel Filter (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The federal record for the first-generation NA Miata (1990–1997) shows a generally low and fluctuating complaint count, peaking at 35 in 1995, with no recalls or investigations. The second-generation NB launched in 1999 with a sharp spike to 75 complaints, but this quickly subsided to 29 in 2000 and 22 in 2001, indicating that early NB issues were addressed. The 2002 model year, though not listed in the year-by-year record, continues this downward trend with only a handful of complaints concentrated in electrical, structure, and power train areas, plus two crash and one fire incident. This places the 2002 Miata well past the initial NB teething problems, in a period of relative stability. The data suggests it is a solid choice, offering the refined NB platform with minimal reported federal concerns.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
112
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
21
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 21 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System3
Structure3
Power Train3
Tires2
Engine & Engine Cooling2
Structure,Unknown Or Other1
Seat Belts1
Latches/Locks/Linkages1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 112 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SA-029-262026-04-21Power TrainThis Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA listed below: The changes are…
07-004-25a2025-12-10Unknown Or OtherA musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (A/C) system…
07-004-252025-04-25Unknown Or OtherA musty/mildew type odor may come from the vents when the air conditioning (A/C) system…
SA-080-242024-10-25EngineSome vehicles may crank but not start due to a PCM/Immobilizer malfunction. If this…
09-038-242024-08-08Electrical SystemIn accordance with Federal regulations, follow the procedure listed below when replacing…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific MX-5 Miata. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2002 MX-5 Miata have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the MX-5 Miata get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 25 highway / 22 combined mpg.