MazdaMX52020Overview/mazda/mx5/2020/base/

2020 Mazda MX5

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2020 MX5.

Transmission Automatic (S6)

The 2020 Mazda MX5 comes with a six‑speed automatic (S6) and returns an EPA‑estimated 26 city, 35 highway, and 30 combined mpg; its engine requires 4.5 quarts of 0W‑20 oil. Owner‑reported issues are minimal, with just three complaints recorded and a single recall, the most frequent concern being the air‑bag system. That low complaint count and solitary recall suggest the 2020 model year sits on the favorable side of the MX5’s reliability history, indicating a generally dependable entry.

Model year20202019201820172016201520142013

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque80-108 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy26/35/30 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 51R · 340 CCA battery, OE oil filter 1WPE14302. 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.

Battery groupBCI 51R · 340 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnFUSEOEM · verified
Tire size205/45R17 84WOEM · verified
Wheel / rim7 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1WPE14302
Engine air filterPEES133A0
Fuel filterP59D13ZE0 alt PE0113ZE1
Spark plugPE5R18110A
Battery000080051RWB
Front wiper bladesNA8W67330 alt NA9C67330
Serpentine beltPEES15908 alt P30115909C
ThermostatP50215171

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined26 / 35 / 30 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 0W-20 engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 80-108 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.6 qt
Clutch FluidSAE J1703 · Dot 3
Engine Oil0W-20
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity2.1 qt

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts80-108 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts80-108 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity.875 - .975 lbs
Oil TypeDH - PR
Oil Capacity4.06 - 4.73 oz
Standard BCI Group Number51R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance340 cca
Standard BCI Group Number51R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance340 cca

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueRear: 15.0 -
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 59.0 -; Rear: 38.0 -
ABS Sensor TorqueFront: 6.0; Rear: 6.0
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .790; Rear: .300
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: .819; Rear: .330
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.0006
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .002; Rear: .004

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
120.0-23.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 80-100°20–23 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
167.0-81.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 55°-65°67–81 ft. lbs

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 75,000 mi; coolant at 120,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 120,000 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 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBody Fasteners (torque) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect)
Every 22,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 30,000 miFuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect)
Every 37,500 miExhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect)
Every 60,000 miTransmission Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 75,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 120,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 180,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

Owner complaints about the 2020 Mazda MX5 dominate in one area — the air bags, 2 of 3 reports (67%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the air bags are also the target of recall 24V-695 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the air bags pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
252
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
3
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Air Bags2
Fuel/Propulsion System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

24V695000Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module:SoftwareReported 18/09/2024

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2023 MX-5 Miata vehicles. A software error in the air bag control module may cause the front air bags to deploy with excessive force during a crash. As… Remedy: Dealers will update the Sophisticated Air Bag Sensor (SAS) control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2024. Owners may contact…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 252 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SA-041-262026-06-18Electrical SystemThis SA supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in…
09-020-262026-06-17StructureDESCRIPTION Some vehicles may exhibit scratches (1) on the rear of the seat back bar…
09-019-262026-06-17Electrical SystemThis bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are…
SA-027-26a2026-06-16Electrical SystemThis SA supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted…
01-008-262026-05-01Power TrainThis bulletin supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are…

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 MX5. 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

How much oil does the 2020 MX5 take?

4.5 qt of 0W-20, per the factory manual.

Does the 2020 MX5 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the MX5 get?

EPA figures are 26 city / 35 highway / 30 combined mpg.