Enlarge Image Nick Miotke/Roadshow

Even if it might not be a piece of great importance, having a part fall off your vehicle can spell trouble for your car and the cars around you. That's the reason behind Mazda's latest recall.

Mazda announced this week that it will recall 2,476 examples of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. The affected vehicles carry build dates between May 26 and July 6, 2015. That covers VINs between JM1NDAD79G0100681 and JM1NDAD7XG0103315, in case you have that memorized for some reason.

The problem comes from a metal bracket and its associated skid plate. Thanks to a welding machine that was improperly maintained, that bracket might have a weld that's subject to degradation over time. If the weld gets weak enough, the bracket and/or skid plate might fall off the vehicle. Mazda notes that before the part detaches, owners might hear a metallic rattle.

Not only does this create an object that the driver might run over, puncturing a tire in the process, it becomes a road hazard for everyone else. Thankfully, Mazda has not received any reports of injuries or crashes related to the defect.

To remedy the issue, Mazda technicians will replace the skid plate with a part that is guaranteed to be welded correctly. The process was improved during production, Mazda says, so vehicles falling outside the build date range mentioned above will already have the superior component. Mazda expects to notify affected owners in late August.