Mazda recalls vehicles over dangerous airbag covers

Washington, D.C.  – May 26, 2022 –  Mazda has remedied issues with 7,845 2004-2007 Mazda 3 vehicles dealing with Airbag problems caused by the emblem on them that may shatter during a collision. Additionally, none of these models have been categorized as unreachable and 1,574 has been removed from the recall. Two groups of these Mazda 3 models with airbag issues were remedied during 2021 and one group in 2022.

Washington, D.C.  – July 22, 2021 – Mazda  (OTCMKTS:MZDAY) is recalling 260,915 cars with logos on airbag covers that may shatter during a collision. Flying plastic segments may hit the driver or passengers, which increases the risk of an injury.  This airbag recall includes 2004 – 2007 Mazda3 light vehicles. 

The affected component is the airbag cover, with part numbers BP4K-57K00, BP4S-57K00, and BN8P-57K00.

Recall summary  

Vehicles that are affected by this recall have a plastic logo on the driver’s airbag that contains polyurethane. With time, this material may deteriorate and become brittle as a result of sun exposure. In case of a collision, the logo could shatter in pieces when the airbag deploys. 

Risks

The force generated by the airbag deployment can break the plastic logo and send its fragments throughout the vehicle interior at very high speeds. These flying objects may hit anyone in the car, increasing the risk of serious injury. 

Other Mazda recalls

Earlier this year, Mazda was ordered to recall over 5,000 Mazda B-series pickup trucks because of faulty Takata airbags inflators that are prone to exploding when the airbag is deployed and hurling deadly shrapnel at the car occupants.

In addition, in 2019, several 2016 – 2017 Mazda3 vehicles were recalled because of potentially inoperative front windshield wipers.  Over 150,000 2011 Mazda Mazda3s had to be taken in for repair in 2017 because of seat adjustment issues.

The repair

To fix the issue, Mazda authorized dealers will remove the airbag cover and replace it with an improved one, at no charge to the owner. The logo on the updated cover is made out of a different material that does not contain polyurethane and will not become fragile with time. Notifications will be sent to owners around August 28. 

Is your vehicle a part of this recall?

This Mazda Airbag Recall includes more than 260,000 Mazda3 vehicles. To see if yours is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicMazda recalls vehicles over dangerous airbag covers

Mazda recalls vehicles with defective air bags

Washington, D.C. – July 24, 2018 – Mazda  (OTCMKTS: MZDAY) has recalled almost 700 vehicles potentially equipped with defective air bags, according to documentation submitted to the National Highway Traffic Administration. The campaign affects 2018 Mazda CX-5 sport utility vehicles produced between April 11 and April 27, 2018. The Japanese automaker suspects just 1 percent of the models involved in the action contain the defective components.

The Defect

Affected vehicles contain side-curtain air bags that may fail to unfold properly during deployment, leaving occupants unprotected in the event of an accident involving side impact or a rollover. The defect therefore poses a serious threat to owners and their passengers. However, Mazda has yet to receive reports connecting the problematic parts to any collisions or injuries.

Timeline of Events

Mazda on April 26, 2018, received information from its air bag supplier, the Ashimori Industry Company, indicating that the fabric used in certain assemblies did not meet adhesion requirements. Ashimori revealed that production personnel had failed to properly dry the cement adhering the silicone air bag base to the side-curtain fabric, meaning the resulting equipment would leak air and therefore not inflate upon deployment. On April 27, 2018, the vehicle manufacturer stopped shipment of models with defective air bags. More than a week later, Mazda production teams rolled out replacement side-curtain air bag models.

On June 12, 2018, the automaker reviewed its production logs and found that multiple vehicles containing the problematic air bags had been shipped to dealers. Members of the Mazda Quality Audit Committee convened June 21, 2018, and decided that a voluntary recall was necessary.

The company notified dealers of the forthcoming action June 29, 2018.

The Solution

Mazda has directed dealers to replace the side-curtain air bags in affected models free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgement document. Owners should have received notification via first-class mail July 16, 2018. Those who have yet to hear about the recall or require additional assistance can speak with Mazda customer service personnel by calling (800) 222-5500. Callers should use the internal recall reference code 2718F. Owners can also reach out to the NHTSA directly using the agency’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.

Sean ReyesMazda recalls vehicles with defective air bags