Mazda SA recalls 19 000 vehicles for faulty airbags

Following an international investigation by Mazda, in both North America and Japan, into Takata Corporation manufactured airbags, a South African campaign recalling 19 000 Mazda2, Mazda6 and Mazda RX-8 vehicles was implemented.

“Mazda has announced a formal global recall covering a wider manufacturing period in order to place the highest priority on the safety of Mazda customers. This recall follows investigative recalls by Mazda in Japan and North America for three different types of Takata Corporation manufactured inflators and although no cases of abnormal deployment or dangerous flaws have been found in any Mazda vehicles in the course of the investigative recall; the concern had deemed an extended formal recall campaign necessary,” stated Mazda South Africa (Mazda SA).

To date it has been found that an estimated 19 000 vehicles are affected in South Africa.

The following are among those identified:

“Driver-side inflators in Mazda6 vehicles produced from April 2002 to October 2007 and in Mazda RX-8 vehicles produced from January 2003 to August 2007. Affected passenger-side inflators include those in Mazda6 vehicles produced from April 2002 to October 2007, Mazda RX-8 vehicles produced between August 2003 to August 2007 and Mazda2 vehicles produced from May 2007 through to October 2014,” Mazda SA added.

These vehicles are equipped with the “PSDI-4” driver-side air bag inflator, the “SDI-160” driver side air bag inflator, or the “SPI”, “SDI-230” and the “PSPI” passenger-side air bag inflators, the car manufacturer explained.

See below:

Affected units will have VIN numbers starting with MM6DE, JM6GG and JMZSE.

What is the issue with the airbags?

According to Mazda SA: “The recall is due to an inappropriate production condition and storage of the propellant in the inflator. The density of the propellant may be insufficient in the inflator. This might cause the propellant to ignite abnormally at the time of airbag deployment and potentially result in extremely high inner pressure of the inflator causing a rupture of the inflator case.  In a case of a rupture, the airbag might not deploy as designed and may lead to injury.”

What happens to affected owners?

Mazda Southern Africa has committed to conducting a repair procedure to replace the driver-side air bag and/or passenger-side air bag inflator with an improved unit on the possibly affected vehicles.

Although, it is important to note that the number of affected vehicles are subject to change as the investigation and review continues, Mazda SA urges all owners with possibly affected Mazda2, Mazda6 and Mazda RX-8 vehicles to contact the Mazda SA Dealer Network or the Mazda SA Customer Care Centre on 0860 069 700 or email customercare@mazda.co.za.

This is not the first car manufacturer to have implemented a mass recall in 2017, as January saw Ford perform a recall on their Kuga range following a faulty component which resulted in their engines overheating and catching alight.