Consumer Complaint Detail

MAZDA / MAZDA3 / 2004

Recalls
0 Injured
Investigations
0 Death
Complaints
No Fire
Components - Details
NHTSA Complaint Number: 004001197 Incident Date: Jun, 19 2004
Consumer's City: SAN RAFAEL Consumer's State: CA
Vehicle Transmission Type: AUTO Manufacturers Name: Mazda Motor Corp.
Model Name: MAZDA3 Model Year: 2004
Vehicle Involved in a Crash: No Component's Description: Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module
Vehicle Involved in a Fire: No Persons Injured: 0
Vehicle's VIN#: JM1BK343141 Date added to File: May, 23 2021
Date Complaint Received: Jan, 04 2005 Complaint Type: IVOQ
Incident Reported To Police: No Purchase Date: Jun, 19 2004
Was Original Owner: Yes Anti-lock Brakes: Yes
Number of Cylinders: 4 Date of Manufacturer: -
Was Vehicle Towed: - Description of the Complaints: The advanced airbag system intermittently deactivates the passenger airbags when my wife is in the passenger seat. she is 5'0" and weighs 95 pounds. we purchased the car in part because of its safety features. we have brought the car in to the dealer twice, both times we were told it is simply the way the airbag sensor is designed, and that it is because her weight is right on the borderline for the sensor. mazda corporate headquarters told us the same thing and told us that we could not have the sensor adjusted. my research tells me that my wife would be much safer in a crash with airbag protection, despite her small size. as it is now, it is unpredictable whether the airbag will be active or not at any given time -- it may go on when going up a hill and off when going down the hill. this seems obviously unsafe. i believe it is a design flaw and should be corrected.*ak