Mazda Airbag Recall Adds 540k Vehicles with Takata Inflators

About 540,000 Mazda vehicles equipped with Takata airbags are being recalled, due to a risk that they may over-inflate and explode, sending shrapnel into the cabin of the vehicle. 

The Mazda airbag recall (PDF) was announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on June 4, adding to the growing list of vehicles sold with defective and dangerous Takata airbag inflators, which have been linked to the deaths of six people and injured more than 100.

To date, Takata airbag recalls have affected more than 34 million vehicles sold by a dozen major automobile manufacturers throughout the U.S.

According to information Takata submitted to Mazda Motor Corporation of Japan, roughly 444,907 Mazda 6 vehicles from 2003 to 2008 model years, Mazda RX-8 models from 2004 to 2008 and Mazda Speed 6 models from 2006 through 2007 are being recalled for defective frontal driver side airbag inflators that may lead to overinflation over time. The recalled Mazda 6 vehicles were manufactured in Flat Rock, Michigan from May 29, 2002 to May 5, 2008, the Mazda RX-8 vehicles were manufactured at the Hiroshima plant in Japan from April 10, 2003 to February 18, 2008, and the MazdaSpeed6 vehicles were manufactured at the Hofu plant in Japan from August 4, 2005 to June 29, 2007.

The NHTSA’s recall notice states the vehicles’ airbags reportedly have batwing-shaped propellant wafers that may experience an alteration over time that could lead to excessive internal pressure when the airbag is deployed. In the event the vehicles airbag is deployed after this alteration occurs, the inflator could rupture, sending metal fragments through the airbag cushion material toward passengers at a lethal rate.

An additional Mazda recall (PDF) was announced on June 4, for 30,000 model year 2004 to 2006 Mazda B-series light weight pickup trucks with potentially defective frontal passenger side airbag inflators. The vehicles were manufactured at the Edison Assembly Plant of Ford Motor Corporation in New Jersey from April 17, 2003 to May 2, 2006.

The vehicles are equipped with SPI frontal passenger side airbag inflators that were previously recalled in 2014, in a larger population of vehicles. These SPI airbags pose a rupturing hazard if the vehicle is involved in a crash where the supplemental front airbags deploy, doubling the risk to passengers.

Mazda learned of the defect in their B-series vehicles after Ford began evaluating potential Takata inflator defects in their SPI airbags in Ford vehicles, ultimately leading to Mazda’s discovery and initiated recall campaign.

The June 4 recalls are being addressed by Mazda at this time and the automaker plans to supply owners with notification instructing them to take their vehicles to a Mazda dealer for a free frontal driver side airbag inflator for impacted Mazda 6, MazdaSped6, and RX-8 models, and a free replacement of the passenger side airbag inflator for recalled B-series trucks.

The NHTSA encourages owners to schedule their repair appointments for recalls promptly upon receipt of notice due to safety risks, but is stressing owners to act fast with any vehicle impacted by rupturing Takata inflators due to the severe safety risks associated.

In the wake of the massive recalls, concerns have emerged about the slow rate of repairs and replacements for the airbags. The number of vehicles affected have overloaded Takata’s ability to manufacture replacement parts, with some experts suggesting that it will take years to manufacture enough replacement parts. In addition, some have raised concerns that the repaired airbags may not actually solve the problem, since the cause of the ruptures is still under investigation.

Takata Airbag Inflator Lawsuits

A growing number of product liability lawsuits over injuries or deaths caused by Takata airbag inflators are being filed nationwide, all involving similar allegations that design defects caused the airbags to overinflate and explode.

On February 5, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ordered all Takata airbag lawsuits filed in federal courts nationwide to be consolidated under one judge for pretrial proceedings as part of a Takata airbag MDL.

Complaints filed throughout the federal court system will be transferred to U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno in the Southern District of Florida to reduce duplicative discovery into common issues, avoid conflicting pretrial rulings from different judges and to serve the convenience of the parties, witnesses and the courts.

The decision initially only affects at least five class action lawsuits filed in three different federal districts. However, more than 67 other pending actions have been identified in about 20 different districts, which will also be transferred into the Takata airbag MDL, since they raise common allegations of fact and law.