Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Mazda Mazda6 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Mazda 6. While driving approximately 30 MPH, another vehicle coming from the opposite side of the road, lost control due to icy road conditions. As a result, the contact veered to the right to avoid a collision. The contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed against a concrete divider. The air bags deployed sending metal fragments that injured the contact's face, as well as whiplash injuries to the neck and back. The contact required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V344000 (air bags). The failure mileage was 90,000. Updated. 06/10/15. Updated 9/25/2017
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Mazda 6. While driving 30 MPH, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a pole. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was taken to the contact's residence and then towed to an independent mechanic. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was not notified. Prior to the crash, the contact was notified that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 15V382000 (air bags) and 15V382000 (air bags). The vehicle was taken in to be remedied. The there was one injury. The contact suffered from pain in the neck and jaw, which did not require medical attention. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000. Updated 04/13/16
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Mazda 6. While driving at 20 MPH, the contact's vehicle crashed into the rear of another vehicle stopped at a stop sign. The contact stated that the air bag failed to fully deploy. A police report was filed. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The vehicle was taken to a collision repair facility and repaired. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V345000 (air bags); however, the dealer refused to remedy the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 102,250. Updated 10/07/15
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Mazda Mazda6. The contact stated that while the driver was driving at approximately 70 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the passenger side of the vehicle. As a result, the driver crashed into a cement barrier. The air bags failed to deploy. The driver did not sustained injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not contacted and made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 158,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Mazda 6. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle slid off the road and collided into a tree. The driver side air bag deployed, but the passenger side air bag failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was destroyed. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V382000 (air bags) and 16V354000 (air bags). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Mazda 6. While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle slid off the road and collided into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. An independent mechanic determined the vehicle was a total loss. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Mazda 6. While at a stop and attempting to accelerate, the driver fell asleep and crashed into a parked vehicle. The driver and passenger frontal air bags failed to deploy. The driver sustained injuries to the back, chest, and legs that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was 143,000.
I reviewed my past comp,ain't 10786122. I did call Mazda the manufacturer to comp,as. That the airbag had not been repaired and no parts are available August 2015. Your information is not correct as I did call Mazda August 2015. I was told by the corporate office to file a complaint,ain't with you and I did. I have file a complaint,ain't today and called Mazda today. I have asks that the car be replaced, repaired or refunded. I was told that they will contact th dealer. I hope that within the next week, the car is repaired. Clearly six months of waiting to have a dangerous car repaired is a violation of consumer rights. Why has your agency not followed up with me? What exactly do you do to help the consumers? The recall notice was July 2015.
This is the third time I have sent to you information that my car air bag has not been repaired. I received notice in August 2015 and made an appointment to repair the airbag. I went to the Mazda dealer and was to.d the repair is not possible as no part exist to repair the car. I called maza and they said to let you know. I then sent to you a complaint in September. I received a little post card from you this month and returned the post card to you and let you know that my car is. It repaired. How can you help me get my Mazda fixed?
I was driving the morning of 6/8/10 on my way to work. There was a car going to pass me on a illinois rte 161 road. I slowed down for courtesy of the passer and I caught loose gravel on the hard road. Instantly I knew not to over correct and try to ease out of it. I end up barrel rolling aprox 80+ feet down a steep reveen. No air bags deployed. My 2008 Mazda 6 is equipped with side curtain airbags, which are roll over protection safety feature. As quoted on a internet site. I rolled aprox 4-6 times.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2005 MPV, 2004 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. These vehicles had their passenger frontal air bag inflators previously replaced under a prior recall using inflators of the same design.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 and 2004 MPV vehicles nationwide. Mazda is also recalling 2005-2006 MPV vehicles in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2004-2008 RX-8, and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge.
NHTSA investigations
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Airbag complaints in other Mazda6 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2008 Mazda Mazda6?
NHTSA has 77 complaints about the air bags of the 2008 Mazda Mazda6, 69% of the model year's 111 complaints. The component named most often is side/window (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Mazda Mazda6 airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 19V-781 (inflator module, Oct 31, 2019); NHTSA recall 18V-402 (inflator module, Jun 15, 2018); NHTSA recall 17V-474 (inflator module, Jul 26, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 Mazda Mazda6 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 93,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 11 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.