Airbag complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
My son was involved in an auto accident and none of the front or side air bags went off. Though he or the other driver was not seriously injured my concern was why didnt the air bags go off? Everyone I have spoke to about this felt there May of been some defect in this car because of all the damage involved my son was pulling out of a side road onto the main highway he never saw the driver and hit the car on the passenger side my sons car was totaled. He just purchased the car brand new in April 2003 he had less than 15,000 miles on the car the transmission was busted as well as many other parts I spoke to senator corman regarding this issue and he said to file a complaint I also spoke to Mazda regarding this however they said they werent aloud to investigate it that we would have to do this ourselves the insurance adjuster also commented on the air bags not going off I have pictures of …
I have a 2003 Mazda Protege. When I purchased the car, I paid extra for a side airbags and anti-lock brake package. On Monday, December 20th of 2004, I was broad sided by a 1990 huge Chevy work pick up. I was going 40 MPH, I estimate the truck at the same. My side airbags failed to deploy. If I had not seen the truck coming and offset the angle of impact, my brother and I would most likely be in the hospital right now. When I contacted Mazda consumer affairs, I was told that they were not guaranteed to deploy and ?made a note in my file they failed to deploy.? At no point during the buying process was I told they were not guaranteed. When talking to Mazda?s consumer affairs, I was also told they would not look into the failure unless my insurance company came after them.
On March 15, 2005 I was involved in a pile-up accident. The airbag did not deploy and the seat belt did not restrain me from hitting the steering wheel with my chest. I had a fractured rib. My car is a Mazda Protege 5 and the vin3 is: [redacted].
Myself, the driver, rear-ended another driver at a speed of 35-40mph. The driver slammed on his brakes and I had no time to react. The result is a totaled front end w/ $4000+ of repairs. The seat belt did not restrain me and the airbag did not deploy. The car will be totaled and I suffered extensive bruising because of this failure.
Got into an accident at intersection , airbags did not work , as a result I have serious chest pains . Vehicle was in motion going straight while a vehicle at intersection was turning left across my road.
Vehicle was involved in a front end impact of at least 45 MPH. This was almost a direct front collision, though damage was slightly greater on one side of front end that the other. Brakes were not applied so force of hit was at full speed. Available front end airbags did not deploy. My chest (sternum) impacted the steering wheel with extreme force, body was propelled forward in a twisting motion and neck and spine underwent severe trauma. I am still suffering from the injury after over 7 months. I called Mazda local offices and main headquarters and was told they would do no investigation as it was time and cost prohibitive. Vehicle was totalled.
I was in a single car accident. I hit a guard rail, went through it and rolled down a 30 foot embankment. I suffered neck and shoulder injuries and back injuries. I have not driven a car since this accident. In the emergency room a nurse said I had a possible spinal compression fracture. I thought my car was suppose to have air bags, I saw the car for the first time since the accident yesterday. The whole car is beat up...the roof, the front, the back both sides, and not even 1 of the air bags deployed. I am so grateful my car had such a high safety rating... Yeah right. Now I am afraid to drive any car. And now the words air bag safety are a joke to me. **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut over to artemis**768013
While driving w. Bound at about 25 MPH, passenger side of car was impacted by vehicle going s. Bound at about 40 MPH. Car was forced sw through a curb, a gas sign, and impacted with the rear of a parked car. Accelerator was stuck, brakes ineffective and finally parked by driver. Major passenger side and frontal damage. Car totaled. Neither passenger nor driver side air bags deployed.
Related recalls (1)
Air bags
The tie down hooks can cause undercarriage impacts that can result in unnecessary air bag deployments.
Remedy: Dealers will remove and replace the tie down hooks with modified tie down hooks.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mazda Protege years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (41), 2000 (25), 1996 (24), 1999 (21) and 1997 (12) model years. Airbag complaints make up 25% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Mazda Protege airbag problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 95V-184 (air bags, Oct 3, 1995). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mazda Protege airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 46,000 miles; 59% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (109 mentions), followed by the side/window (7).
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.