The problem
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with the sas sensor unit. These vehicles can experience air bag deployments in minor undercarriage impacts.
The risk
Unexpected air bag deployment can result in occupant injury.
The fix
Dealers will reprogram the sas unit to reduce the probability of unnecessary deployments in low speed undercarriage impacts.
Recall details
| NHTSA campaign | 98V-249 (98V249000) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Mazda Motor Corp. |
| Component | Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive |
| Report date | October 8, 1998 |
| Owners notified | January 4, 1999 |
| Vehicles affected | 213,000 |
| Initiated by | NHTSA investigation |
Vehicles covered
Owner complaints about the air bags
Frequently asked questions
Is the recall 98V-249 repair free?
Yes. Mazda dealers will fix the problem at no cost: Dealers will reprogram the sas unit to reduce the probability of unnecessary deployments in low speed undercarriage impacts.
How do I know if my car is included?
Not every vehicle of the listed model years is affected — the recall covers 213,000 vehicles built in a certain window. Check your 17-character VIN with our VIN recall check or at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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.