NHTSA Complaint #10105811 — 2004 MAZDA MAZDA3

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