NHTSA Complaint #10504035 — 2007 MAZDA MX-5

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DISABLED DASH LIGHT REMAINS ON WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT IS PUSHED TO THE REAR WITH NO ONE IN THE SEAT. THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT UNBUCKLED WARNING LIGHT IS ALSO LIT EVEN THOUGH NO ONE IS IN THE SEAT. BOTH LIGHTS TURN OFF WHEN THE EMPTY SEAT IS MOVED FORWARD. I AM UNSURE IF THE AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY IF NEEDED. A MAZDA DEALER TOLD ME THEY HAD SEEN THE PROBLEM BEFORE IN OTHER VEHICLES AND THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THE PROBLEM IN OTHER CARS. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED MY CAR AND TOLD ME IT COULD BE ONE OF TWO PARTS BUT THEY COULD NOT BE SURE WHICH PART CAUSED THE PROBLEMS. ALL THEY COULD SUGGEST WAS REPLACING ONE PART AND THEN THE OTHER PART IF THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE PARTS ARE THE SEAT WEIGHT SENSOR ($1281.03) AND THE SEAT WEIGHT CONTROL ($523). THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED AND NOTHING HAS BEEN MODIFIED OR ALTERED ON THE AIRBAG OR SEAT BELT SYSTEM. THE PROBLEMS BEGAN SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOT GO OFF NOW WHEN THERE IS NO PASSENGER UNLESS THE SEAT IS MOVED FORWARD. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS COMPROMISED AND MAZDA OFFERS NO HELP OTHER THAN TO GAMBLE ON REPLACING TWO VERY EXPENSIVE PARTS WHICH SHOULD NOT CAUSE PROBLEMS DURING NORMAL USE OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED MAZDA BY EMAIL BUT THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO MY INQUIRIES. THE COMPANY DID NOT OFFER TO HELP THE DEALER RESOLVE THE PROBLEM OTHER THAN TO SUGGEST THAT I PAY FOR THE TWO EXPENSIVE PARTS THAT WERE SUSPECTED OF BEING THE PROBLEM.