NHTSA Complaint #10630952 — 2014 MAZDA MAZDA3

STARTING ABOUT A MONTH AFTER WE BOUGHT THE CAR WE NOTICED THAT THE INDICATOR LIGHT FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WOULD SOMETIMES LIGHT UP INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS DEACTIVATED. WE STOP THE CAR AND EXITED THE VEHICLE AND REENTERED THE VEHICLE AND THE LIGHT STARTED TO WORK PROPERLY. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS WE NOTICED THAT THE ISSUE WAS HAPPENING MORE OFTEN. WE TOOK THE CAR TO BROWN'S MAZDA IN ALEXANDRIA. AFTER CHECKING THE CAR OUT THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. ON TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2014 ABOUT 10 DAYS AFTER HAVING THE CAR SERVICED MY WIFE AND I WAS DRIVING ON A LEVEL CITY STREET AROUND 5:48 PM, AT THAT TIME THE INDICATOR LIGHT WAS OFF, WHICH WOULD INDICATE THAT THE AIRBAG AND ACTIVE RESTRAINTS ARE ON AND THAT THE CAR RECOGNIZES THAT THERE IS AN ADULT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT. A CAR PULLED OUT FROM A SIDE STREET IN TO TRAFFIC CAUSING US TO HARD BRAKE IN ORDER TO AVOID THE ACCIDENT. MY WIFE THAT WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS THROWN FORWARD AS IF SHE DID NOT EVEN HAVE A SEAT BELT ON, THE ACTIVE SEAT RESTRAINT DID NOT TIGHTEN AT ALL. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT THAT WAS OFF WAS NOW ON INDICATING THAT THE AIRBAG AND RESTRAINT SYSTEM WAS OFF. SHE WAS SHAKEN BUT THANKFULLY NOT HARMED. AGAIN WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO FIX IT'S JUST PART OF THE DESIGN AND THAT PEOPLE MY WIFE SIZE SHOULD NOT USE THE CAR. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING THE CAR, BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT WHEN THE AIRBAG WILL DECIDE TO DEACTIVATE LEAVING THE PASSENGER AT RISK OF INJURY IF THERE WERE A CRASH OR ROLLOVER. *TR