The Mazda Motor Corporation is recalling more than 64,000 of its vehicles equipped with airbags made by Japanese corporation Takata over fears they may deploy improperly and cause serious injury. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging owners of over 14 million vehicles nationwide to contact their manufacturer and to have the potentially dangerous Takata airbags removed.
Mazda vehicles installed with Takata airbags include:
Defects in the design of the airbags can arise when moisture corrupts the ammonium nitrate used to inflate the airbag; causing excess pressure to build up inside the airbag housing and cause an explosion which can send metal shrapnel flying at a vehicle’s occupants. Takata airbags have also been reported to deploy in minor accidents or without warning at all due chemical destabilization of the airbag propellant.
The Mazda 6 was first produced in 2002 and has sold more than 2 million units worldwide and is the company’s biggest seller to date. Models from the first and second generation Mazda 6 are part of the NHTSA’s recall of faulty Takata airbags.
The Mazdaspeed 6 is the sport performance version of the Mazda 6 and began production in 2005. The car is produced in Hiroshima and Hofu, Japan. The NHTSA urges owners of the Mazdaspeed 6 to contact their dealerships about the defective Takata airbags installed in their vehicles.
The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car which began sales in North America in 2004. The RX-8 has since been discontinued due to failure to meet emission standards in Europe as well as rising prices of the Japanese Yen. The first generation of the Mazda RX-8 is part of the NHTSA’s recall of vehicles with Takata airbags.
The Multi Purpose Minivan (MPV) was first introduced in 1989 and has sold over one million units since. Second generation Mazda MPVs produced between 2004 and 2005 are under recall because of faulty Takata airbags. Owners are urged by the NHTSA to contact their dealerships to have the airbags replaced.
The Mazda B-series is also sold by Ford as the Ranger and has been produced since 1961 by Mazda Motor Company. The fifth generation of Mazda B-Series and Ford Rangers produced in 2004 with defective Takata airbags are under recall.
If you were hurt by a Takata airbag while inside of a Mazda vehicle then the product liability attorneys at the Cochran Firm’s Washington, D.C. office can help you get the compensation you deserve. We are actively investigating claims of victims who were injured by Takata airbags failing to properly deploy and are here to help. Contact us by calling 202-682-5800 or filling out a contact form on our website. Because there are strict deadlines in filing a claim we urge you to get in touch with us at your earliest convenience in order to preserve your rights.
