2001 Mazda 626 Airbags Problems

THE LIGHT FOR THE AIR BAGS JUST STARTED TO FLASH ON THE PANEL - CAR ONLY 8 YEARS OLD & DONE AROUND 50000 KMS - HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS THE MODULE AND NEEDS REPLACING - ALSO THAT THE BAGS COULD EITHER INFLATE WITHOUT WARNING OR MAY NOT WORK AT ALL IF CAR INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT - THEREFORE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS. COST OF APPROX AU$1500. SHOULD THIS REALLY BE HAPPENING IN A CAR OF THIS AGE. WE FEEL IT IS A FAULT WITH THE CAR AND THE MODULE SHOULD BE REPLACED AS A 'CAR DEFECT REPLACEMENT'. HAS ANYONE HAD ANY DEALINGS WITH THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND IF SO WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME. I FEEL WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS AS IT IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10268897

Incident

May 8, 2009

DT: THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN TWO REAR END COLLISIONS . UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SPEED OF THE FIRST COLLISION WAS NOT AVAILABLE, BUT IT WAS AT A LOW SPEED. THE SECOND COLLISION OCCURRED AT 30 MPH. BOTH TIMES THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THERE HAS BEEN NO INSPECTION OR REPAIRS MADE TO THE AIRBAGS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10144641

Incident

Nov 21, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MAZDA 626. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HWAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 17, 2005 WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF AIR BAGS DEPLOYED . THERE WHERE TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE, HUSBAND THE DRIVER AND CONTACT THE PASSENGER. BOTH OCCUPANTS WHERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. THERE WAS PRE-IMPACT BRAKING. THE IMPACT WAS ON THE RIGHT FENDER BENDING THE HOOD OF THE CAR. THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WENT OFF ONLY WHEN STARTING THE CAR, WHICH WAS WHAT THE MANUAL STATED THAT IT SHOULD DO. THERE WAS ONE PERSON INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10134253

Incident

Aug 17, 2005

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE POLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK UP, AND DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT DEALER DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10072023

Incident

Apr 27, 2004

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR 2001 MADZA 626 WITH ABOUT 59000 MILES (CAN'T BE ACCURATE BECAUSE IT IS STILL IN THE SHOP). HE HIT A PICK-UP TRUCK FROM BEHIND WHILE GOING APPROXIMALLY 40 MILES PER HOUR. A CAR IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK STOPPED QUICKLY WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED. WHEN THE TRUCK STOPPED, HE WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP. THE TRUCK HAD A LARGE IRON ROUND BUMPER GUARD. MY HUSBAND HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL ALONG WITH HIS BODY BEING THROW FORWARD. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BECAUSE OF HIS HEAD INJURY AND BACK PAIN HE HAD TO BE TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL. HE IS STILL HAVING HEADACHES. BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE THE MINUM FULL COVERAGE ALL OF HIS HOSPITAL BILLS AND COST OF THE TRANSPORT IS ON US. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ALL OF THE HOSPITAL BILLS, BUT THE TRANSPORT ITSELF IS OVER $900. HE ALSO WAS NOT ABLE TO GO TO WORK FOR THREE DAYS. IF THE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED HE WOULD NOT HAVE HIT HIS HEAD AND BEEN THROWN FORWARD. THE COST OF THE CAR REPAIRS ARE $3,800. THE DATE OF THIS ACCIDENT WAS OCTOBER 20,2003. THE AIRBAGS HAS NOT BEEN LOOKED INTO AT THE BODY SHOP AND THE CAR IS ALMOST READY. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE CAR. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF ANOTHER ACCIDENT OCCURS, THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN WITH GREATER INJURIES OR MAYBE DEATH.

NHTSA ID

10070619

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

Mileage

59,000 mi

I WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHERE I REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THE COLLISION OCCURED IN A 45 MPH ZONE. AS A RESULT I SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. I NOW HAVE A CUT ON MY HEAD AND TWO BLACK EYES. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED DESPITE THE $7500.00 IN DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. I WANT TO HELP PREVENT OTHER PEOPLE FROM GOING THROUGH THE TRAUMA THAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH. PLEASE HELP TO RECTIFY THIS ONGOING AIRBAG SITUATION WITH THE MAZDA 626. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED THE MAZDA DEALER.

NHTSA ID

10003112

Incident

Jan 16, 2003

VEHICLE WAS HIT A 30 MPH IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD AND AS A RESULT THE DRIVER HEAD WENT THROUGH HE WINDSHIELD. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. TS *NLM

NHTSA ID

10001052

Incident

Nov 24, 2002

Mileage

31,298 mi

CONSUMER STATES: WHILE DRIVING AT THE SPEED OF 35 MPH WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FEEL FREE TO ADD. MR

NHTSA ID

8020651

Incident

Sep 30, 2002

DURING A TOTAL FRONTAL COLLISION, WHERE MY MAZDA REAR-ENDED A LEXUS SUV, AT A SPEED B/T 25 AND 30 MPH, THE FRONTAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS OVER $5600 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF MY CAR DUE TO THE FORCE OF THE COLLISION. HOWEVER, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I SUFFERED MUSCULAR AND COMPRESSION INJURIES IN THIS COLLISION. MEDICAL CARE WAS SOUGHT FOR THESE INJURIES. THESE INJURIES MAY HAVE BEEN PREVENTED HAD THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED CORRECTLY. DURING THE COLLISION, I WENT UNDERNEATH THE SUV AND THEREFORE THE LOWEST PART OF THE FRONT BUMPER WAS NOT TOUCHED. HOWEVER, THE REST OF THE FRONT END SUFFERED MUCH DAMAGE. THE AIRBAG SENSORS MUST BE LOCATED IN THIS LOWER BUMPER AREA. THIS IS NOT GOOD, IF I WOULD HAVE HIT THE SUV HARDER, I WOULD HAVE STILL GONE UNDER THEIR TRUNK AND WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY SUFFERED MORE DAMAGES BUT WITHOUT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYING BECAUSE THE SENSORS WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN LOCATED TOO LOW TO BE ACTIVATED.*AK

NHTSA ID

763521

Incident

Jun 5, 2002

MY SON HIT A TELEPHONE POLE AFTER HE HIT SOME BLACK ICE. HE WAS GOING ABOUT 30MPH AND THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE CAR INSIDE AND OUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO FORWARD THEM TO YOU. MAZDA IS REALLY PASSING THE BUCK. I AM THANKFUL MY SON ONLY HAD A BROKEN WRIST AND HAD TO HAVE SURGERY TO PUT A SCREW IN. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A FATALITY. I WOULDN'T WANT ANOTHER FAMILY TO GO THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THIS. PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH ANY INFORMATION YOU MAY HAVE TO GET SOME RESULTS OUT OF MAZDA. THANKS AGAIN!!

NHTSA ID

758458

Incident

Feb 8, 2002

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH A 1984 DODGE, 6000; AT 35 MPH. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

889477

Incident

May 28, 2001