2000 Mazda MPV Airbags Problems

APPROXIMATELY SIX BLOCKS FROM HIS HOME, THE OWNER OF A 2000 MAZDA MPV MINIVAN WAS IN THE LEFT TURN LANE OF A HIGHWAY WAITING TO TURN LEFT. WHILE STOPPED AND WITH NO IMPACT, THE SIDE AIRBAGS SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE STRIKING THE DRIVER. THERE WERE TWO CHILDREN SEATED IN THE REAR. AS REPRESENTED IN THE ATTACHED PHOTOGRAPHS, THERE IS NO BODY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THIS AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSED SEVERE INJURIES TO THE DRIVER AND NECESSITATED HIS TRANSPORT VIA AIR AMBULANCE TO A LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTER. THESE INJURIES NECESSITATED SURGERY TO REPAIR A LACERATED SPLEEN AND ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN $88,537.00 IN MEDICAL BILLS. THE CLAIM WAS PRESENTED TO MAZDA, HOWEVER NORTH CAROLINA'S STATUTE OF REPOSE WOULD HAVE LIKELY PREVENTED A SUCCESSFUL SUIT. MAZDA, HOWEVER, DID CONDITION A CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENT OFFER TO THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE ON THE DESTRUCTION OF THE VEHICLE. PLAINTIFF REQUESTED THAT PROPER NOTIFICATION BE MADE TO NHTSA AND NO REASSURANCE WAS GIVEN THAT SUCH REPORT WAS MADE. IN LIGHT OF THE INJURIES TO THE DRIVER AND THE DEMAND MADE BY MAZDA TO DESTROY THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER, BY COUNSEL, CONSIDERS NOTIFICATION TO NHTSA APPROPRIATE. CLAIMANT WILL NOT ENGAGE IN SPOLIATION OF THE VEHICLE UNTIL NHTSA DETERMINES IF EXAMINATION OR INVESTIGATION IS NECESSARY. THE VEHICLE IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AND WILL BE UNTIL NOTIFICATION FROM NHTSA IS RECEIVED BY THE UNDERSIGNED.

NHTSA ID

10861760

Incident

May 27, 2015

Mileage

185,285 mi

I GOT INTO MY CAR AND PLACE MY SEAT BELTS ON. I SHIFTED THE CAR IN REVERSE GEAR AND STARTED REVERSING FOR 3 SECONDS AND WITHOUT ANY IMPACT OR COLLISION TO THE CAR, THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND EXPLODED ON MY WHOLE LEFT CHEST WALL, ARM AND SHOULDER THROWING ME TO THE RIGHT. I WAS IN SHOCK AND DIDN'T REALIZED WHAT HAPPEN. I SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION 3 TIMES AT THE HOSPITAL AND WENT TO MAKE A COMPLAINT TO THE MAZDA DEALER WHERE I PURCHASE THE CAR AT AND CHECK A CAR FAX REPORT ON THE HISTORY OF THE CAR. THERE ARE NO REPORTED ACCIDENTS ON THE CAR OR AIRBAG RECALL LETTERS SENT TO ME OR ON THE RECALL LIST. THE DEALER WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND I WAS DISSATISFIED AND THEN I CALLED THE CORPORATE MANUFACTURERS AND THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT EITHER BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S A TAKATA AIRBAG THAT PARTICULAR TAKATA AIRBAG IS NOT ON THEIR RECALL LIST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663446

Incident

Nov 24, 2014

Mileage

185,021 mi

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT AIRBAG INFLATED FOR NO REASON AT ALL. EMERGENCY CARE WAS REQUIRED. CAUSED A CRACKED RIB AND SEVERE PAN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10594424

Incident

May 27, 2014

Mileage

156,000 mi

I WAS TRYING TO START MY "NEW" USED MAZDA MPV USING ETHER SPRAYED INTO THE AIR FILTER-BOX THROUGH A SMALL HOLE, AND MY DRIVER'S-SIDE -IMPACT AIRBAG WENT OFF WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY. I WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME. I HAD BEEN TRYING TO START THE CAR FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, AND HAD SPRAYED "STARTING FLUID" INTO THE BOX ONE OTHER TIME SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE. THIS PROCESS HAD WORKED FOR ME TWO TIMES IN THE PAST WITH NO PROBLEM. THE STARTING FLUID WAS SPRAYED THROUGH A 1/4" HOLE I HAD DRILLED ON THE UPSTREAM SIDE OF THE AIR FILTER, BECAUSE I WAS HAVING STARTING PROBLEMS AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE FILTER BOX IN THIS CAR. I INSPECTED THE FILTER BOX FOR SIGNS OF AN EXPLOSION INSIDE, THINKING THAT MIGHT HAVE TRIGGERED THE AIRBAG, AND IT WAS INTACT; THE RETAINING CLIPS ARE NOT DISTORTED, AND THE FILTER (BRAND NEW) WAS NOT DISPLACED OR DAMAGED IN ANY WAY. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE DEPLOYMENT, BUT I MENTION IT FOR THE SAKE OF COMPLETENESS; I THINK THAT THE PARTICULAR SEQUENCE OF KEY CYCLES I USED IN TRYING TO START THE CAR SOMEHOW TRIGGERED THE AIRBAG. *TR

NHTSA ID

10448786

Incident

Feb 19, 2012

Mileage

144,000 mi

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL CAME ON AND STAYS ON INTERMITTENTLY FLASHING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233758

Incident

Jul 10, 2008

Mileage

146,700 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MAZDA MPV. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH,THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SKID. SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STRUCK THE CENTER DIVIDER. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CHIPPED TOOTH AND BOTH SHOULDERS WERE INJURED. SHE ALSO HAS PAIN IN THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER CHEST AND RIGHT HIP. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT HER INSURANCE COMPANY. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 98,000.

NHTSA ID

10207984

Incident

Oct 23, 2007

Mileage

98,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MAZDA MPV. THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END, THREE CAR CRASH. HER VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND SHE CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE AT 25 MPH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE CONTACT HAS PHOTOS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 81,000.

NHTSA ID

10196983

Incident

Jul 15, 2007

Mileage

81,000 mi

MAZDA MVP 2000 MINI VAN AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE CONSUMER HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10119384

Incident

Apr 30, 2005

Mileage

50,000 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10012119

Incident

Mar 19, 2003

WHILE SITTING IN PASSENGER'S SEAT CHARGE WENT OFF, BLEW PASSENGER'S SEAT UP, AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

899477

FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT WORK AT ALL. BACK RIGHT SEATBELT SHOULDER HARNESS DID NOT WORK. VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND THEN PUSHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS IN FRONT. THE VEHICLE THAT HIT MY VAN WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES PER HOUR WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS HIT MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS SITTING IN THE 3RD ROW SEAT WEARING A LAP/SHOULDERBELT FLEW FORWARD ENOUGH TO HIT HER HEAD AND FACE ON THE BACK OF THE SECOND ROW SEAT. IT SEEMS THAT THE SHOULDER PART OF THE SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK AT ALL DURING IMPACT WHICH ALLOWED HER THAT MUCH MOVEMENT. IN ADDITION, THE PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE FRONTAL IMPACT WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME WHICH PUSHED THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE VAN INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA ID

747321

Incident

Jun 23, 2001

WHILE TRAVLING AT ABOUT 50 MPH AND WHILE MAKING A U-TURN CONSUMER WAS HIT ON THE SIDE OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH SIDE AIR BAGS, BUT THEY DID NOT DEPLOY. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

888019

Incident

Mar 15, 2001

DRIVER'S AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY IN CRASH. *AK

NHTSA ID

740831

Incident

Jan 30, 2001

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 35 MPH. UPON IMAPCT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN INJURY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

880317

Incident

Jan 30, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ON A RURAL ROUTE CAME TO A STOP AND WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY A DODGE RAM, TRAVELLING 60MPH WHICH HIT THE REAR HATCHDOOR AND FLEW OPEN. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK

NHTSA ID

851348

Incident

Oct 4, 1999