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Air bagsPart report

2003 Mazda MAZDA6 Air bags Problems

Complaints
30about this part
Share
17%of 174 total for the year
Median mileage
39,500miles
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 30 complaints about the air bags of the 2003 Mazda MAZDA6, 17% of the 174 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 39,500 miles. 9 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 3 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“I hit a deer at 45 miles an hour then hit the hit totalling the car, the airbag did not come out, the seat belt did not lock causing me to be slammed into the steeling wheel, now I suffer great pain, can't move my neck, can't lay down bc of such bad headache I throw up, I sleep sitting up, something in the car like metal fragment hit me in the left eye, now I can barely see out of my left eye. And must continue medical treatment. …”

NHTSA complaint #11252002, filed 2019-08, 11,800 miles

“After being run off the highway by a SUV the air bags failed to deploy during a head on collision into the woods going 65mph down a 50ft embankment. Whole front end of the car, and the drive side of the car was destroyed, causing the engine to come up resulting in the steering wheel and console to come up.”

NHTSA complaint #10360980, filed 2010-10, 110,000 miles

“Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 Mazda 6. While driving 40 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 15v345000 (air bags) and 15v382000 (air bags); however, the parts needed to repair the vehicle were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 190,000. …”

NHTSA complaint #10816958, filed 2015-12, 190,000 miles

“While driving at 45mph consumer's vehicle was hit from behind, causing it to rear end another vehicle. Upon impact, both frontal air bags did not deploy. Driver sustained minor injuries. Prior to accident, left front tire kept loosing air. Dealer re-beaded it but didn't found anything wrong with the tire. Dealer told consumer to come back if tires still losses air.”

NHTSA complaint #10059210, filed 2004-02, 2,300 miles

“While driving 55 MPH the vehicle was involved in a side impact collision with an semi- tractor trailer. As a result the vehicle flipped twice landing in a ditch. None of the airbags deployed. No injuries reported. Please provide any additional information.”

NHTSA complaint #10064892, filed 2004-03, 16,000 miles

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Air bags: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
201712%
201668%
2015610%
201443%
2013417%
20123030%
20112821%
20105424%
20097519%
20087769%
20079561%
20069354%
20057652%
20045534%
20033017%
200227%

Other parts of the 2003 Mazda MAZDA6

Engine cooling
36 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
36 complaints
Brakes
24 complaints
Electrical system
18 complaints
Vehicle speed control
18 complaints
Fuel system
15 complaints
Body and structure
11 complaints
Engine
10 complaints
Suspension
9 complaints
Steering
7 complaints
Equipment
4 complaints
Other or unknown
4 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2003 Mazda MAZDA6

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology