2002 Mazda Tribute air bags problems

“TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER OF A 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE ABRUPTLY STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE OWNER'S VEHICLE. THE OWNER WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN TIME AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH FORCE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CRUSHED RIBS AND A BROKEN RIGHT FOOT THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OTHER DRIVER LEFT THE SCENE OF THE CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,270.”

“MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS BEEN FLASHING ON AND OFF FOR A WHILE NOW. I REMOVED THE ITEMS UNDER THE SEAT AND THE LIGHTS WENT OFF AND WORKED FOR ALMOST A MONTH. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LIGHTS ARE NOW FLASHING AGAIN, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NO ITEMS BELOW MY SEATS. I WAS ABLE TO SEARCH ONLINE AND SEE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY ISSUES WITH THE SEATBELT PRETENSIONERS AND/OR THE CONNECTIONS BELOW THE SEAT THAT NEED TO BE WIGGLED OR DISCONNECTED AND THEN RE-PLUGGED IN TO MAKE THE LIGHT GO OUT. IT HAS HAPPENED IN ALL SITUATIONS INCLUDING STATIONARY, IN MOTION, ON THE HIGHWAY, OR IN THE CITY.”

“I HAD BEEN DRIVING MY MAZDA FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES ON A 75 DEGREE DAY IN SOUTH TEXAS WHEN TURNING ONTO A FLAT, UNOBSTRUCTED, SMOOTH PAVED ROAD THROUGH A KOA PARK. AFTER TURNING, I WAS ONLY DRIVING THE 5 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT THROUGH THIS PARK, WHEN SUDDENLY THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG EXPLODED IN MY FACE WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER . THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD HAVE EVEN SLIGHTLY INDICATED A COLLISION -- NOT A SPEED BUMP, NOT A BIRD OR ANIMAL, OR ANYTHING. IT WAS JUST A SMOOTH, SLOW DRIVE AT 5 MILES AN HOUR ON A SUNNY DAY. THERE WAS 60% HUMIDITY FROM PRIOR DAYS RAIN. I HAD MY ARM UP TO MY FACE ALREADY WHEN IT HAPPENED, WHICH TOOK THE BRUNT OF THE HIT TO MY WRIST AND FOREARM. WITHIN LESS THAN 5 SECONDS THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG EXPLODED ALSO. BOTH RANG OUT A SHOT LIKE A PISTOL IN THE CLOSED WINDOW CAR. SMOKE AND BURNING SMELL STARTED FILLING THE CAR, AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP SINCE ONLY GOING 5 MILES AN HOUR, AND GET MYSELF OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY. MY ARM SUSTAINED HUGE WELTS FROM THE IMPACT AND WRIST FELT EXTREMELY HURT AND BRUISED AND BECAME VERY STIFF AND HARD TO BEND. THIS WAS ALL WITNESSED BY AN RV CAMPER AT THE KOA PARK WHO WAS SITTING 15 FEET AWAY AND WAS…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE. WHILE DRIVING FORWARD AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE MADE A LEFT TURN AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED FACE LACERATIONS FROM PLASTIC FRAGMENTS AFTER THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000. UPDATED 8/19/15*CN UPDATED 9/30/2015*JS........UPDATED 12/17/15 *BF UPDATED 10/17/2017*CN”

“THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS IN THE MAZDA TRIBUTE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DUVAL MAZDA TO ASK THEM TO RESET THE COMPUTER SINCE WE FIGURED THAT WAS ALL THAT WAS NEEDED. THEY CALLED US LATER IN THE DAY AND TOLD US THAT TO REPAIR THE CAR SO THAT THE LIGHT WOULD GO OUT, WOULD COST $397.21. WE DECLINED SINCE THEY TOLD US THEY NEEDED TO REBUILD THE WIRING FOR THE AIRBAGS. WHEN WE PICKED UP THE CAR (DECLINED THE REPAIR), THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS STATED: "B1881 STORED-P/S SAFETYBELT PRETENSIONER CIRCUIT FAILURE. TSB: 08-001/05 HAS UPDATED CONNECTORS THAT ARE SOLDERED IN TO REPLACE AND UPGRADE THE FAILING ONES." THIS SOUNDS LIKE IT SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL ITEM NOT A CUSTOMER COST REPAIR ISSUE. OR AT THE VERY LEAST, A REPAIR AND NO CHARGE ITEM DONE BY THE DEALER SINCE IT APPEARS TO BE A FAILURE OF ORIGINAL PARTS THAT IMPACT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. WE HAVE NOT HAD REPAIRS DONE AT THIS POINT SINCE IT IS A COSTLY ONE AND DON'T KNOW WHO, OTHER THAN THE DEALER WILL DO THE REPAIRS FOR A MORE REASONABLE COST. THE DEALER DID STATE (NOT LISTED ANYWHERE ON THE ITEMIZED LIST OF MULTIPLE REPAIRS THAT THEY REALLY WANTED TO DO) THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS IMPACTING THE…”

“MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT BLINKS, THEN STAYS ON SHORTLY AFTER I CRANK THE VEHICLE. I HAD IT CHECKED AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT NEEDED A NEW FUSE BECAUSE IT WAS SHORTING OUT. HE REPLACED THE FUSE AND IT IMMEDIATELY SHORTED OUT AGAIN. HE TOLD ME THAT MY DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG IS SHORTING OUT AND I WILL NEED TO REPLACE IT. I HAVE READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON THIS VEHICLE, SO I CALLED MAZDA AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS MY PROBLEM TO REPAIR IT DUE TO THE AGE OF MY VEHICLE. IS THIS TRUE? I CAN'T BELIEVE THE COMPLACENCY OF THE MAN I SPOKE TO ABOUT THE ISSUE. I NEED THIS ADDRESSED, BUT DO NOT BELIEVE THAT I HAD ANY CONTROL IN THE POOR CONDITION OF THIS PART. IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SUFFERS FROM SIMPLE WEAR AND TEAR ISSUES, LIKE BRAKES OR HOSES! I HOPE THAT WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ ABOUT THIS, SOMEONE WILL REALIZE THAT IT IS A REAL PROBLEM, BEFORE SOMEONE DOES GET HURT OR KILLED. *TR”