Airbags have long been regarded as a critical safety component in modern vehicles. According to estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), these devices have saved over 50,000 lives in the United States between 1987 and 2017. Given their life-saving potential, any issue affecting airbag functionality is taken extremely seriously. This brings attention to Mazda’s recent recall involving 171,412 vehicles due to a concerning airbag malfunction.
The recall affects specific models of the 2024 and 2025 Mazda3 and CX-30. According to the NHTSA, the problem arises under a very specific condition: if the ignition is left in the "on" position for more than two hours without the engine running, the car's battery can become completely drained. When this happens, the vehicle's advanced airbag system—referred to as the Sophisticated Airbag Sensor—can log an internal fault. As a result, this fault may prevent the airbags from deploying during a crash, presenting a significant safety risk.
Drivers may become aware of the issue after recharging the battery and restarting the car. At that point, a warning light will appear on the dashboard, accompanied by a message in the instrument cluster indicating a problem with the airbag system. While this may provide some awareness, it doesn’t eliminate the potential danger if the vehicle is operated before the issue is addressed.
Mazda initially discovered the problem in the summer of 2024 after receiving a report of an airbag warning light following a low battery incident. The company conducted an internal investigation and, at first, concluded that the problem stemmed from user error rather than a design flaw. Therefore, it initially categorized the issue as non-safety related. Despite this, Mazda quietly updated the software for the Sophisticated Airbag Sensor in late 2024 to prevent similar problems.
However, the situation escalated in March 2025 when the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation requested details on 15 separate incidents in which airbag sensors had to be replaced. These cases prompted a technical review. Although Mazda maintained its position that the problem did not pose an “unreasonable safety risk,” the public and regulatory pressure likely played a role in changing their stance.
By May 2025, Mazda opted to proceed with an official recall in both the United States and Canada. Fortunately, no injuries or deaths have been linked to this defect. The company plans to begin notifying affected vehicle owners in the coming weeks. Customers will be asked to visit a local dealership, where technicians will either reprogram or replace the faulty airbag sensor to ensure proper function and restore safety confidence.