— Mazda has again found itself in the midst of the Takata airbag scandal as the automaker recalls another 731,628 vehicles to replace Takata airbag inflators.
Those inflators can explode when the airbags deploy in a crash, causing more damage to an occupant than the crash itself. The metal inflator inside the airbag is what can explode and send shards of metal into occupants, something that has killed at least 10 people in the U.S.
The automaker is issuing two recalls involving various vehicles separated by "zones."
Mazda RX-8, MPV, Mazda6 and Mazdaspeed6
The first recall has more than 495,000 vehicles called back in a confusing recall based on different "zones" of the country. Mazda says 2004-2011 Mazda RX-8, 2004-2006 MPV, 2003-2008 Mazda6 and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 cars are recalled if they were originally sold or ever registered in the following locations:
Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These locations together are known as "zone A."
Additionally, unless included in "zone A" above, Mazda is recalling its 2004-2008 RX-8, 2004-2006 MPV and 2003-2008 Mazda6 cars originally sold or ever registered in the following areas:
Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Mazda says those areas combined are known as "zone B."
But, to take the confusion level up another notch, Mazda says unless included in "zone A" or "zone B" above, Mazda is also recalling 2004 Mazda RX-8 and MPV and 2003-2004 Mazda6 cars originally sold or registered in the following areas:
Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Mazda says the cars will have the passenger-side frontal airbag inflators replaced, whether the inflators are original or replacement equipment.
This recall will begin July 15, 2016. Mazda dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflators, but until then owners can call the automaker at 800-222-5500 and reference recall number 9416E.
Mazda Mazda6, CX-7 and CX-9
About 236,280 model year 2009-2011 Mazda6, 2007-2011 CX-7 and CX-9 vehicles are recalled if they were originally sold or ever registered in the following areas:
Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These areas are labeled as "zone A" by Mazda.
But that sounds too easy, so Mazda says additional vehicles will be recalled unless included in "zone A" above. These vehicles include 2007-2008 Mazda CX-7 and CX-9 cars originally sold or ever registered in the following "zone B" areas:
Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
The recall should begin July 15, 2016, when dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflators.
Owners who are dizzy from confusion should contact Mazda at 800-222-5500 and ask about recall number 9516E.
CarComplaints.com has complaints about the models named in the Takata airbag recalls:
