Mazda expands airbag recall, adding Mazda6 and RX-8

Mazda has added a few more models to its Takata airbag recall, including the 2003-2004 Mazda6 and the 2004 RX-8.

Consistent with millions of other vehicles included in a wave of recall campaigns, the Mazda models were built with defective airbag inflators that have been known to explode.

“In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger’s frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the passenger seat occupant or other occupants,” the company notes in its recall disclosure.

The moisture link has led many automakers to include only vehicles that have been sold or registered in states with high humidity. Mazda appears to be following the same route with its latest round, limiting the fixes to approximately 18,000 vehicles.

Affected vehicles will be outfitted with new passenger-side airbag inflators, along with driver-side inflators for models that were included in the initial campaign.