Mazda CX-9 Side Curtain Air Bags Defect

Mazda air bag defect

CarComplaints.com reports that federal regulators started an investigation into the Mazda CX-9 sports utility vehicle. The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration, also known as the NHTSA, recently began an investigation into why side curtain airbags on at least two cars activated without an accident and without warning. Four people reportedly sustained injuries when the side curtain airbags spontaneous inflated. The NHTSA has not concluded its investigation and has not determined a cause at this time.

The owner of a 2012 Mazda CX-9 filed a complaint with the NHTSA alleging that the side curtain airbags installed in the owner’s vehicle inflated without warning. The sudden inflation injured four people in the car. CarComplaints.com did not report on the severity of the injuries the occupants of the car sustained. The owner said that the car was riding on the highway and did not come in contact with any other vehicle or object when the left and right curtain airbags inflated. The people riding in the car were hurt when the airbags struck them.

A second Mazda CX-9 filed a complaint with the NHTSA claiming that a similar problem occurred with his 2013 model. The owner said that the car was traveling at a reasonable speed on the highway when the airbags erupted without reason. As with the 2012 model, the 2013 Mazda CX-9 was not involved in an accident when the side curtain airbags opened. No one reported suffering injuries stemming from the incident

As a consequence of these two complaints, the NHTSA initiated an investigation. The investigators with the NHTSA will examine the 2012 and 2013 model year SUVs to determine if a recall is appropriate. The NHTSA did not estimate the number of vehicles currently in use with this problem. As a consequence, the NHTSA does not know at this time how prevalent the malfunction might be in these cars.