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Mazda expands scope of vehicles affected by Takata airbag recall to 330k

Earlier this week a Reuters report indicated that Mazda was considering a nationwide expansion of its recall for vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators. The company has now confirmed said expansion, with the vehicle count jumping from 86,770 to 330,000 affected in the US. As before, the affected vehicles are Mazda6 and RX-8 cars from the 2004 to 2008 model years. Mazda reports that Takata has tested a "large number of inflators removed from Mazda vehicles" and not found any to be "non-compliant" as of yet. With that said, the company also reports in its statement that one 2005 Mazda6, located in Florida, has been identified as having had an "abnormal" deployment of the driver's side airbag. For what it's worth, though the company's statement references the Takata inflator issue as a proper recall, it is calling its own program of notification a "Safety Improvement Campaign" for the moment. Find the full, if brief, Mazda press release in the form below. UPDATED MAZDA STATEMENT REGARDING TAKATA AIRBAGS Dec 11, 2014 WASHINGTON, DC (December 11, 2014) – In addition to the actions announced on December 4, 2014, as discussed in a separate document, Mazda today announced the following steps in the Takata recall: Mazda will institute a nationwide Safety Improvement Campaign of 2004-2008 model-year Mazda6 and RX-8 models equipped with certain Takata airbag inflators. The nationwide Safety Improvement Campaign will cover the driver's-side airbag inflator, as Mazda has not made a safety defect determination at this time. This action will support us to gather additional parts for examination and to promote customer satisfaction and safety. There are approximately 330,000 vehicles included in this Safety Improvement Campaign in the United States So far, Takata has tested a large number of inflators removed from Mazda vehicles, and NONE have been found to be non-compliant at this time One vehicle – a 2005 Mazda6 located in Florida – has been identified as having experienced an abnormal driver's-side airbag deployment. Mazda has worked closely with NHTSA on this situation Mazda will participate in the independent, industry-wide joint testing program for Takata airbag inflators For history, on December 4, 2014, Mazda announced: It would expand the area of the high-temperature, high-humidity region recall to include the Gulf Coast states.

10 automakers shack up in Detroit hotel to talk Takata airbags

Since Takata has decided not to take the lead concerning potential issues with its airbag inflators, the automakers have. Perhaps that's unsurprising, since it's the automakers, not Takata, that will take a beating on the dealership floor if consumers decide its models are a health hazards. The Detroit News reports that Toyota, Honda, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru met in a hotel conference room near the Detroit Metropolitan Airport last week to sort out a way to understand the technical issues involved. So far, faulty airbag inflators have been ruled the cause of five deaths and 50 injuries around the world, but neither Takata nor investigators understands exactly why the inflators are malfunctioning. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently asked Takata to issue a national recall, Takata declined, citing a minuscule failure rate and the fact that it's still investigating the issue. Toyota and Honda then made an industry-wide appeal for "a coordinated, comprehensive testing program" that would pinpoint the problem inflators and get them replaced, and that's what the Detroit meeting was about. Numerous issues, however, will make this a long row to hoe: simply getting the parts to replace the nearly 20 million inflators in cars recalled around the world so far - even working with other suppliers - will take a years, but more importantly, no one knows if the replacement inflators currently being installed will suffer the same issue. Answers will hopefully come quickly with Takata, the ten automakers and NHTSA all independently investigating the problem.

Mazda engineers urging execs for more RWD models

According to Edmunds, Mazda engineers are pressuring the company to create more rear-wheel-drive models, in an effort to better differentiate itself from its rivals. This push is reportedly coming from middle and senior engineers within the company, and these folks at Mazda believe this rear-drive strategy would allow the automaker to produce more distinctive, fun to drive cars. Mazda discontinued the rear-drive (and rotary-engined) RX-8 a few years ago, leaving the MX-5 Miata as the company's only RWD offering.
As enthusiasts, we're fully on board with Mazda offering more rear-drive cars, but unsurprisingly, the company's top management isn't exactly keen on the idea - and with good reason. First and foremost, the cost associated with redesigning fresh architecture for new models would be very high, and considering the fact that Mazda hasn't exactly been raking in the dough lately, an expensive new venture like this doesn't make a whole lot of sense. What's more, Mazda's latest front-drive models - the Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-5 - have been very well-received, and are helping the company gain sales momentum.
But that doesn't mean there aren't other options. Edmunds reminds us that Mazda is already partnering with Alfa Romeo on the next-generation Miata, and if this collaboration is successful, perhaps the relationship could bear additional fruit. After all, Alfa Romeo is said to be working on returning to its rear-wheel-drive roots, so Mazda's engineers might be able to make a case for more RWD goodness after all.