Vehicle Data Hub

2003 Mazda Tribute air bags problems

36 complaints about air bags have been filed for the 2003 Mazda Tribute, which is 14% of all its NHTSA complaints. It is the 3rd most reported problem area for this model year.

At a glance

Complaints
36 14% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage
68,000 miles 22 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires
5 and 0
Injuries and deaths
4 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When air bags problems show up

Air bags complaints by mileage, 2003 Mazda Tribute Complaints by odometer reading in 20,000-mile steps. The median is about 68,000 miles. 0k to 20k miles: 0 complaints 20k to 40k miles: 3 complaints 40k to 60k miles: 5 complaints 60k to 80k miles: 5 complaints 80k to 100k miles: 2 complaints 100k to 120k miles: 3 complaints 120k to 140k miles: 1 complaints 140k to 160k miles: 0 complaints 160k to 180k miles: 2 complaints 180k to 200k miles: 0 complaints 200k+ miles: 1 complaints 040k80k120k160k200k miles Typical: 68,000 miles
Based on 22 complaints that include mileage. 36% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.
View the numbers
MileageComplaints
0k to 20k miles0
20k to 40k miles3
40k to 60k miles5
60k to 80k miles5
80k to 100k miles2
100k to 120k miles3
120k to 140k miles1
140k to 160k miles0
160k to 180k miles2
180k to 200k miles0
200k+ miles1

What the data shows

Of the 22 air bags complaints that report mileage, the median is about 68,000 miles, and 36% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 5 crashes, 4 injuries.

What owners wrote

While driving about 45 MPH on the highway and without warning the vehicle shut down. Steering locked/ brakes failed, and headlights were flickering on and off. Driver lost control of the vehicle, and went into a fence, causing a collision. Upon impact, air bags failed to deploy. The driver's side air bag did not deploy. Driver suffered injuries, and was transported by ambulance to the hospital.

October 2003 CrashInjury

Shortly after starting my mazda 2003 tribute on 10-10-2013 at approximately:30 pm, after about 1 mile of traveling,my air bag indicator light began to flash on the dashboard & shortly thereafter stayed on solid without flashing. Each time I have used my vehicle since that date I experience the same trouble with the air bag indicator light initially flashing and then staying on steady throughout the duration traveling from location to location.

Reported at 115,797 miles, October 2013

Other problems reported for the 2003 Mazda Tribute

Air bags problems in other years

Air bags problems across all Mazda models