1996 Mazda 626 Air Bags:frontal Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · data through 07/12/2026

33Air Bags:frontal complaints

9.2%Of all 359 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags:frontal ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION222 · 61.8%

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL33 · 9.2%

Unspecified / other14 · 3.9%

AIR BAGS11 · 3.1%

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION8 · 2.2%

Share of the 359 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1996 Mazda 626 overview page.

What owners report

“AS A RESULT OF A CRASH WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER ALSO STATES TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND HAD TO…”NHTSA complaint 889065 — filed 05/24/2001

“RECALL 98V249 000/AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT: WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH VEHICLE RAN OVER SOMETHING WHICH CAUSED BOTH AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. VEHICLE WENT OUT OF…”NHTSA complaint 876485 — filed 12/13/2000

“PASSENGER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, OWNER NOTIFICATION WAS NOT RECEIVED.”NHTSA complaint 865550 — filed 07/18/2000

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags:frontal complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1996 Mazda 626 have air bags:frontal problems?

Air Bags:frontal is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 1996 Mazda 626: 33 of 359 complaints on file (9.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1996 Mazda 626 have in total?

359 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 35 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 138 reported injuries, and 99 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags:frontal category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS:FRONTAL category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.