2021-2023 Mazda MX-5 Air Bag Control Module Software Recall (24V695)

Recall 24V695 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2021-2023 Mazda MX-5 in recall 24V695?

A software error in the air bag control module may cause the front air bags to deploy with excessive force during a crash.

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2023 MX-5 Miata vehicles. A software error in the air bag control module may cause the front air bags to deploy with excessive force during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Is it safe to drive a 2021-2023 MX-5 with recall 24V695?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: An air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the software.

Which vehicles are included in recall 24V695?

Recall 24V695 covers 77,670 vehicles: 2021-2023 Mazda MX-5.

NHTSA lists 77,670 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the MX-5 air bag control module software recall?

Yes. Dealers will update the Sophisticated Air Bag Sensor (SAS) control module software, free of charge.

Dealers will update the Sophisticated Air Bag Sensor (SAS) control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 6924I.

When was recall 24V695 announced?

Mazda Motor Corp. reported recall 24V695 to NHTSA on September 18, 2024. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as November 7, 2024.

This recall was filed 24 months ago. If your MX-5 was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my MX-5 is part of recall 24V695?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 24V695 is open on your MX-5, it will be listed there.

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 24V695000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.

What should MX-5 owners do about recall 24V695?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 24V695000 applies to your MX-5.
2. Book the recall appointment with any authorized Mazda dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
3. Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the software happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.

What are MX-5 owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 1 of them about the air bags.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the air bags have been filed since recall 24V695 was reported (1) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 13 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 1 of them involve the air bags. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.

• 2023 Mazda MX-5: 7 complaints in total, 1 about the air bags
• 2022 Mazda MX-5: 5 complaints in total, 0 about the air bags
• 2021 Mazda MX-5: 1 complaints in total, 0 about the air bags

Can recall 24V695 make my MX-5 a lemon in California?

Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.

Recall 24V695000 does not automatically make your MX-5 a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?

Air bag defects are hidden until the moment they matter most. A recall repair may replace an inflator or sensor, but if warning lights return or the system faults again, that is a repeat repair for a safety defect.

The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.

California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.

An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.

Frequently asked questions about recall 24V695