If the airbag light is on in your Mazda, it indicates a malfunction with your airbag system—and it’s something that you should get checked out right away.

Written by Amber Reed

Reviewed by Melanie Reiff

Updated on Jan 31, 2024

Table of Contents

What does the airbag light mean on a Mazda?
What vehicles are affected by the Mazda airbag recall?
How to reset the airbag warning light on a Mazda
Is it OK to drive a Mazda with the airbag light on?

An illuminated airbag light on a Mazda means that there’s a problem with the car’s airbag system. If yours lights up, bring your Mazda to a dealership or trusted mechanic right away.

Car manufacturers have designed their vehicles to give drivers a heads-up at the slightest sign of trouble—one of those tips might be an illuminated airbag light. Since the majority of us are not automotive or

car repair

experts, we rely on the advice and guidance of those who are!

Want to know what to do when your Mazda’s airbag light is illuminated or flashing? Read on!

MORE:

How to lower your Mazda insurance costs

What does the airbag light mean on a Mazda?

Every time you fire up your Mazda, your car’s computer system runs a scan for any kind of malfunction across a wide array of systems. If something doesn’t check out with your airbags—aka your supplemental restraint system (SRS)—then your

airbag indicator light

will turn on.

Typically, the lit symbol looks like a buckled-in passenger with a circle in front of them. It can also say “Airbag” or simply “SRS”. Depending on what model and year you have, it might blink or it might stay on.

But no matter what, a lit airbag light is not something you should ignore. There are a lot of reasons why an airbag indicator might illuminate, including:

Malfunctioning sensors: The airbag system relies on multiple

sensors

in various locations that provide information on what airbags to deploy and when to deploy them. If any of these sensors aren’t operating properly, the airbag light will illuminate.

Broken airbag module: The airbag module (also called an electronic crash unit) is the device that is ultimately responsible for deploying your airbags when conditions warrant it, and a broken or damaged one results in a lit airbag light.

Wiring or bulb problems: If you’ve ever looked behind the dashboard of a car, you’ll know that there are a lot of bulbs and wires back there. Issues with any of them could be the cause of an airbag light.

Problems with the seat belt pre-tensioner: Some sources report that a problem with the seat belt pre-tensioner can cause the airbag light to come on in some Mazdas.

Broken clock spring: The clock spring in your steering wheel has nothing to do with telling the time—it’s the device that allows your steering wheel to turn while still maintaining electrical contact with components like the horn and the airbag. If this part is faulty, then your airbag light will light up.

This is by no means a complete list. There could be many reasons why your airbag light is on, ranging from minor issues to severe malfunctions. If you have an OBD-II scanner, then you can

check for error codes

and possibly narrow down the source, but an illuminated airbag light ultimately means a trip to the mechanic.

MORE:

A guide to airbag installation

Don't get ripped off!

Estimate repairs near you with GarageGuard™ for free so you KNOW the fair price.

Get GarageGuard™

No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms

No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms · No fees

4.717k Ratings

5M+Drivers Joined

7M+Cars Garaged

What vehicles are affected by the Mazda airbag recall?

Certain models and model years of Mazdas were affected by the Takata airbag recall, which dates back to 2004. And it wasn’t just Mazdas—this recall affected millions of vehicles across 19 different automakers. Essentially, it was found that not only did certain airbags from this manufacturer fail to deploy, but in some cases where they did deploy, it caused metallic shrapnel to fly into the passenger area.

There were seven Mazda models that were affected from the 2004–2015 model years. Mazda has a dedicated website with complete information on

Mazdas affected by the recall

—you can check there to see if yours might be affected. Additionally, you can

search for any recall by VIN

on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.

MORE: The Takata airbag recall: Everything you need to know

How to reset the airbag warning light on a Mazda

If the airbag light is on in your Mazda, then it’s indicating that something is wrong with your airbag system. Whatever the source may be, it’s likely not something that can simply be “reset.” And just making the light go off without figuring out why doesn’t make the problem go away!

The airbag light is designed to reset every time you start your Mazda. If you want to do a more thorough reset of all your electrical systems, then you can disconnect your battery, let it sit for about 10 minutes, and then reconnect it. But even if this makes the light go away, it doesn’t mean you should consider the problem solved.

MORE:

Are Mazdas good cars?

Is it OK to drive a Mazda with the airbag light on?

While it won’t make your Mazda undrivable, it’s a profoundly bad idea to ignore an illuminated airbag light.

If your Mazda’s airbag light is on, there’s some type of problem with the airbag system. This means that in an accident, your airbags could deploy improperly or not at all, which could result in serious injury or even death for you or your passengers.

Even if it’s a false alarm or just a minor issue, the potential risk is too high to ignore a lit airbag light, so get it checked out right away!

MORE:

How long can you drive with the Check Engine Light on?

“
Jerry
makes choosing new insurance as easy as grocery shopping. Even though I had a car accident within the past 2 years, Jerry found me a great deal with Nationwide–I went from paying $340 to $90 a month!”—Pan N.