2008 Mazda B-series Truck Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2008 Mazda B-series Truck has 11 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 50, and ranks 3rd worst out of 5 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Airbags dominate the complaints (82% share), tied to 3 recall campaigns including 2 do-not-drive Takata airbag recalls.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 50/100
- #3 of 5 B-series Truck years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 11
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 3
- 2 Do Not Drive
- Crashes
- 2
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Top issue
- Airbags
Top 2008 Mazda B-series Truck problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags9 (82%)
- Engine1 (9%)
- Steering1 (9%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Steering can lock up suddenly at highway speed, making the truck impossible to turn and leading to a crash off the road.
- Takata driver-side airbags fail to deploy in a collision, leaving occupants unprotected during impact.
- Owners report long waits for Takata recall replacement parts, with some told the part was unavailable well past a reasonable repair timeframe.
- A sticking throttle can take up to 30 seconds to return to idle, forcing drivers to ride the brakes to slow down.
2008 Mazda B-series Truck recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V162000Mar 10, 2021Airbags5,847 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2007-2009 B-Series pickup trucks. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk with an interim letter mailed April 26, 2021. A second letter was sent December 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4821C.
- NHTSA 17V013000Jan 10, 2017Airbags725 vehiclesDo Not Drive
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2007-2009 B-Series trucks sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Additionally, unless included in "Zone B" above, Mazda is recalling certain 2007-2008 B-Series trucks sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0817A.
- NHTSA 16V499000Jul 1, 2016Airbags5,038 vehiclesDo Not Drive
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 B-Series trucks manufactured June 6, 2006, to January 22, 2009, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Mazda is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 B-Series trucks manufactured February 21, 2006, to April 28, 2008, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Any vehicle not included in "Zone A", or "Zone B" is not included in this safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9616F.
2008 compared with other B-series Truck years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2008 Mazda B-series Truck reliable?
- NHTSA lists 11 complaints for the 2008 model year, giving it a complaint index of 50 and a Caution verdict, ranking 3rd worst among the 5 model years with data.
- What is the top problem area for the 2008 Mazda B-series Truck?
- Airbags account for 82% of complaints, driven largely by Takata inflator issues covered under recall campaigns.
- Does the 2008 Mazda B-series Truck have a do-not-drive recall?
- Yes. Two of its three recalls (16V499000 and 17V013000) are do-not-drive recalls tied to Takata airbag inflators.
- How does the 2008 model compare to other B-series Truck years?
- The 2008 model's complaint index of 50 is worse than 2005 (0) and 2006 (25), but better than 2007 (100, rated Avoid) and 2009 (75).