Skip to content
Vehicle recall · NHTSA · Published June 24, 2019

MAZDA RX-8 (2011) recall — Air Bags

Mazda recalls 2011 RX-8 vehicles with potentially dangerous air bag inflators that may explode during crashes, causing serious injury or death. Owners must stop driving until repairs are done.

🇺🇸 NHTSA recall #19V488000VehicleMazda ›
Take action

Contact the company & request your remedy

No email on file for this recall — reach the company by phone or its official page instead.No contact details on file — see the official NHTSA notice.
✎ GovInfoNow plain-language explainer

What happened, in plain English

Mazda is recalling certain 2011 Mazda RX-8 vehicles due to a risk that air bag inflators could explode during crashes, potentially causing serious injury or death. Owners must stop driving until the air bag inflator is replaced by Mazda. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/1252815-mazda-rx-8-2011-air-bag-recall-risk-of-serious.

Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/1252815-mazda-rx-8-2011-air-bag-recall-risk-of-serious · Updated October 5, 2026 · Official notice: NHTSA #19V488000

Cite this page

“Mazda RX-8 (2011) Air Bag Recall: Risk of Serious Injury from Inflator Explosion.” GovInfoNow, updated October 5, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/1252815-mazda-rx-8-2011-air-bag-recall-risk-of-serious. Based on NHTSA recall #19V488000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=19V488000).

Why it’s dangerous

The air bag inflators can degrade over time due to exposure to humidity and temperature changes. During a crash, these inflators may explode, sending sharp metal fragments that can seriously injure or kill occupants.

Who’s affected

Owners of 2011 Mazda RX-8 vehicles with passenger air bag inflators that may explode during crashes are affected. Drivers and passengers in these vehicles face the highest risk.

How to tell if you have this one

Check if your 2011 Mazda RX-8 has a passenger air bag inflator that was part of the original equipment or a replacement installed after a previous recall. The recall started July 9, 2019.

  • Brand
    Mazda
  • Category
    Vehicle
Based on the official NHTSA remedy

What to do — step by step

  1. Stop Driving Until Repair

    Do not drive your vehicle until Mazda replaces the front passenger air bag inflator with a safer one.

  2. Contact Mazda for Repair

    Mazda will notify you and send a repair kit to fix the air bag inflator at no cost.

Official remedy

What NHTSA says to do

Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. The recall began July 9, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F.

✎ GovInfoNow

Questions people ask

Why is this air bag inflator dangerous?

The inflators can degrade over time due to humidity and temperature changes, potentially exploding during a crash and causing serious injury or death.

How do I know if my vehicle is affected?

Your 2011 Mazda RX-8 may be affected if it has a passenger air bag inflator that was part of the original equipment or a replacement installed after a previous recall.

When does this recall start?

The recall began July 9, 2019.

Take action

Contact Mazda

We’ve drafted a message you can send Mazda to request your refund or repair — edit it as you like.

Subject: Recall 19V488000 — Mazda Mazda

Hello,

I own a Mazda that is covered by recall 19V488000 from Mazda.

The official recall notice states: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed.  Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge.  The recall began July 9, 2019.  Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4.  Mazda's number for this recall is 2618F.

I’m writing to arrange the remedy described in the recall (a refund, repair, or replacement as applicable). Could you please tell me the next steps to resolve this?

Thank you.

Similar recalls

Keep exploring

From people who’ve dealt with this

Experiences, tips, and questions from readers. Every comment is reviewed before it appears.

No comments yet — be the first to share your experience.

Comments are reviewed before they appear. No links, ads, or personal attacks — those get removed.

Where this comes from

The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.

  • Official source: NHTSA Recall #19V488000 (June 24, 2019)
  • Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on October 5, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
  • GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.
GovInfoNow is an independent guide. We are not NHTSA or any government agency. Always confirm details with the official recall.Data: CPSC · FDA · NHTSA · USDA