Mazda issues Takata airbag recall after demand from Chinese regulators

BEIJING -- Mazda Motor Corp.’s Chinese joint venture will recall 74,310 of its Mazda2 sedans in China to replace Takata Corp. airbags after an investigation by the country’s safety regulator.

China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said that Mazda will contact affected vehicle owners through their authorized dealers and replace the air bags without charge, according to a notice on its website. The recall was initiated at the behest of the regulator, which held meetings with several automakers, including Mazda, on recalling Takata-made airbags.

The safety regulator has been investigating the issue of Takata’s airbags since June 2014 and recently directed automakers to implement “prompt and effective measures to ensure the safety of consumers,” according to the notice.

“Like all other recalls, we work with local authorities and react seriously,” said Hideki Taira, a Mazda spokesman. “There’s no delay in the procedures in China.”

The move by China follows similar actions by Japan and the U.S., two major jurisdictions that have expanded the scope of recalls involving air bags made by Takata. Mazda is among more than a dozen automakers involved in the unprecedented recall of over 100 million air bags made by Takata, whose devices have killed and maimed after spraying vehicle occupants with ruptured parts.

The affected Mazda vehicles were manufactured from July 24, 2007 to June 17, 2015, according to the Chinese regulator.