VehicleVerdict

2005 Mazda B-Series Truck problems

Verdict · NHTSA data

One of the years to avoid

The 2005 Mazda B-Series Truck carries two red flags at once: 17 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA and an open NHTSA defect investigation (subject: Air Bag Inflator Rupture). It is one of the B-Series Truck years to avoid.

17

NHTSA complaints

3

Recalls

3

Investigations · 1 open

1

Crash-involved

0

Fires reported

1

Injuries

0

Deaths

—

NCAP overall

How does 2005 compare to other B-Series Truck years?

B-Series Truck NHTSA complaints by model year, 2005 highlighted157 complaints1990: 22 complaints1991: 15 complaints1992: 14 complaints1993: 18 complaints1994: 157 complaints1995: 54 complaints1996: 73 complaints1997: 64 complaints1998: 81 complaints1999: 96 complaints2000: 74 complaints2001: 55 complaints2002: 31 complaints2003: 25 complaints2004: 26 complaints2005: 17 complaints2006: 14 complaints2007: 37 complaints2008: 11 complaints2009: 4 complaints
B-Series Truck NHTSA complaints by model year, 2005 highlighted. Red bars are years to avoid.

See all B-Series Truck years to avoid →

What are the most common 2005 Mazda B-Series Truck problems?

ComponentComplaintsShare
Airbags1694%
Lighting16%

Does the 2005 Mazda B-Series Truck have recalls?

3 NHTSA recall campaigns on file. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

23V837000AirbagsDecember 12, 2023 · 12,741 units

Defect

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004-2006 B-Series vehicles that received replacement front passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The replacement front passenger air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly.

Consequence

An incorrectly installed inflator may not properly inflate the passenger air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and reinstall the front passenger air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 1, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 6423L.

17V806000AirbagsDecember 14, 2017 · 17,576 units

Defect

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Mazda B-series trucks. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Consequence

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 17, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1817L. Note: This recall supersedes recall 15V-346. Vehicles that received a replacement air bag inflator under the previous campaign need to return to a dealer to have an alternate inflator installed.

17V807000AirbagsDecember 14, 2017 · 17,576 units

Defect

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2004-2006 B-Series trucks. Upon deployment of the driver side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Consequence

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Owners are advise not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began on January 17, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1917L. Note: This recall supersedes recall 16V-048. Vehicles that received a replacement air bag inflator under the previous campaign need to return to a dealer to have an alternate inflator installed.

Open NHTSA investigations

EA15001

Air Bag Inflator Rupture

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.Nonetheless, at ODI's insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation.The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with high absolute humidity and climatic conditions believed to be a significant factor in the inflator ruptures.As part of the recall actions, inflators removed from remedied vehicles are to be returned to Takata for testing.Takata's initial test results on passenger inflators from remedied vehicles indicated a much higher than anticipated rupture frequency for inflators returned from Florida.Accordingly ODI requested all 10 manufacturers expand the regional recalls for passenger inflators to include other geographic areas where high absolute humidity conditions exist, including the Gulf States and other coastal areas.Takata's testing of the passenger inflators to date continues to indicate this geographic area as having the highest risk, with no ruptures occurring from inflators returned from outside the expanded recall regions.During PE14-016 four additional passenger inflator field events occurred, all in vehicles from the same expanded geographic region.Also during PE14-016 four additional driver inflator field events occurred including two in vehicles from regions not known for high absolute humidity, specifically California and North Carolina.Accordingly, ODI requested all five of the affected vehicle manufacturers currently using the subject Takata driver inflators expand to nationwide recalls.Significantly, neither of the affected vehicle manufacturers or Takata provided any explanation to account for these two driver air bag inflator ruptures outside the area of high absolute humidity.Takata testing of returned driver inflators indicates a lower rupture frequency as compared to passenger inflator testing.All test ruptures reported by Takata to date have occurred on inflators returned from high absolute humidity areas.The investigation now includes all manufacturers and vehicles known to be affected at this time.ODI's investigation will focus on, among other things, root cause analysis, other potential defect consequences, identification of affected vehicles scope, and adequacy of the remedy.The five ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10537899, 10568848, 10585224, 10605877, 10651492

Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA

Representative excerpts, cleaned of personal information. These are consumer statements, not verified defects.

“The contact owns a 2005 Mazda B-Series ZJ57. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 17V806000, 17V807000, and 23V837000 (Air Bags) however, the dealer had refused to complete the recall due to the air bags that had inflated during a crash. The contact stated that the…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Airbags · April 9, 2022 · crash

“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MAZDA B-SERIES TRUCK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V806000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER (SMAIL MAZDA, [PHONE]) WAS CALLED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Lighting · May 22, 2018

2005 Mazda B-Series Truck — common questions

Is the 2005 Mazda B-Series Truck reliable?

NHTSA data argues against it: 17 complaints put the 2005 model at #15 of 20 B-Series Truck years, and a defect investigation remains open. It is one of the B-Series Truck years to avoid.

What are the most common 2005 B-Series Truck problems?

According to NHTSA complaint data, the leading problem areas are airbags (16 complaints), lighting (1 complaints).

Does the 2005 Mazda B-Series Truck have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns affecting the 2005 Mazda B-Series Truck. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers; check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm the work was done.

Is the 2005 Mazda B-Series Truck under NHTSA investigation?

Yes — an investigation remains open (Air Bag Inflator Rupture). An open ODI action means NHTSA is actively assessing a possible defect.

Which Mazda B-Series Truck years should you avoid?

Based on complaint rates and open investigations, the B-Series Truck years to avoid are 1994, 1999, 1998, 2000, 1996, 1997, 2001, 1995, 2004, 2005. The cleanest record among B-Series Truck years belongs to 2009.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.