AI Damage2002 Mazda B-Series Truck: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Mazda B-Series Truck filed 28 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 28
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 21% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 21% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 18% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 11% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 7% of all complaints
- 6 Seats 7% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 7% of all complaints
- Air bags: 6 complaints (21% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (21% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (18% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (11% of all).
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 28 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Vehicle was involved in a crash. Vehicle hit a tree head on while driving about 50mph. Upon impact, airbags did not deploy.
The vehicle immediately jerked directly into the wall in front of it. This caused both air bags to deploy. The problem was with the side air bag switch being in the off position, and the air bags deployed anyway.
The truck has been stalling out on me when I have been driving down the road. The dealership (sullivan watts mazda) has said there is nothing wrong, and to have it towed back in the next time I have the problem. My truck did stall one last time while I was trying to stop at a red light.
Driver's seat belt buckle broke lose, and air bags failed to deploy when truck was involved in a rollover. Truck became air-born with severe impact. Please describe details.
Transmission 1st/2nd gear synchromesh went out 5 times, finally mazda admitted something was wrong with engine,3x was under warranty, last 2x I paid all costs. Judge ruled against mazda in small claims court.
Dealer confirms this recall was completed nov 1, 2007 I called today to confirm, and gave my new address: 4133 224th lane se, unit #101, issaquah, [ZIP]. How do I get this recall removed - important for potential future sale... Dealer is lee johnson chev /mazda of kirkland wa. Updated 02/08/17
Can not get the local mazda dealer (skyland automotive)[phone]) to make an appointment to have the safety recall 4707h repaired. Can you help.
Engine cooling system had internal corrosion which caused heating failure (thermostat). In new hampshire when the temperature is at or below zero, the risk of freezing to death because the car will not heat properly could have its consequences.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,081 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the B-Series Truck has 36 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 28, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
- B-Series Truck 199016 sources
- B-Series Truck 199114 sources
- B-Series Truck 199211 sources
- B-Series Truck 19939 sources
- B-Series Truck 1994122 sources
- B-Series Truck 199542 sources
- B-Series Truck 199655 sources
- B-Series Truck 199752 sources
- B-Series Truck 199867 sources
- B-Series Truck 199978 sources
- B-Series Truck 200058 sources
- B-Series Truck 200137 sources
- B-Series Truck 200321 sources
- B-Series Truck 200424 sources
- B-Series Truck 200516 sources
- B-Series Truck 200611 sources
- B-Series Truck 200737 sources
- B-Series Truck 200811 sources
- B-Series Truck 20094 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Mazda B-Series Truck?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, powertrain, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 28. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (14%), airbags did not deploy (11%), seat belts (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Mazda B-Series Truck?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2002 Mazda B-Series Truck from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2002 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.