AI Damage2003 Mazda B-Series Truck: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Mazda B-Series Truck filed 21 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 21
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 19% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 14% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 10% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 10% of all complaints
- 6 Tires 10% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (19% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (10% of all).
- Fuel system: 2 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 21 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 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.
Middle of tire tread peeled off, sending the back end of our truck sideways then rolling in a deep embankment. Truck totaled. Will give more info.
The vehicle was idling and unoccupied, and the parking brake was not engaged. The force of the crash was enough to bend the door. I called the local police department, but was informed that they do not issue report numbers for minor losses incurred on private property.
I was in an accident and I was hit from behind and my car went flying into the guard rail at about 35 miles per hour head on and my air bags did not deploy. I was sent to the hospital.
I started up the truck after fueling it ran terribly I had a flashing check engine light. I drove home 2milles when home the truck was on ð¥ FIRE!! I turned off engine. Put lots of h20 on fire. Disconnected Batt put more h20. I don't know if it started at gas station or in between. I can ask neighbors.
The electrical system shut down while I was driving, turning off air conditioner, radio, interior lights, and turn indicator. The dash lit up abs, airbag, and cruise control indicators. When I stopped, I turned off the engine and turned the key to power without starting engine and found the electrical working again.
Takata recall is not being done fast enough. This recall began over a year ago in january 2016. We have yet to receive a letter telling us to schedule an appointment for repair.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mazda b3000. The contact stated that the brake lights were inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician was not able to diagnose a failure. The manufacture was not notified about the failure.
Bf goodrich p225/70/r15 blew out on the sidewall, totally separating from wheel. Contacted bfg only to be told tire is on backorder, called 3 months later was told tire is discontinued. I have full warranty on tire but bfg refuses to honor their obligation.
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 8,077 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the B-Series Truck has 36 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 21, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- 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.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
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 200228 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 2003 Mazda B-Series Truck?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, air bags, powertrain. Total complaints: 21. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (14%), smoke, burning smell, fire (10%), tires: bulges, blowouts (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 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 2003 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 2003 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.