2004 Mazda B-Series Truck: common problems

Owners of the 2004 Mazda B-Series Truck filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and structure. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 24
involving a crash: 3

What fails most often

1 Air bags 83% of all complaints
2 Structure 13% of all complaints
3 Service brakes 4% of all complaints
4 Suspension 4% of all complaints
5 Tires 4% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Air bags: 20 complaints (83% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Structure: 3 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 1 complaints (4% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Suspension: 1 complaints (4% of all).
Tires: 1 complaints (4% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 24 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire2 · 8%
airbags did not deploy1 · 4%
brake failure1 · 4%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 4%
oil leak or consumption1 · 4%
rust, corrosion1 · 4%
vibration1 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Air bags	20	2
Structure	3	1
Service brakes	1	1
Suspension	1	0
Tires	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Tl* the contact owned a 2004 mazda b23s. While attempting to make a turn, another vehicle crashed into the front of the contact's vehicle. The air bags (including a repaired recalled air bag) did not deploy. A police report was filed. The driver was uninjured. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence.
Air bags · crash · 2017-04-11 · NHTSA complaint #10971875
I broadsided a pick up truck that ran a stop sign. Enough damage was done that my vehicle had to be towed and likely will be written off by the insurance company as totaled. I was diagnosed with blunt trauma to the chest wall with contusions. My airbag never deployed.
Air bags · crash · 2013-07-16 · NHTSA complaint #10525157
When I engaged the brake the front end shook and then there were no brakes. The day of the accident there was a light rain but I had not driven through any puddles, therefore I don't think it was due to "wet" brakes as I have been told.
Service brakes · crash · 2006-03-22 · NHTSA complaint #10153430
Chassis is rusting out. Drivers side rear spring shackle, bracket fell off and need to be replaced costing me about $500.00. Mazda b2300 is also a Ford Ranger which also has similar issues. My truck has about 170,000 miles on the odometer. The drive train is strong; idles and runs smooth, does not burn oil.
Structure · 2024-02-26 · NHTSA complaint #11573912
That's like telling someone, if your house catches on fire there is a good chance if your smoke alarm goes off it could kill or injure everyone in your home than saying we will let you know and then walking away. Still waiting!
Air bags · 2017-01-07 · NHTSA complaint #10940251
Then the last couple months my steering wheel as begun to shake violently at any speed over 40mph. Two of the tires are falling apart and beginning to get bubbles on the sidewalls. These tires only have 24,000 miles on them and are about 2-3 years old.
Tires · 2012-09-05 · NHTSA complaint #10474001
Consequence: in the event of a side impact crash, the frame rail scould puncture the fuel tank, resulting in a fuel leak. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Remedy: dealers will inspect the frame to determine whether the frame was incorrectly manufactured.
Structure · 2005-04-05 · NHTSA complaint #10116422

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20051
20061
20121
20131
20151
20169
20175
20183
20211
20241

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).

On average one model year of the B-Series Truck has 36 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 24, below average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Mazda B-Series Truck?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, structure, service brakes. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (8%), airbags did not deploy (4%), brake failure (4%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 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 2004 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 2004 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.