On August 13, 2021, Mazda Philippines released a service campaign (or recall) for the first-generation Mazda3’s steering wheel brand emblem. That’s right, you can replace your Mazda3 BK’s steering wheel-mounted emblem at Mazda for free at your nearest Mazda dealership.
The first-generation Mazda3, model code "BK"
So why the recall for this minuscule part? Well according to Mazda, the said emblems might deteriorate and become brittle over time. They won’t just compromise the look of the interior of the car, but their pieces can also become projectiles if ever the driver-side airbag deploys.
Affected units include the BK-series Mazda3 units that were sold from 2004 to 2008. These were distributed by the previous Mazda distributor for the Philippine market.
As scary as that sounds, you’ll be glad to know that no serious injuries have been reported due to the said issue. Then again, Mazda is being proactive and it wants to reduce the chances of this happening.
Of note, the procedure in replacing the erring steering wheel brand emblems will only take 45 minutes on average. And again, it’s free of charge. So yes, that’s a small amount of time and inconvenience on the car owner’s part considering that you might be driving around with something that might ruin your day and your face.
A look into the Mazda3 BK's interior particularly its steering wheel and steering wheel emblem
With regards to this, Mazda Philippines President and CEO Steven Tan said that “Mazda is committed to ensuring the safety of Mazda owners by providing proactive service and safety campaigns. As soon as we received confirmation of the issue with the Mazda3 units sold by Mazda Japan, we set in motion the Special Service Campaign process in cooperation with our dealerships. We believe the safety of Mazda owners is paramount and is essential as we ensure the proper and continued operation and service of their vehicles during these trying times.”
On top of the service campaign for the Mazda3 BK’s steering wheel emblem, Mazda Philippines is also offering 50 percent discounts for the said model’s parts.
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