Total Complaints
73 filings
MAZDA B-SERIES TRUCK · model year
1996 MAZDA B-SERIES TRUCK
73 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996MAZDAB-SERIES TRUCK carries 73 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 B-SERIES TRUCK is visibility:windshield wiper/washer with 7 filings, followed by tires:tread/belt (6) and seat belts:front:buckle assembly (6). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 21 investigation files overlapping the 1996 B-SERIES TRUCK, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
73
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
1
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 7 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 6 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 6 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 |
| AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY | 4 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20151201VISIBILITY/WIPER
LIKE MANY OTHERS WIPERS WERE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY ONLY TO STOP WORKING COMPLETELY REPLACED SWITCH TO NO AVAIL. HAVE RED ITS A PROBLEM WITH THE GENERAL ELECTRIC MODULE WITH TRY REPLACING THAT NEXT!
Mileage: 180,000
20150511UNKNOWN OR OTHER
FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED/ CRACKED / HOLES / ROTTEN FROM RUST
Mileage: 140,000
20130502STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
FRAME IS CRACKED AND HAS HOLES FROM RUST. SPRING SHACKLES HAVE HOLES FROM RUST. WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITHOUT NEW FRAME OR MAJOR FRAME REPAIR. *TR
Mileage: 150,000
20070813FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MAZDA B4000. THE CONTACT NOTICED A GAS LEAK WHILE FILLING THE VEHICLE WITH GAS UP TO THE FILLING NECK. THIS LEAKAGE HAS OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE. HE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 145,000.
Mileage: 145,000
20060128VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL CAME ON WITHOUT TURNING IT ON AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DISABLED IT UNDER THE HOOD. *AK
Mileage: 102,000
20050517FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
DT: GAS WAS LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK. THE CONSUMER JUST BOUGHT THE TRUCK A WEEK AGO AND THE GAS TANK STARTED LEAKING ON MAY 5-16-05. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE TRUCK TO A MECHANIC ON 5-16-05 AND THE MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE GAS TANK LOOKED DEFECTIVE. THIS IS TO BE FIXED ON FRIDAY MAY 20, 2005. THE CONSUMER IS NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. THE MECHANIC SAID HE WOULD HAVE TO DROP THE TANK AND TRY AND SEE IF THE WHOLE TANK WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *JB
Mileage: 122,300
20040601SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR
CONSUMER CHECKED THE BRAKES, AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKES ROTORS ON THE 2 FRONT WHEELS WERE CRACKED. HE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THEM.*AK
20030624SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
METAL BRAKE LINE FAILED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT LEADING TO A COMPLETE LOSS OF ALL BRAKE FLUID AND BRAKING. ONE BRAKE LINE CORRODED THROUGH, ANOTHER LINE WAS SEVERELY CORRODED, AND THE 3RD LINE IS JUST STARTING TO CORRODE. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF ANY PROBLEM. *JB
Mileage: 48,500
20030609STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
DOOR INDICATOR BELL RING WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE SWITCH WAS CHANGE D AND PROBLEM RETURNED. *AK
20020514SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE LEFT FRONT SEAT BUCKLE FAILED. *YH
20020514SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
FRONT SEAT BELT A (L) BUCKLE FAILED. *TT
20020514SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATED THAT THE LEFT FRONT SEAT BUCKLE FAILED. *YD
20020228SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE LEFT FRONT SEAT BUCKLE FAILED. *YH
20020228SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
FRONT SEAT BELT A (L) BUCKLE FAILED. *TT
20020228SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATED THAT THE LEFT FRONT SEAT BUCKLE FAILED. *YD
20010821VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WAS DRIVING 60MPH WHEN CRUISE CONTROL CAME ON.CRUISE CONTROL COULD NOT BE RELEASED AFTER HITTING BRAKES OR ACCELERATOR PEDAL. HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, AND THEN SHUT VEHICLE DOWN. ONCE RESTARTED, CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ACTIVATED.*AKCONSUMER STATES THIS HAS HAPPENED ON TWO OCCASIONS, THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENS AT EACH FAILURE. *SLC
20010803STEERING:LINKAGES
WHILE DRIVING ALONG SLOWLY, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE & VIBRATE UNCONTROLLABLY. I PULLED INTO THE MEDIAN ATTEMPTING TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC & THEN DISCOVERED STEERING WAS SLOW & LETHARGIC. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL OUT OF TRAFFIC & INTO A PARKING LOT, I HEARD A LOUD "POP." I GOT OUT OF THE CAR & DISCOVERED THE TIE ROD SEPARATED ENTIRELY FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL & SLASHED THE INNER TIRE WHEEL (RESULTING IN THE FLAT).*AK (TIRESIZE: P22570R14)
20010108TIRES:SIDEWALL
FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES P215/75R15 DOT W2HF1PJ016 HAVE CRACKS ALL THE WAY AROUND TIRE ON SIDEWALL, CONSUMER NOTICED CRACKS WHEN RECALL 00T005 WENT PUBLIC IN AUGUST OF 2000, DEALER WON'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL TIRES ARE ON RECALL. *SLC
20001213VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STAY ON WHEN TURNED OFF IN THE FAST MODE.*AK
20001213VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. WE'VE TAKEN IT INTO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WE'VE HAD THE SWITCH REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THAT HAS NEVER SOLVED THE PROBLEM. SINCE WE ONLY USE WIPERS WHEN IT RAINS, THE FAILURE HAS CAUSES A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I BEEN IN SEVERAL NEAR MISSES WHEN THIS HAS OCCURRED, ONE WHEN A TRACTOR TRAILER SPRAYED MY WINDSHEILD AND I COULDN'T SEE. MAZDA HAS BEEN UNWILLING TO VOLUNTARILY INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE DETAIL. AS A RESULT, WE'VE CONTINUALLY HAD TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO THE SHOP FOR REPAIR. WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP FOR THE SAME ISSUE, BUT I'M CONCERNED THAT MAZDA WILL JUST REPLACE THE SWITCH, COLLECT THEIR MONEY, AND SEND US ON OUR WAY. FROM PAST EXPERIENCE, REPLACING THE SWITCH HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. AS THE RAINY SEASON APPROACHES, I HOPE THIS MATTER CAN BE RESOLVE BEFORE A WIPER FAILURE CAUSES A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, INJURY, OR EVEN DEATH. *AK
Compare 1996MAZDAB-SERIES TRUCK to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
RQ26002Recall QueryOpen
Momentary increase in steering effort after recall remedy
PE19006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Inadvertent Curtain Air Bag Deployment
PE18006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Front Subframe Corrosion
PE15022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Lower ball joint separation
PE14005Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Brake Booster Failure
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 MAZDA B-SERIES TRUCK have?▼
The 1996 MAZDA B-SERIES TRUCK has 73 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 MAZDA B-SERIES TRUCK?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 MAZDA B-SERIES TRUCK is VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER with 7 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES:TREAD/BELT and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1996 MAZDA B-SERIES TRUCK safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.