Mazda recalls over 260,000 cars over its own logo

The automaker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued the recall on cars made between 2004 and 2007, after learning that the plastic Mazda emblem in the steering wheel could shatter when the airbag is deployed, creating plastic shrapnel that could injure passengers.

Owners of affected vehicles will begin receiving notifications on Aug. 28. The company plans to replace the cover for free.

Mazda, in a July 1 filing, says the logo could become brittle over time owing to an improper material specification. The replacement logo will not contain polyurethane, so will not be subject to deterioration, the company says.

The company received the first report of someone being injured by the plastic fragments in September 2015 and began investigating the issue. It has received nine other reports since then of injuries due to the fragments, including several people whose eyes were damaged by them. The company faces two lawsuits in the U.S. because of the injuries.

The Mazda recall follows one by Kia in April, where 147,000 Kia Souls and Kia Seltos were recalled. In February, Tesla recalled 135,000 sedans and sport utility vehicles. Ford is also recalling some SUVs, because of problems with the rear axle, as well as a handful of Police Interceptor and Lincoln vehicles owing to contaminated windshield washer fluid.