TOKYO October 05, 2006 - Mazda Motor Corp. said on Thursday it would recall more than 12,000 vehicles in Japan to replace their air bags after three accidents were reported because of the faulty parts.

Mazda, one-third owned by Ford Motor Co., said the 12,235 vehicles covered were the Premacy, Atenza and Ixion, sold under the Ford brand, that were manufactured between March 1999 and July 2002.

Company spokeswoman Aya Takahashi said the company did not yet know the cost of replacing the air bags, which could abruptly unfold, or how many vehicles it will recall overseas. About 19,000 of the models were produced during the period and exported, she said.

Mazda said 11 defect cases and three accidents had been reported, one of which caused a bone fracture.