While driving normally at highway speed on I-880 South, the braking system failed to decelerate the vehicle. When the brake pedal was pressed firmly, there was no normal slowingâonly a sliding sensation, as if the wheels locked and the car moved forward on ice. This led to a collision with a stopped vehicle ahead. The following day, the Mazda App displayed a red alert message: âBrake system malfunction. Braking effectiveness may be decreased.â The vehicleâs airbags deployed very forcefully, causing bruising to both driver and passenger, even though the impact was not severe. Three days before the incident, the vehicle had a scheduled maintenance and recall service at a Mazda dealer, including a brake inspection and air-bag recall repair. The vehicle was declared a total loss by the insurance company and is currently stored at Copart Hayward, CA. The problem has not been inspected by Mazda yet, but a formal safety review is requested. The issue posed serious safety risks due to total loss of braking control and unexpected air-bag deployment.