Ford and Mazda have issued a warning to owners of over 475,000 older vehicles in the United States, advising them not to drive the cars due to unsafe Takata air bag inflators that have not been replaced. The caution, released on Tuesday, pertains to more than 374,000 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles from the 2004 through 2014 model years, and nearly 83,000 Mazdas from the 2003 through 2015 model years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has highlighted that the inflators have the potential to explode with excessive force during a crash, causing a metal canister to rupture and eject fragments that could cause severe injury or death to individuals. Although all vehicles were previously recalled, necessary repairs have not been carried out.
The Ford models affected by the warning include 2004 to 2011 Ranger pickups, 2005 through 2014 Mustangs, 2005 and 2006 Ford GTs, 2006 through 2012 Fusions, and 2007 through 2010 Edge SUVs. Mercury and Lincoln vehicles impacted are the Milan, MKZ, and Zephyr from 2006 through 2012, alongside the MKX from 2007 through 2010. Mazda models under the warning are the 2004 to 2009 B-Series pickup, 2003 through 2013 Mazda 6, 2006 and 2007 Speed6, and 2004 through 2011 RX-8. Moreover, the warning extends to the 2004 through 2006 MPV, 2007 through 2012 CX-7, and the 2007 through 2015 CX-9. In the U.S., 27 fatalities have been linked to faulty Takata inflators, which use volatile ammonium nitrate to trigger a small explosion for airbag inflation during collisions. The chemical can degrade over time, primarily when subjected to high temperatures and humidity, resulting in more than 400 injuries in the country. Globally, at least 35 deaths have been reported in countries including Malaysia, Australia, and the U.S.
Owners can verify if their vehicles are impacted by visiting the NHTSA website and entering their vehicle identification or license plate numbers. Ford and Mazda have dedicated recall websites as well. If a vehicle contains an unrepaired Takata inflator, owners are advised to refrain from driving them and contact a dealer promptly to schedule a repair appointment. Ford and Mazda are facilitating free towing or mobile repair services, and providing loaner vehicles if required, as per NHTSA. The agency emphasized, “Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata airbags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries. Older model year vehicles put their occupants at higher risk.”