Ford and Mazda have issued urgent warnings to the owners of over 475,000 older vehicles in the U.S., advising them not to drive their cars due to the presence of hazardous Takata airbag inflators that have not yet been replaced. The advisory, issued on Tuesday, affects more than 374,000 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles produced between 2004 and 2014, and nearly 83,000 Mazdas from model years 2003 to 2015.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has highlighted the peril posed by these inflators, which are prone to exploding with excessive force during a crash. This can cause the metal canister to rupture and send deadly fragments flying through the vehicle. Though these vehicles were previously recalled for the faulty parts, many repairs remain outstanding.
Specifically, the Ford models implicated are 2004 to 2011 Ranger pickups, 2005 to 2014 Mustangs, 2005 and 2006 Ford GTs, 2006 to 2012 Fusions, and 2007 to 2010 Edge SUVs. For Mercury and Lincoln, the affected models include the Milan, MKZ, and Zephyr from 2006 to 2012, and the MKX from 2007 to 2010. Mazda’s list includes 2004 to 2009 B-Series pickups, 2003 to 2013 Mazda 6, 2006 and 2007 Speed6, and 2004 to 2011 RX-8. Also involved are the 2004 to 2006 MPV, 2007 to 2012 CX-7, and 2007 to 2015 CX-9.
The NHTSA has reported that, within the U.S., 27 people have died and more than 400 have been injured due to faulty Takata inflators. These inflators use a volatile chemical, ammonium nitrate, to create a small explosion that inflates the airbag in a crash. However, the chemical deteriorates over time, especially when exposed to high temperatures and humidity, increasing the risk of a disastrous malfunction.
Globally, the death toll linked to Takata inflators has reached at least 35, with fatalities recorded in Malaysia, Australia, and the U.S. This widespread issue sparked the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, involving at least 67 million inflators. Worldwide, around 100 million inflators have been recalled. The crisis ultimately led Takata into bankruptcy.
To determine if their vehicle is affected, owners can visit the NHTSA website and enter their vehicle identification or license plate numbers. Ford and Mazda also offer recall information on their respective websites. If a vehicle is found to have an unrepaired Takata inflator, owners are urged to cease driving the car immediately and contact a dealer to arrange for repairs. Both Ford and Mazda are providing free towing, mobile repairs, and loaner vehicles as necessary.
“Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries,” NHTSA warned in a statement, emphasizing that the risk is particularly acute for older vehicles.
Ford has identified over 765,000 inflators in Ford and Lincoln vehicles worldwide that must not be driven until they are replaced. The company claims to have made more than 121 million attempts to contact U.S. owners via emails, phone calls, text messages, and in-person visits, achieving over a 95% replacement rate for its U.S. customers.
Previously, other automakers such as Nissan, Honda, Stellantis, BMW, and Toyota have issued similar “do not drive” warnings for certain vehicles equipped with Takata inflators.
