DETROIT– Ford and Mazda are warning owners of more than 475,000 older vehicles in the U.S. not to drive them because they have dangerous Takata airbags that have not been replaced.
The warning, issued Tuesday, affects more than 374,000 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles from model years 2004 through 2014 and nearly 83,000 Mazdas from model years 2003 through 2015.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the inflators can explode with too much force in a crash, causing a metal canister to burst and send fragments flying that can seriously injure or kill people. All have been recalled previously, but repairs have not yet been completed.
Ford models affected by the warning include 2004 through 2011 Ranger pickup trucks, 2005 through 2014 Mustangs, 2005 and 2006 Ford GTs, 2006 through 2012 Fusions, and 2007 through 2010 Edge SUVs.
The Mercury and Lincoln models affected are the 2006 through 2012 Milan, MKZ and Zephyr, and the 2007 through 2010 MKX.
Mazdas affected by the warning include the 2004 to 2009 B-Series pickup, the 2003 to 2013 Mazda 6, the 2006 and 2007 Speed6, and the 2004 to 2011 RX-8. Also included are the 2004 to 2006 MPV, the 2007 to 2012 CX-7, and the 2007 to 2015 CX-9.
The government says 27 people in the US have died from defective Takata inflators, who used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate airbags in a crash. The chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. More than 400 people in the U.S. have been injured.
At least 35 people worldwide have been killed by Takata inflation systems in Malaysia, Australia and the US
Potential for a dangerous malfunction led to the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, involving at least 67 million Takata inflators. The U.S. government says many have not been repaired. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. The exploding airbags sent Takata in bankruptcy.
Owners can check if their vehicles are insured by going to the NHTSA website and entering the vehicle identification or license plate numbers.ford And Mazda also have recall websites.
If a vehicle has an unrepaired Takata pump, owners should stop driving and call a dealer to schedule a repair. Ford and Mazda offer free towing or mobile repairs and loaner vehicles if needed, NHTSA says.
“Even minor crashes can result in Takata airbags deploying, which can be fatal or cause life-changing, horrific injuries,” the agency said in a statement. “Older model year vehicles put their occupants at higher risk.”
Ford says more than 765,000 inflators in Ford and Lincoln vehicles worldwide should not be used until the airbag inflators are replaced. In the U.S., the company has made more than 121 million attempts to contact owners, including emails, phone calls, text messages and visits to customers’ homes. The company says more than 95 percent of its U.S. customers have had their inflators replaced.
Nissan, Honda, Stellantis, Ford, BMW and Toyota and Mazda have previously issued similar “no driving” measures warnings for some of their vehicles equipped with Takata pumps.
