Ford and Mazda have warned owners of more than 475,000 older vehicles in the U.S. not to drive them due to dangerous Takata airbag inflators that have not been replaced. The warning, issued on Tuesday, covers over 374,000 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles from the 2004 to 2014 model years, and nearly 83,000 Mazdas from 2003 to 2015.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the inflators can explode with excessive force in a crash, rupturing a metal canister and sending shrapnel that can cause severe injury or death. All affected vehicles were previously recalled but repairs remain incomplete.
Ford models affected include the 2004-2011 Ranger, 2005-2014 Mustang, 2005-2006 GT, 2006-2012 Fusion, and 2007-2010 Edge. Mercury and Lincoln models include the Milan, MKZ, Zephyr (2006-2012) and MKX (2007-2010). Mazda models covered are the B-Series (2004-2009), Mazda 6 (2003-2013), Speed6 (2006-2007), RX-8 (2004-2011), MPV (2004-2006), CX-7 (2007-2012) and CX-9 (2007-2015).
At least 27 people have been killed in the U.S. by faulty Takata inflators, which use volatile ammonium nitrate that can degrade over time when exposed to heat and humidity. More than 400 have been injured. Worldwide, at least 35 deaths have been reported in Malaysia, Australia and the U.S. The defect led to the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, involving at least 67 million inflators.
Owners can check if their vehicle is affected via the NHTSA website or manufacturer recall sites. Ford and Mazda are offering free towing, mobile repairs and loaner vehicles. NHTSA urged drivers not to delay, stating that even minor crashes can trigger explosions causing life-altering injuries.
