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 airbag inflators that have not yet been replaced. The warning issued Tuesday affects more than 374,000 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles from model years 2004 to 2014, as well as nearly 83,000 Mazdas from model years 2003 to 2015, the AP reports. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the inflators can explode with too much force in a crash, tearing apart a metal container and throwing out fragments that can seriously injure or kill people. All have previously been recalled, but repairs are ongoing. About the warning:
- Ford models These include Ranger pickups from 2004 to 2011, Mustangs from 2005 to 2014, Ford GTs from 2005 and 2006, Fusions from 2006 to 2012, and Edge SUVs from 2007 to 2010.
- Affected Mercury and Lincoln models These include Milan, MKZ and Zephyr from 2006 to 2012 and MKX from 2007 to 2010.
- Mazda Affected by the warning are the B-series pickup from 2004 to 2009, the Mazda6 from 2003 to 2013, the Speed6 from 2006 and 2007 and the RX-8 from 2004 to 2011. Also included are the MPV from 2004 to 2006, the CX-7 from 2007 to 2012 and the CX-9 from 2007 to 2015.
Owners can check if their vehicle is covered by going to the NHTSA website and entering their vehicle identification or license plate number. Ford and Mazda also have recall websites. If a vehicle has an unrepaired Takata inflator, owners should stop and call a dealer to schedule a repair. Ford and Mazda offer free towing or mobile repairs as well as loaner vehicles if needed, the NHTSA says. “Even minor accidents can result in Takata airbags exploding, which can be fatal or cause life-changing, gruesome injuries,” the agency said in a statement.
(More Takata stories.)
