Ford, Mazda: Stop Driving Old Cars With Takata Inflators

Warning affects 475K older vehicles in the US
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 13, 2024 10:30 AM CDT
Ford, Mazda: Stop Driving Old Cars With Takata Inflators
This Oct. 24, 2021, file photo shows a Ford company logo on a sign at a Ford dealership in southeast Denver.   (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Ford and Mazda are warning the owners of more than 475,000 older vehicles in the US not to drive them because they have dangerous Takata airbag inflators that haven't been replaced. The warning issued Tuesday covers more than 374,000 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles from the 2004 through 2014 model years, as well as nearly 83,000 Mazdas from the 2003 through 2015 model years, reports the AP. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the inflators can explode with too much force in a crash, blowing apart a metal canister and shooting fragments that can severely injure or kill people. All were recalled previously, but repairs haven't been completed. About the warning:

  • Ford models 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.
  • Affected Mercury and Lincoln models include the Milan, MKZ, and Zephyr from 2006 through 2012, and the MKX from 2007 through 2010.
  • Mazdas covered by the warning are the 2004 to 2009 B-Series pickup, 2003 through 2013 Mazda6, the 2006 and 2007 Speed6, and the 2004 through 2011 RX-8. Also included are the 2004 through 2006 MPV, the 2007 through 2012 CX-7, and the 2007 through 2015 CX-9.

Owners can check to see if their vehicles are covered by going to the NHTSA website and keying in their vehicle identification or license plate numbers. Ford and Mazda also have recall websites. If a vehicle has an unrepaired Takata inflator, owners should stop driving it and call a dealer to set up a repair appointment. Ford and Mazda are offering free towing or mobile repairs and loaner vehicles if necessary, the NHTSA says. "Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata airbags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries," the agency said in a statement.

(More Takata stories.)

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