Dangerous air bags still haunt older cars nearly a decade later
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Ford and Mazda are telling customers not to drive certain older vehicles equipped with faulty air bags that were recalled years ago but never replaced by their owners.
Why it matters: The warnings are an urgent reminder of the danger from the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history, affecting 67 million Takata air bags in tens of millions of vehicles.
- Even minor crashes can cause the affected cars' air bag to explode, sending metal fragments that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- 27 people in the U.S. have been killed and at least 400 injured by exploding Takata air bag inflators, NHTSA says.
Driving the news: Ford and Mazda North American Operations issued urgent "Do Not Drive" warnings Tuesday for more than 457,000 vehicles with recalled, unrepaired Takata air bags.
- The recall includes Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles from the 2004 to 2014 model years, including Ranger pickup trucks, Mustang and GT sports cars, Fusion sedans and Edge SUVs, among others.
- Recalled Mazdas are of the same general vintage, and include Mazda6 sedans, CX-7 and CX-9 SUVs and B-series pickups.
- The replacement air bag is free, and Ford and Mazda are offering free towing, mobile repair and, if necessary, loaner vehicles.
Friction point: Many of the unrepaired vehicles are older and often on their second or third owner, so it's much more difficult to notify them about outstanding recalls.
Context: Ford and Mazda are just the latest to issue "Do Not Drive" warnings on older cars with unrepaired air bags.
- Certain Acura, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Honda, Infiniti, Nissan, Pontiac and Toyota models have similar warnings.
The bottom line: Consumers can check for outstanding recalls on their car by entering their license plate number or vehicle identification number on NHTSA's recall website.
