10 months ago
22
DETROIT (AP) — Ford and Mazda are informing the owners of much than 475,000 older vehicles successful the U.S. not to thrust them due to the fact that they person unsafe Takata airbag inflators that person not been replaced.
The informing issued Tuesday covers much than 374,000 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles from the 2004 done 2014 exemplary years and astir 83,000 Mazdas from the 2003 done 2015 exemplary years.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the inflators tin detonate with excessively overmuch unit successful a crash, blowing isolated a metallic canister and shooting fragments that tin severely injure oregon termination people. All were recalled antecedently but repairs person not been completed.
Ford models covered by the informing see 2004 to 2011 Ranger pickups, 2005 done 2014 Mustangs, 2005 and 2006 Ford GTs, 2006 done 2012 Fusions and 2007 done 2010 Edge SUVs.
Affected Mercury and Lincoln models see the Milan, MKZ and Zephyr from 2006 done 2012, and the MKX from 2007 done 2010.
Mazdas covered by the informing are the 2004 to 2009 B-Series pickup, 2003 done 2013 Mazda 6, the 2006 and 2007 Speed6 and the 2004 done 2011 RX-8. Also included are the 2004 done 2006 MPV, the 2007 done 2012 CX-7 and the 2007 done 2015 CX-9.
The authorities says 27 radical person been killed successful the U.S. by faulty Takata inflators, which utilized volatile ammonium nitrate to make a tiny detonation to inflate aerial bags successful a crash. The chemic tin deteriorate implicit clip erstwhile exposed to precocious temperatures and humidity. More than 400 radical successful the U.S. person been hurt.
Worldwide astatine slightest 35 radical person been killed by Takata inflators successful Malaysia, Australia and the U.S.
The imaginable for a unsafe malfunction led to the largest bid of car recalls successful U.S. history, with astatine slightest 67 cardinal Takata inflators involved. The U.S. authorities says galore person not been repaired. About 100 cardinal inflators person been recalled worldwide. The exploding aerial bags sent Takata into bankruptcy.
Owners tin cheque to spot if their vehicles are covered by going to the NHTSA website and keying successful their conveyance recognition oregon licence sheet numbers. Ford and Mazda also person callback websites.
If a conveyance has an unrepaired Takata inflator, owners should halt driving them and telephone a trader to acceptable up a repair appointment. Ford and Mazda are offering escaped towing oregon mobile repairs and loaner vehicles if necessary, NHTSA says.
“Even insignificant crashes tin effect successful exploding Takata aerial bags that tin termination oregon nutrient life-altering, gruesome injuries,” the bureau said successful a statement. “Older exemplary twelvemonth vehicles enactment their occupants astatine higher risk.”
Ford says much than 765,000 inflators successful Ford and Lincoln vehicles worldwide should not beryllium driven until the aerial container inflators person been replaced. In the U.S., the institution has made much than 121 cardinal attempts to interaction owners including emails, telephone calls, substance messages and visits to lawsuit homes. The institution says implicit 95% of its U.S. customers person had their inflators replaced.
Nissan, Honda, Stellantis, Ford, BMW and Toyota and Mazda have antecedently issued akin “do not drive” warnings for immoderate of their vehicles equipped with Takata inflators.
