Ford, Mazda warn owners to stop driving older vehicles with dangerous Takata air bag inflators
DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. and Mazda Motor Corp. on Tuesday issued a do-not-drive advisory on certain vehicles that haven’t been repaired under past Takata air bag inflator safety recalls.
The age of the vehicles makes it increasingly possible a part inside the air bag will explode and release sharp metal fragments during a crash, according to Ford’s advisory. Serious injury or death to occupants could result. The Dearborn automaker is requesting that owners immediately contact a Ford dealership to have mobile service come to the customer to make the fix or to tow the vehicle to the dealership for repair. A free interim loaner vehicle will be provided, if necessary.
The 2014 Ford Mustang is among the vehicles included in the do-not-drive advisory.
The do-not-drive advisory applies to all customers who have not completed recalls of driver and passenger Takata non-desiccated air bag inflators in 2004-2006 Ford Ranger trucks, 2005-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles and 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles.
It also included unrepaired passenger airbag inflators in the following: 2006-2012 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MKZ and Zephyr vehicles; 2007-2010 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles; and 2007-2011 Ford Ranger trucks.
Three previous recalls, the first of which was issued in 2015, cover approximately 765,600 air bag inflators in Ford and Lincoln vehicles globally. That includes 374,300 in the United States, 95% of which have been completed, according to the automaker. Ford says it will continue notifying owners monthly through various communication channels about the do-not-drive notice.
This is the second do-not-drive advisory in connection to the Takata recalls from Ford and is meant to encourage owners to get their vehicles fixed.
Ford drivers can determine if their vehicle is involved in the safety recall by visiting www.ford.com/support/recalls/ or nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Mazda Motor Corp. also issued a warning for the 2004 to 2009 B-Series pickup, 2003 through 2013 Mazda 6, 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.