Ford and Mazda urge drivers to stop driving their old cars

© Skitterphoto/Pixabay

Ford and Mazda are warning owners of more than 475,000 older vehicles not to drive them anymore because of a potentially fatal defect in their airbag inflators.

Potentially fatal injuries

The defect is causing one of the largest safety recalls in U.S. history, affecting 67 million vehicles. That number is reaching 100 million worldwide. The airbags in question, designed by the now-bankrupt Takata brand, use volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate the air bags in the event of an accident.

Problem, This chemical can deteriorate over time, especially when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. Damaged inflators are at increased risk of excessive explosion in the event of an accident. This causes a metal canister to burst, sending out fragments that can seriously injure or kill passengers.

« Even minor accidents can result in Takata airbags exploding, which can kill or cause horrific and life-altering injuries. Older vehicles pose a higher risk to their occupants ,” explains the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the US federal agency responsible for highway safety.

© Unsplash/Rahul Pugazhendi

Hundreds of thousands of vehicles need repair

In total, faulty inflators have killed 35 people worldwide. About 400 have been injured in the United States alone. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Ford and Mazda are offering free towing, mobile repairs and loaner vehicles to affected motorists. And while the majority of airbags have been replaced, more than 374,000 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles (Ford subsidiaries) and nearly 83,000 Mazdas are still affected. The recall is all the more complex because most of the unrepaired vehicles are older, and in the hands of their second or third owner.

Here are the affected vehicles:

• For Ford: Ranger (2004-2011), Mustang (2005-2014), GT (2005-2006), Fusion (2006-2012), Edge (2007-2010)
• For Mercury and Lincoln: Milan, MKZ, Zephyr (2006-2012), MKX (2007-2010)
• At Mazda: B-Series, Mazda 6, Speed6, RX-8, MPV, CX-7, CX-9 (Between 2003 and 2015)

Their drivers are urged to check if their vehicle is affected on the NHTSA website. If so, they should stop driving it and contact a dealer for repair. In addition to these manufacturers, Nissan, Honda, Stellantis, BMW and Toyota have already issued similar warnings for some of their vehicles equipped with Takata inflators.

Last year, a similar case already shook the United States. It involved cars equipped with ARC brand airbag inflators.

• Ford and Mazda recall 475,000 vehicles with potentially defective airbag
• In total, the recall affected 100 million vehicles worldwide
• The affected vehicles were launched between 2003 and 2015

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