Takata airbags have caused at least 18 deaths in the United States alone. In January 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ordered Ford and other automakers to recall three million vehicles equipped with the Japanese airbags in the U.S. and Canada.
Learn about the dangers of the Takata airbags and review the steps to take if the recall impacts your Ford.
Takata airbag hazards
An earlier version of the Takata airbags had the potential to explode because of an inflator defect. The resulting shrapnel in these explosions resulted in more than 400 serious injuries in the U.S. in addition to 18 fatalities.
In addition to the new Ford recall, the federal government has recalled about 40 million vehicles with Takata airbags since 2014. While the recalled Fords have a different Takata airbag, the NHTSA claims the updated version still poses a risk.
Affected vehicles
The recalled vehicles include:
- Lincoln MKX (2007 to 2010 model year)
- Ford Edge (2007 to 2010 model years)
- Lincoln Zephyr (2006 to 2012 model years)
- Ford Fusion (2006 to 2012 model years)
- Ford Ranger (2007 to 2011 model years)
- Mazda B-Series pickup trucks (2007 to 2009 model years)
If you have one of these cars, the manufacturer will replace the Takata airbag free of charge. You can also enter your vehicle’s VIN number in the NHTSA recall search tool to get a list of all safety recalls impacting your vehicle.
Stop driving the car and take it to the local dealership for repair right away. You may have legal recourse if you experienced a serious airbag injury in an auto accident.