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Consumer Alert: Ford, Mazda Issue “Do Not Drive” Warnings for More Than 457,000 Vehicles with Recalled Takata Air Bags Publisher: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Dateline: Washington, D.C. 
Date: 13 August 2024 Subject: American Government , Safety
Topics: Ford Motor Company, Mazda, Takata |
Vehicle owners are urged not to drive affected vehicles until the free repair is completed
Ford Motor Co. and Mazda North American Operations today have issued urgent “Do Not Drive” warnings for more than 457,000 vehicles equipped with recalled, unrepaired Takata air bags. If you have one of these vehicles, do not drive it until the repair is completed and the defective air bag is replaced.
This “Do Not Drive” warning covers all unrepaired, recalled Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles, as well as all Mazda vehicles, that are equipped with non-desiccated Takata air bags.
Ford’s warning covers 374,290 model year 2004-2014 vehicles previously recalled under the following campaigns:
Mazda’s warning covers 82,893 model year 2003-2015 vehicles previously recalled under the following campaigns:
Some of these vehicles are now more than 20 years old, which increases the risk of an air bag rupturing in a crash. If an explosion occurs, it can severely injure or kill vehicle occupants.
NHTSA is urging all vehicle owners to immediately check to see if their vehicle has an open Takata air bag recall. If it does, owners should contact their dealership to schedule a free repair as soon as possible and follow any warnings from the vehicle manufacturer. Ford and Mazda are offering free towing, mobile repair and, if necessary, loaner vehicles.
Ford customers with questions or concerns can visit the automaker’s recalls website and check to see if their vehicle is affected. Mazda customers can visit its recalls website for more information and to check for recalls.
To date, NHTSA has confirmed 27 people in the U.S. have been killed by defective Takata air bags that exploded. In addition, at least 400 people in the U.S. reportedly have been injured by exploding Takata air bag inflators. Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries. Older model year vehicles put their occupants at higher risk, as the age of the air bag is one of the contributing factors.
For Takata information for specific vehicle manufacturers, please click here. For more information from NHTSA on the Takata air bag safety recall, please click here.
If you think your vehicle may have a safety defect that isn’t part of a current recall, contact NHTSA online or by calling the agency’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. For more information, visit NHTSA.gov/Recalls.
Contact: NHTSA
NHTSA Media