Attention Ford and Mazda drivers.

The automobile manufacturers have issued an urgent "do not drive" warning for more than 457,000 vehicles that may carry defective airbags that have injured hundreds and killed dozens of people.

According to a release by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the warning covers 374,290 Ford vehicles made from 2004 to 2014 and 82,893 Mazda vehicles made from 2003 to 2015 that are equipped with recalled, unrepaired Takata air bags.

Ford’s warning includes certain Rangers, GTs, Mustangs, Fusions, Lincolns, Mercury Milans, and Edges while Mazda’s includes certain B-Series, Mazda6, MazdaSpeed6, RX-8, MPV, CX-7, and CX-9.

Those who own or operate one of these vehicles are urged not to drive it until the repair is completed and the defective airbag is replaced.

“NHTSA is urging all vehicle owners to immediately check to see if their vehicle has an open Takata airbag recall,” the release states. “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 to those impacted by the recall.

To date, NHTSA has confirmed that 27 people in the United States have been killed and at least 400 have been allegedly injured by defective Takata airbags that have exploded. The agency warned that even a minor crash can result in an exploding Takata airbag causing death or "life-altering, gruesome injuries."

Numerous other automobile manufactures have been previously impacted by the recall. You can check if your vehicle is subject to this or any other recall by using your vehicle identification number (VIN) and license plate number here.

For more information visit nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/takata-recall-spotlight.

https://www.southernliving.com...3&utm_term=newsalert

Again?

Curious why just Ford (and Ford-Mazda derivatives?). Airbag model specific to Ford? Airbags aren't generic across car makes / models?

Airbags are usually different/specific for virtually every vehicle/steering wheel they're installed in. Generally, the only time they're the same across models is when the models in question have an identical steering wheel. Further, as the AirBags module usually has some sort of vehicle brand logo on the cover, they definitely specific to the vehicle manufacturer.

You know the air bags in my old truck were under recall, but they worked just fine.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Again?

Curious why just Ford (and Ford-Mazda derivatives?). Airbag model specific to Ford? Airbags aren't generic across car makes / models?

Likely it will expand, the Japanese Manufacturing conglomerate Takata provides them to just about every company world wide.

Believe this is the second large recall of Japanese company made airbags

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Again?

Curious why just Ford (and Ford-Mazda derivatives?). Airbag model specific to Ford? Airbags aren't generic across car makes / models?

According to the article:

“Numerous other automobile manufactures have been previously impacted by the recall. You can check if your vehicle is subject to this or any other recall by using your vehicle identification number (VIN) and license plate number here.“

The question isn’t why not other manufacturers, rather the question is why did it take Ford and Mazda so long?

My Fusion should be good to go (seems I waited a long time for one bag to be replaced). First recall was in 2015, and a number of manufacturers were impacted. Ford's press release says many vehicles' owners didn't have the recall addressed back then.

quote:

Originally posted by Voshterkoff:
You know the air bags in my old truck were under recall, but they worked just fine.

One may work just fine…another may act like a pipe bomb!

…gruesome injuries..

it's a serious safety issue

It's been a serious safety issue for decades. Yet the manufacturers still have millions of vehicles on the road with the defective components. The civilized world can literally be stopped for a bad cold, but the auto manufacturers can't be compelled to get this resolved. They want to do it on the cheap and at the convenience of the car manufacturers dealership network... these cars will never all go through the process. After ten years, Ford and Mazda might offer you a loaner car if you can convince them and they might even be able to come to you.... ten years later.

My older car is also under an airbag recall. I have a stack of notices half a foot deep. According to the phone number I called on one of them, the recall is for the passenger side. I can count the times anyone has ridden there on one hand and have a finger left, so it hasn't been a priority. With all the time I have on my hands now, maybe some day I'll get around to it … if they have the part.

quote:

Originally posted by KMitch200:

quote:

Originally posted by Voshterkoff:
You know the air bags in my old truck were under recall, but they worked just fine.

One may work just fine…another may act like a pipe bomb!

Yup, IIRC they have the potential to expel shrapnel on deployment & can cause some pretty serious injuries.

Yes, I vaguely remember when our Subaru had an air bag recall (Takata again) maybe back in 2015, it was more than three years after the notice that the dealership was able to schedule the work due to a lack of replacement parts.

These recall notices are not for safety, they are to minimize liability ("We told her not to drive the car, but she ignored our warning. Therefore we are not responsible for her injuries.")