At 3:42 PM on August 13, 2024, Ford Motor Co. and Mazda Motor Corp. issued a do-not-drive advisory on certain vehicles that have not been repaired under past Takata airbag inflator safety recalls. This advisory comes as a result of the potential danger posed by the age of the vehicles, which increases the risk of the airbag exploding and releasing sharp metal fragments during a crash. This could lead to serious injury or even death for occupants of the affected vehicles.
The 2014 Ford Mustang is among the vehicles included in the do-not-drive advisory. The advisory applies to all customers who have not completed recalls of driver and passenger Takata non-desiccated airbag inflators in 2004-2006 Ford Ranger trucks, 2005-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles, and 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles. It also includes unrepaired passenger airbag inflators in various other Ford models such as the Fusion, Edge, and Ranger trucks, as well as Lincoln models like the MKZ and MKX.
This is not the first time Ford has issued a recall related to Takata airbag inflators. Three previous recalls, the first of which was issued in 2015, have covered approximately 765,600 airbag inflators in Ford and Lincoln vehicles globally. While 95% of these recalls have been completed in the United States, there are still a significant number of vehicles that have not been repaired.
To address this issue, Ford 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. In cases where a repair is necessary, a free interim loaner vehicle will be provided to the owner. Ford will continue to notify owners monthly through various communication channels about the do-not-drive notice in an effort to encourage owners to get their vehicles fixed.
In addition to Ford, Mazda Motor Corp. has also issued a warning for certain models that are affected by the Takata airbag inflator issue. The affected Mazda models include the B-Series pickup, Mazda 6, Speed6, RX-8, MPV, CX-7, and CX-9. Owners of these vehicles are advised to check if their vehicle is involved in the safety recall by visiting the Ford or NHTSA website.
Overall, the do-not-drive advisory issued by Ford and Mazda serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing safety recalls promptly to ensure the well-being of vehicle occupants. It is crucial for owners of affected vehicles to take action and have their vehicles repaired as soon as possible to prevent any potential harm.