Ford, Mazda Issue ‘Do Not Drive’ Warnings Over Defective Airbags

Automakers Ford and Mazda have issued “Do Not Drive” warnings for more than 457,000 older vehicles equipped with recalled Takata airbags, which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] warns could explode and kill or severely injure occupants. 

The warnings cover a variety of Fords and Mazdas built from 2003 to 2015. “Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata airbags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries. Older model-year vehicles put their occupants at higher risk, as the age of the airbag is one of the contributing factors,” the NHTSA said in a statement.

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All of the affected vehicles have already been recalled, but not all of them have been repaired. “If you have one of these vehicles, do not drive it until the repair is completed and the defective airbag is replaced,” the NHTSA stated.

The warnings were issues for certain vehicles with Takata airbags built in the following model years: 

• Ford Ranger from 2004 to2011
• Ford GT from 2005 to 2006
• Ford Mustang from 2005 to 2014
• Ford Fusion from 2006 to 2012
• Ford Edge from 2007 to 2010
• Lincoln MKZ and Zephyr from 2006 to 2012
• Mercury Milan from 2006 to 2012
• Mazda B series from 2004 to 2009
• Mazda6 from 2003 to 2013
• MazdaSpeed6 from 2006 to 2007
• Mazda RX-8 from 2004 to 2011
• Mazda MPV from 2004 to 2006
• Mazda CX-7 from 2007 to 2012
• Mazda CX-9 from 2007 to 2015

The NHTSA says 27 people in the U.S. have been killed by defective Takata airbags that exploded and at least 400 people have been injured. The agency notes that tens of millions of Takata airbags used by multiple carmakers have been recalled.

To see if your vehicle is affected by the new order, you can visit Ford’s recall website or Mazda’s recall website.