Ford and Mazda have issued a warning to the owners of over 475,000 older vehicles in the U.S., advising them not to drive these vehicles due to dangerous Takata airbag inflators that have not been replaced. The warning, issued on Tuesday, covers more than 374,000 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles from the 2004 through 2014 model years, as well as nearly 83,000 Mazdas from the 2003 through 2015 model years.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has highlighted that these inflators can explode with excessive force in a crash, leading to the rupture of a metal canister and the ejection of fragments that can cause severe injuries or fatalities. Although these vehicles were previously recalled, the necessary repairs have not been completed.
