Ford and Mazda drivers warned to be on the lookout for free upgrade over safety risk – 400k should drive to dealership

DRIVERS have been warned to head straight to the dealership over concerns that 400,000 cars pose an immediate risk to their safety.

The warning comes after 27 people were killed in the US and 400 have been injured.

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Mazda

After the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recalled Takata airbags , over 100 million cars from 20 automakers were recalled starting in 2013.

Over 67 million of those cars were in the United States.

The airbags, which were prone to explode when deployed, sprayed shrapnel in the faces of passengers and drivers.

While hundreds of millions of drivers were responsible and brought their cars to an authorized dealership to have the airbags replaced for free, several failed to do so.

CARFAX announced in June that a little over six million vehicles equipped with dangerous airbags were still on the road nearly 10 years after the initial recall.

“Even after a decade of a dedicated and committed effort by the vehicle manufacturers, government, nonprofits, and businesses, it’s concerning that so many affected vehicles continue to be driven on U.S. roads with these potentially dangerous airbags sitting inside,” Faisal Hasan, the company’s general manager for data, said in a release.

“It’s easy to see recall fatigue settle in for many consumers, but they need to act. We know that raising the alarm with local media can make that happen urgently. Getting an airbag replaced is quick, free to them, and could save the life of a loved one — or their own!”

Ford issued an urgent recall to drivers after finding over 765,000 of its products were still equipped with the airbags around the world.

It estimated that 374,300 of that figure were in the US, prompting a ‘Do not drive’ order for some of its older models.

The automaker has been avid about contacting customers for past recalls, issuing more than 121 million attempts via mail, according to Yahoo! Finance .

Until then, Ford has its own webpage dedicated to the recall where owners can look up their VIN , locate a dealer to have it repaired, and make an appointment.

Affected vehicles according to Ford with a “Do not drive” warning are:

• 2007-2010 Ford Edge
• 2006-2012 Ford Fusion
• 2005-2006 Ford GT
• 2005-2014 Ford Mustang
• 2004-2011 Ford Ranger
• 2006-2011 Mercury Milan

Affected drivers should look for a letter in the mail soon.

Mazda found roughly 83,000 of its vehicles to have the airbag.

What's the Takata airbag recall?

The Takata airbag recall holds the record for the largest product recall in US history.

At least 67 million vehicles have been recalled in the United States since 2014, and almost 100 million were recalled globally, sending the Japanese manufacturer, Takata, into bankruptcy.

The danger involved improper deployment, which would send bits of shrapnel into the faces of drivers and their passengers. Globally, the airbags killed 35 people, with 27 of the deaths occurring in the US. Over 400 people were seriously injured after the airbags were deployed.

Several automakers participated in the recall. Honda, Toyota, Subaru, BMW, Mercedes, Stellantis, General Motors, and Mazda have all recalled vehicles to remove the airbag free of charge to customers at licensed dealerships.

Source: NHSTA

Mazda’s recall webpage has similar resources for owners .

The vehicles the automaker suggests to keep off the road from the Japanese automaker are:

• 2004-2009 B-Series
• 2003-2013 Mazda 6
• 2006-2007 Mazda Speed 6
• 2004-2006 MPV
• 2004-2011 RX-8
• 2007-2012 CX-7
• 2007-2015 CX-9

Any driver owning a Ford or Mazda from the early 2000s or mid-2010s should promptly look up their VIN instead of waiting for a letter.

Other automakers have recently recalled additional vehicles, like BMW, Nissan , Mercedes , and Ram.