Photo: IFCAR
Ford is recalling more than 953,000 vehicles throughout the world, with 782,000 of them in the United States, to replace airbag inflators that can explode when deployed and scatter metal fragments, which can strike, injure, and even kill vehicle occupants.
The maker of the airbags involved in the recall is Tokyo-based Takata, one of three major manufacturers of airbags. It provides airbags and other components to automakers around the world.
Included in the recall are the:
- 2010 Ford Edge
- 2010 Lincoln MKX
- 2010-2012 Ford Ranger
- 2010-2012 Ford Fusion
- 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ
- 2010-2011 Mercury Milan
- 2010-2014 Ford Mustang
Ford said dealers will replace the inflators at no cost.
Takata uses the chemical ammonium nitrate to create an explosion to inflate airbags. But they can deteriorate over time due to heat and humidity and explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister designed to contain the explosion.
About 37 million vehicles equipped with 50 million defective Takata airbags are under recall because these airbags can explode when deployed, causing serious injury or even death. Vehicle manufacturers are currently prioritizing repair parts for older airbags – which are the most dangerous – while working to replace them all.
