Takata airbags: Ford and Mazda expand their ‘Do Not Drive’ lists
Faulty Takata Airbags have resulted in countless auto manufacturers recalling millions of vehicles throughout the world. The problem is that numerous vehicle owners have yet to bring their cars into dealerships to get their defective airbags fixed for free. In some cases – in which passengers and drivers of certain vehicles are at risk of death due to a likely airbag explosion – automakers have issued “Do Not Drive” warnings, advising drivers not to operate the vehicles until they get the recall issue repaired.
Ford Motor Company recently added 33,000 model-year 2006 Ford Rangers to the list of vehicles consumers should not drive. Mazda has also added a number of its 2006 B-Series pickups to the list of vehicles that its customers should not drive due to the risk of exploding airbags. All of the Ford and Mazda vehicles included in these recent notices were previously recalled. Now, the automakers are warning consumers who have yet to take their vehicles in to get them fixed: Do not drive these pickup trucks under any circumstances.
To assist consumers in staying safe, Mazda and Ford will offer no-cost towing service and no-cost repair services. Consumers are being asked to take advantage of this offer as soon as possible to ensure that no injuries happen to themselves and their passengers.
The Takata Airbag catastrophe involved a mix of hiding evidence from consumers about the potential dangers of vehicles equipped with Takata Airbags, and delays in vehicle manufacturers taking action to fix the problems. If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury or death as a result of these deadly devices, you may want to examine your situation to determine if a viable claim for damages can be made.
Source: AutoWeek, “35k More Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series Pickups Put on Do Not Drive Recall List,” Feb. 14, 2018