“Do Not Drive” advisory for 457,000 Ford and Mazda vehicles: list of car models affected

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) informed the public on Tuesday that Ford and Mazda have issued urgent “Do Not Drive” warnings for over 457,000 vehicles with Takata air bags. The affected vehicles span model years 2003 to 2015 have been subject to previous recalls in order to repair potentially life-threatening non-desiccated air bags but have yet to be repaired.

Owners are urged to check if their vehicle has an open Takata air bag recall and if so, to contact their dealership as soon as possible to make an appointment to get the defective air bag repaired. They are also advised not to drive recalled vehicles until the repairs have been completed at no cost to the owner. Both car manufacturers are offering free towing, mobile repair and, if necessary, loaner vehicles.

“Do Not Drive” advisory for 457,000 Ford and Mazda vehicles: list of car models affected

More than 374,000 cars with model year 2004-2014 are covered under Ford’s do-not-drive warning. The following are the vehicles affected that had been previously recalled:

Ford customers concerned their vehicle may be affected can check the company’s recall website to see if their vehicle is affected.

Nearly 83,000 cars with model year 2003-2015 are covered under Mazda’s do-not-drive warning. The following are the vehicles affected that had been previously recalled:

Mazda customers concerned their vehicle may be affected can check the company’s recall website to see if their vehicle is affected.

Takata air bags have killed over two dozen in US, injured hundreds

The US federal safety regulator ordered Takata to begin recalling millions of air bags in 2014 that have a defect which can send shrapnel flying when they inflate. The safety hazard has resulted in 27 confirmed deaths and at least 400 people injured by exploding Takata air bags, in some cases those have been life-altering and gruesome.

The older the model year, the higher the risk to the occupants of affected vehicles, as one of the contributing factors is the age of the air bag. The NHTSA warns that even minor crashes can result in Takata air bags exploding causing severe injury or death.

For this reason the safety regulator is “urging all vehicle owners to immediately check to see if their vehicle has an open Takata air bag recall.” For more information about the Takata air bag safety recall you can consult the NHTSA website.