There was another automotive recall recently. But it isn’t brand specific.
Instead, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) put out a notice recalling 7.8 million vehicles potentially containing defective airbags.
Photo: fuzzz/flickr
The vehicles in question feature Takata airbags and could potentially turn the thing that is supposed to save you in an accident into basically a small explosive device that would send shrapnel firing through you and your car!
Inside the Takata airbags, “inflator mechanisms in the air bags can rupture, causing metal fragments to fly out when the bags are deployed,” according to the Oregonian. The defect has been credited with causing four deaths.
But with Takata producing approximately 22 percent of the world’s airbags, there is a very good chance that you or someone in your family is affected. The nearly eight million vehicles affected are from all types of vehicles.
Honda takes the unfortunate bragging rights as the most affected automotive manufacturer during these recalls with more than five million affected vehicles, but they definitely aren’t the only ones.
Here is the list from the NHTSA of vehicle models that may have potentially deadly airbags:
BMW: 627,615 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2000 – 2005 BMW 3 Series Sedan
2000 – 2006 BMW 3 Series Coupe
2000 – 2005 BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon
2000 – 2006 BMW 3 Series Convertible
2001 – 2006 BMW M3 Coupe
2001 – 2006 BMW M3 Convertible
Chrysler (with Dodge included): 371,309 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2003 – 2008 Dodge Ram 1500
2005 – 2008 Dodge Ram 2500
2006 – 2008 Dodge Ram 3500
2006 – 2008 Dodge Ram 4500
2008 – Dodge Ram 5500
2005 – 2008 Dodge Durango
2005 – 2008 Dodge Dakota
2005 – 2008 Chrysler 300
2007 – 2008 Chrysler Aspen
Ford: 58,669 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2004 – Ford Ranger
2005 – 2006 Ford GT
2005 – 2007 Ford Mustang
General Motors (including Pontiac & Saab): undetermined total number of potentially affected vehicles
2003 – 2005 Pontiac Vibe
2005 – Saab 9-2X
Honda (with Acura included): 5,051,364 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2001 – 2007 Honda Accord
2001 – 2002 Honda Accord
2001 – 2005 Honda Civic
2002 – 2006 Honda CR-V
2003 – 2011 Honda Element
2002 – 2004 Honda Odyssey
2003 – 2007 Honda Pilot
2006 – Honda Ridgeline
2003 – 2006 Acura MDX
2002 – 2003 Acura TL/CL
2005 – Acura RL
Mazda: 64,872 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2003 – 2007 Mazda6
2006 – 2007 MazdaSpeed6
2004 – 2008 Mazda RX-8
2004 – 2005 Mazda MPV
2004 – Mazda B-Series Truck
Mitsubishi: 11,985 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2004 – 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer
2006 – 2007 Mitsubishi Raider
Nissan (with Infiniti included): 694,626 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2001 – 2003 Nissan Maxima
2001 – 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
2002 – 2004 Nissan Sentra
2001 – 2004 Infiniti I30/I35
2002 – 2003 Infiniti QX4
2003 – 2005 Infiniti FX35/FX45
Subaru: 17,516 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2003 – 2005 Subaru Baja
2003 – 2005 Subaru Legacy
2003 – 2005 Subaru Outback
2004 – 2005 Subaru Impreza
Toyota (with Lexus included): 877,000 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2002 – 2005 Lexus SC
2002 – 2005 Toyota Corolla
2003 – 2005 Toyota Corolla Matrix
2002 – 2005 Toyota Sequoia
2003 – 2005 Toyota Tundra
***If you have any of these vehicles, please contact your nearest certified dealership and have them assess your ride. Unfortunately, this isn’t going to be the easiest fix since it’s going to take Takata some time to manufacture the replacement parts. However, even if the replacement can’t be done immediately, your dealership will have advice for you about how you should proceed.
