Ford has to recall three million cars from the American transport watchdog NHTSA because of faulty airbags from the Japanese manufacturer Takata. The NHTSA on Tuesday rejected a request to avoid that recall.
According to NHTSA, these are airbags in the Ranger, Fusion and Edge, which were built between 2006 and 2012. In addition, it also involves certain types of the Lincoln and Mercury brands. Mazda also has to recall 5,800 cars. This concerns the BT-50, which is related to the also recalled Ford Ranger. As far as is known, these are all cars that were or were never delivered here in the Netherlands and, in the case of the Ranger, before the European introduction.
Ford now has 30 days to work out a plan to notify affected owners and resolve the issue. A recall of such magnitude is likely to cost Ford many millions of dollars. The company has not yet responded to the decision. Both Ford and Mazda had appealed the recalls, arguing that the airbag malfunction does not pose an immediate danger to the drivers and passengers of the cars.
Faulty Takata airbags have been a problem in the automotive industry for years and have led to the largest ever car recall. Some airbags opened too quickly, throwing pieces of metal through the cars. These incidents are said to have caused 29 deaths and many injuries. Takata pleaded guilty to manufacturing defects and was fined a billion dollars. The debacle led to the supplier’s bankruptcy in 2018.