Ford issues two recalls due to obsolete Takata air bags being fitted in vehicles

Ford has issued two recalls in North America because it has lost track of some obsolete Takata air bags that can explode and hurl shrapnel. The company suspects that these old airbags have been installed in some vehicles that came for repair works.

More than 154,000 vehicles have been recalled in North America to check for these airbags. Around 45 obsolete air bags may have been fitted inside some old Ranger pickup trucks. Thus, the recall covers over 153,000 Rangers that were produced from 2004 through 2006.

Another recall includes 1,100 vehicles that came in for collision repairs and may have gotten obsolete Takata air bags. This recall includes certain 2004 through 2011 Rangers, some 2005 to 2014 Mustangs, certain 2006 Ford GTs, some 2008 through 2012 Fusions and certain 2007 through 2010 Ford Edge SUVs. Other vehicles covered in the recall are certain 2009 to 2011 Mercury Milans, some 2010 through 2012 Lincoln MKZs, and certain 2007 through 2010 Lincoln MKX SUVs.

The recalls have been made after a request from the US' National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, the company says that it is not aware of any crashes or injuries that might have been caused due to the airbags.

The company will start notifying the owners of these vehicles from March 8 and dealers will inspect the driver or passenger air bag units and replace them if necessary.

The obsolete Takata airbags are from the lot of vehicles that were recalled over the issue of air bag inflators that could rupture. Takata used the volatile chemical ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate the air bags in a crash. However, this chemical can deteriorate when exposed to high heat and humidity and burn too fast, blowing apart a metal canister.

The defected Takata air bags have caused at least 27 deaths worldwide, including 18 in the US and has also injured around 400 people. It also caused the largest series of auto recalls in US history, with at least 67 million inflators recalled by 19 automakers.

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