If you thought we were done with the Takata air bag inflator recalls, you were wrong. Ford surprised the world by issuing a recall notice for an additional 953,000 cars in the United States and Canada. These vehicles have the same problem that millions of other recalled vehicles had relating to Takata air bags: The inflation devices are prone to exploding like little bombs in the passenger compartments of the vehicles.
You heard right: These dangerous air bag inflators explode like a grenade, shooting metal fragments throughout the interior of the affected vehicle. So far, 23 people have lost their lives around the world because of these defective devices, which can explode even in minor accidents. The problem is caused by an explosive element used in the inflation process, which can become more volatile in hot and humid weather. After prolonged exposure to this kind of weather, these cars turn into ticking time bombs for the occupants inside them.
Gradually, Ford and a host of other manufacturers have issued recalls to fix the problems, and it seems that every other month a new group of cars gets added to the recall list. In the Ford recall from January 2019, the following cars have been affected:
- Ford Edge, model year 2010
- Lincoln MKX, model year 2010
- Ford Ranger, model years 2010 and 2011
- Ford Fusion, model years 2010 to 2012
- Lincoln MKZ, model years 2010 to 2012
- Mercury Milan, model years 2010 and 2011
- Ford Mustang, model years 2010 to 2014
If you’re concerned that your family member may have been killed by a defective Takata air bag inflator, you may have the ability to pursue a wrongful death claim. Alternatively, if you were hurt by one of these defective cars, you might want to investigate whether you can pursue compensation via a personal injury action in Colorado court.