Ford Adds 500,000 More Vehicles To Its Takata Airbag Recall Lineup

(Amy G.)

During the past week, automakers have scrambled to identify which of their models should be included in the recall of nearly 34 million vehicles equipped with Takata-produced airbags that can shoot pieces of shrapnel upon deployment. For Ford Motor Company the answer involves nearly 500,000 additional sports cars.

MLive.com reports that the automaker plans to add approximately 500,000 Mustang and GT cars to its recall by expanding the model years covered, bringing its total number of vehicles in need of replacement airbags to 1,509,535.

Ford’s Takata airbag-related recall now covers model years 2005 to 2014 Mustangs and model years 2005 to 2006 GTs, as well as certain Ranger pickup trucks from model years 2004 to 2006.

The automaker previously reported that it was aware of one airbag deployment that might be related to the Takata defect. In that instance, a driver’s leg was injured by a metal fragment when the airbag deployed after a crash.

The latest Takata-related recall expansion comes just days after BMW, Honda and Fiat Chrysler added vehicles to their roster of cars in need of replacement safety devices.

The automakers’ expanded recalls come just a week after Takata declared that nearly 33.8 million vehicles sold in the United State should be recalled for the defect.

While about 17 million of those vehicles had already been part of recalls by major automakers, millions of others had yet to be identified, leaving consumers wondering if they’re driving around with what some people have likened to an explosive device in their steering wheel.

Consumers looking to see if their vehicles are part of the largest auto recall in history can check by entering their 17 digit VIN on the SaferCar.gov website, which produces a list of all recalls associated with a particular vehicle.

Ford includes 1 million Mustangs and GTs in Takata airbag recall [MLive]

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist