Takata News

Takata Airbag Recall: Everything You Need to Know

What this recall means to you and what actions you should take

By Consumer Reports

Updated June 8, 2021

Vehicles made by 19 different automakers have been recalled to replace frontal airbags on the driver’s side or passenger’s side, or both in what NHTSA has called “the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history.” The airbags, made by major parts supplier Takata, were installed in cars mostly from model years 2002 through 2015. Some of those airbags could deploy explosively, injuring or even killing car occupants.

At the heart of the problem is the airbag’s inflator, a metal cartridge loaded with propellant wafers, which in some cases has ignited with explosive force. If the inflator housing ruptures in a crash, metal shards from the airbag can be sprayed throughout the passenger cabin—a potentially disastrous outcome from a supposedly lifesaving device.

NHTSA has determined the root cause of the problem: airbags that use ammonium-nitrate-based propellant without a chemical drying agent. As postulated early on, environmental moisture, high temperatures, and age as associated with the defect that can improperly inflate the airbags and even send shrapnel into the occupant. To date, there have been 19 deaths and more than 400 injuries because this problem in the U.S. Worldwide, NHTSA reports that there have been at least 27 deaths.

Through various announcements, the recall has grown to include 67 million airbags from more than 42 million vehicles in the U.S. The recalls have conducted in waves, prioritized by risk.

Putting the Dangers in Perspective

Seventeen fatalities and more than 200 injuries have been linked to the Takata airbags in the U.S., and in some cases the incidents were horrific, with metal shards penetrating a driver’s face and neck. As awful as they are, such incidents are very rare. In June 2015, Takata stated that it was aware of 88 ruptures in total: 67 on the driver’s side and 21 on the passenger’s side out of what it calculated was just over 1.2 million airbag deployments spread over 15 years. Despite these figures, airbags in general are not a danger. The Department of Transportation estimates that between 1987 and 2012, frontal airbags have saved 37,000 lives.

Based on information provided by Takata and acting under a special campaign by NHTSA, the involved automakers are responding to this safety risk by recalling all vehicles that have these specific airbags. While the automakers are prioritizing resources by focusing on high-humidity areas, they shouldn’t stop there. We encourage a national approach to the risks, as vehicles tend to travel across state borders, especially in the used-car market.

How Important Is It That I Respond to the Recall?

All recalls, by definition, are concerned with safety and should be treated seriously. As with all recalls, we recommend having the work performed as soon as parts are available and the service can be scheduled. Since age has been established as a key factor in most of the Takata airbag ruptures to date, it’s especially important for owners of older recalled cars to get this work done. All recall work will have to be performed at a franchised dealership. Independent mechanics can't perform recall work.

Does It Matter Where I Live?

According to NHTSA, yes. The Takata inflators seem to be vulnerable to persistent high humidity and high temperature conditions, such as in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, the Gulf Coast states, Hawaii, and island territories. However, since a number of confirmed deaths have occurred in places outside the priority recall area, this recall should not be ignored.

NHTSA organizes the American states and territories into three zones, as follows:

Zone A includes Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Zone B includes Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Zone C includes Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Should I Expect to Pay Any Money to Get the Recall Fixed?

Repairs conducted under the recall are FREE, but unrelated problems discovered during the service may not be.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz uses Takata driver’s-side and passenger-side airbags in many vehicles and, is recalling vehicles which use the affected airbags.

Recalled Cars
2005 to 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
2010 to 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
2011 to 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabrio
2010 to 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe
2009 to 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
2010 to 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
2009 to 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class
2009 to 2012 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
2007 to 2008 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class
2011 to 2015 Mercedes-Benz SLS-Class

BMW

Affected owners in Florida, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico have been prioritized in this recall and will receive parts first. If you live in these regions, make sure to contact your local BMW dealer immediately to schedule an appointment to have your front driver and/or passenger airbag replaced. BMW recommends that no one sit in the front passenger seat until that airbag is replaced.

Recalled Cars
2008 to 2013 BMW 1 Series
1999 to 2013 BMW 3 Series
2001 to 2003 BMW 5 Series
2013 to 2015 BMW X1
2007 to 2010 BMW X3
2001 to 2003, 2007 to 2013 BMW X5
2008 to 2014 BMW X6
2010 to 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid

Chrysler

Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. A notification schedule has not yet been provided, but FCA says that vehicles currently or previously registered in areas identified with high absolute humidity (Zone 1 areas) will be targeted first.

Recalled Cars
Chrysler
2005 to 2015 Chrysler 300
2007 to 2009 Chrysler Aspen
2007 to 2008 Chrysler Crossfire

Dodge
2008 to 2014 Dodge Challenger
2006 to 2015 Dodge Charger
2005 to 2011 Dodge Dakota
2004 to 2009 Dodge Durango
2005 to 2008 Dodge Magnum
2003 to 2008 Dodge Ram 1500/2500/3500 Pickup
2005 to 2009 Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup
2007 to 2010 Dodge Ram 3500 Cab Chassis
2006 to 2009 Dodge Ram 3500 Pickup
2008 to 2010 Dodge Ram 4500/5500 Cab Chassis

Jeep
2007 to 2016 Jeep Wrangler

Ford

Contact your local Ford or Lincoln dealer to schedule an appointment to have the airbag replaced in affected vehicles. Visit the Ford Owner website to see if your vehicle is part of the recall.

Recalled Cars
Ford
2007 to 2010 Ford Edge
2006 to 2012 Ford Fusion
2005 to 2006 Ford GT
2005 to 2014 Ford Mustang
2004 to 2011 Ford Ranger

Lincoln
2007 to 2010 Lincoln MKX
2006 to 2012 Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ

Mercury
2006 to 2012 Milan

General Motors

Recalled Cars
Cadillac
2007 to 2014 Cadillac Escalade
2007 to 2014 Cadillac Escalade ESV
2007 to 2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT

Chevrolet
2007 to 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche
2007 to 2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD
2007 to 2014 Chevrolet Silverado LD
2007 to 2014 Chevrolet Suburban
2007 to 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe

GMC
2007 to 2014 GMC Sierra HD
2007 to 2014 GMC Sierra LD
2007 to 2014 GMC Yukon
2007 to 2014 GMC Yukon XL

Mazda

Owners should go to Mazda’s recall site (mazdarecallinfo.com) and enter the car's VIN. If your vehicle is included in this recall, the site will provide a description of the problem and instructions on how to proceed. If the site indicates that repair parts are available, the appointment button on the site links to your local dealer so you can easily set up a repair appointment. There is no charge for this repair. NHTSA has determined that the age and location of a vehicle can increase the risk of rupture. Vehicles sold or ever registered in a high absolute humidity (HAH) area (Florida, Hawaii, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, and Virgin Islands) and/or Mazda vehicles 2003-2007 are considered high priority—immediate action should be taken. If you haven’t received a notice in the mail, print out the results of your VIN search and contact your nearest Mazda dealer. Replacement parts have been prioritized to the high humidity areas and dealers will replace the part once you’ve made an appointment. The recall includes all states and Mazda will be sending notices to areas on a rolling basis as parts become available.

Recalled Cars
2004 to 2009 Mazda B-Series
2007 to 2012 Mazda CX-7
2007 to 2015 Mazda CX-9
2003 to 2015 Mazda6
2006 to 2007 Mazda Mazdaspeed6
2004 to 2006 Mazda MPV
2004 to 2011 Mazda RX-8

Nissan

Nissan has notified or will be notifying owners of affected vehicles to bring their vehicle in for inspection and potential parts replacement. Extra attention is being paid to “some areas” of Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, but the recall covers every state, the District of Columbia, and some American territories.

Recalled Cars
Infiniti
2003 to 2008 Infiniti FX
2001 Infiniti I30
2002 to 2004 Infiniti I35
2006 to 2010 Infiniti M
2002 to 2003 Infiniti QX4

Nissan
2001 to 2003 Nissan Maxima
2002 to 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
2002 to 2006 Nissan Sentra
2007 to 2012 Nissan Versa