Tesla and Ford Affected by Latest Round of Recalls Over Deadly Airbags. Here’s What You Need to Know.

by Dallas Car Accident Injury Attorney, Tim O’Hare

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In what has become the largest series of recalls in U.S. history, Ford has announced the recall of more than 953,000 vehicles (782,000 in the U.S.) over Takata airbags. The passenger air bag inflators can explode, hurling shrapnel, causing serious and even deadly injuries.

Included in the latest recall are the:

  • 2010 Ford Edge
  • 2010 Lincoln MKX
  • 2010 and 2011 Ford Ranger
  • 2010 to 2012 Ford Fusion
  • 2010 to 2012 Lincoln MKZ
  • 2010 and 2011 Mercury Milan
  • 2010 to 2014 Ford Mustang
  • Tesla Model S

Worldwide, at least 23 people have been killed by exploding inflators, though Ford says it doesn’t know of any injuries in their vehicles included in this recall.

There’s more news in the automotive industry, and it’s not good. The latest development in a year full of car recalls is a massive airbag recall affecting more than seven million vehicles in the U.S. from multiple automakers, and more than 16 million vehicles globally.

The chemical ammonium nitrate is used to create an explosion causing the airbags to inflate. Overtime, this chemical is known to deteriorate from heat and humidity, exploding with too much force and blowing apart the metal canister designed to contain the explosion.

In 2017, a New York Times report stated there had been at least 139 reported injuries from the defective airbags, and at least 2 deaths at the time. We now know of at least 23 deaths related to the recalled airbags.

Takata announced the initial recall in April 2013 affecting just six vehicle makes, but in the years since, we have learned of many more vehicles affected by the dangerous airbags. In addition to Ford, the overall recall includes vehicles made by: BMW, Chrysler, GM, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota.

If you own a Ford, you can find out if your vehicle is affected here. If you want to know if your vehicle of another make is affected by this recall, you can perform a recall search by your VIN on the NHTSA website.

If you have been seriously injured or lost a family member in a car accident caused by a vehicle defect or recalled car, contact The Law Offices of Tim O’Hare to speak with a Dallas personal injury attorney.

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