Stellantis urged owners of 2003 Dodge Ram trucks whose Takata airbags have not been replaced to promptly stop driving the vehicles.
On Tuesday, Stellantis urged owners of thousands of 2003 Dodge Ram pickups with Takata airbags that have not been replaced to “immediately stop” driving the vehicles.
The “Do Not Drive” consumer alert follows a fatal accident involving one of the vehicles on May 13, which, according to US regulators, was the 26th fatality in the United States linked to the defective part.
In 2015, the corporation, then known as Chrysler recalled 385,686 vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that US regulators estimate that approximately 84,000 vehicles have not been repaired. Stellantis reported that an estimated 29,000 people are still on U.S. roadways.
Stellantis sent six recall notices, but “all went unheeded,” according to the company.
“The NHTSA is urging ALL vehicle owners to check immediately to see if their vehicle has an active Takata airbag recall,” the agency stated. If this occurs, owners must contact their dealership immediately to schedule a FREE repair and adhere to any manufacturer warnings.
Takata went insolvent in 2018 as a result of the airbag scandal, which affected nearly every major automaker worldwide, including Toyota and General Motors, and prompted the auto industry’s largest-ever safety recall.
Ammonium nitrate, which was used as a propellant in Takata’s airbag inflator canisters, was linked to the airbag defect.
The chemical degraded, particularly in humid conditions, resulting in airbags that did not inflate correctly and occasionally ruptured, sending metal shrapnel at the vehicle’s occupants.
