2003 Dodge Ram 1500s Takata Air Bag Fatality Prompts FCA to Issue Do Not Drive

2003 Dodge Ram 1500s Takata Air Bag Fatality Prompts FCA to Issue Do Not Drive

July 11, 2023 James Douglas ,

July 11, 2023 | Washington, DC

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently confirmed another fatality linked to the Takata recall, specifically in a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500. This tragic incident marks the first Takata air bag fatality involving an exploding passenger-side inflator. Additionally, it is the first case reported in the 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 model, which was among the 385,686 vehicles recalled in 2015 due to the dangerous Takata air bag defect.

Approximately 84,000 of these Dodge Ram 1500 trucks remain unrepaired, and as a result, put their occupants in considerable danger of severe injury or even death. It is crucial that if you are the owner of one of these unrepaired 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 vehicles, you must avoid driving until the Takata recall is fully addressed and your defective Takata air bag is replaced.

The recent Takata recall fatality raises the total count to 26 within the United States. It is an urgent matter that all vehicle owners check immediately for open Takata recalls. If your vehicle is under recall, we advise you to arrange the necessary repair as soon as possible.

NHTSA’s Acting Administrator, Ann Carlson, emphasized the escalating danger posed by aging defective Takata air bags. “The older a defective Takata air bag inflator becomes, the higher the risk it presents. We strongly urge you to have your air bag replaced immediately, not just for your safety, but also for the well-being of your loved ones,” said Carlson. “Please don’t put yourself or your loved ones in the line of danger due to a faulty, recalled Takata air bag. The repairs are completely free and could very well save your life.”

The NHTSA is urging all vehicle owners to check immediately if their vehicle is subject to a Takata air bag recall. If the vehicle is affected, owners should contact their dealership to schedule a FREE repair as soon as possible, and strictly adhere to any warnings from the vehicle manufacturer.

It’s crucial to remember that even minor crashes can result in devastating consequences due to the exploding Takata air bags, potentially leading to fatal or horrific injuries. Older model year vehicles, like the 2003 Dodge Ram 1500, expose their occupants to a higher risk, as the age of the air bag plays a significant role in the danger it poses.

Vehicle owners who prefer talking to the manufacturer directly can call the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Takata Call Center at 833-585-0144 or go to the manufacturer’s website.

If you think your vehicle may have a safety defect that isn’t part of a current recall, contact NHTSA. Contact NHTSA online or by calling the agency’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. For more information, visit NHTSA.gov/Recalls.

James Douglas2003 Dodge Ram 1500s Takata Air Bag Fatality Prompts FCA to Issue Do Not Drive
General Motors ordered to recall 5.9 million cars equipped with Takata airbags

General Motors ordered to recall 5.9 million cars equipped with Takata airbags

December 3, 2020 Rebecca Rand , , , ,

Pleasanton, CA – December, 3 2020 – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has ordered General Motors (NYSE:GM) to recall 5,888,421 pickup trucks and SUVs built with potentially dangerous Takata airbag inflators, which could explode and fling deadly shrapnel into vehicle occupants. The infamous airbag inflators have already killed 27 people and injured at least 250 more, and are part of the largest auto recall in history. The latest installment of the recall – which already encompasses 19 car manufacturers and “tens of millions” of cars – includes the following GM models on the GMT900 platform: 

  • 2007-2014 Cadillac Escalade ESV and EXT SUVs
  • 2007-2014 Chevrolet Avalanche pickups
  • 2007-2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2500/3500 pickups
  • 2007-2014 Chevrolet Suburban SUVs
  • 2007-2014 Chevrolet Tahoe SUVs
  • 2007-2014 GMC Sierra 1500 and 2500/3500 pickups
  • 2007-2014 GMC Yukon XL SUVs

Recall summary

The recall concerns the vehicles’ passenger-side airbag inflators. The inflators use ammonium nitrate to generate a small explosion to inflate the airbags. If this volatile chemical is exposed to heat and humidity, it becomes porous. The extra surface area in this microscopic swiss-cheese allows the ammonium nitrate to burn faster, thus causing a much stronger explosion than intended. This explosion can blow up the inflator and send bits of shrapnel flying into vehicle occupants at high speeds, potentially maiming or killing them.

NHTSA first ordered GM to recall the affected cars in 2016. The company had recalled 330,198 vehicles on the GMT900 platform in May 2015, but argued that the rest of vehicles that are now being recalled should be excluded because the airbag defect was “inconsequential.” This argument was rejected by NHTSA on November 23. Despite disagreeing with the decision,  GM said it would not appeal.

‘Almost no data’ to back up claims

NHTSA consulted air-bag chemical expert Harold Blomquist regarding these findings, who rebutted GM’s many claims that unique design features could prevent their inflators from exploding. “GM expended little effort over the last two years to methodically study the claimed features in order to substantiate their effectiveness,” he said in his 75-page review of GM’s petition. As a result, Blomquist said, GM had “almost no data” to back up their claims that their Takata airbags were somehow less dangerous.

Previous Takata airbag recalls

Automakers have been issuing ever-expanding recalls of Takata airbags for seven years, with 100 million inflators recalled worldwide. Volkswagen, BMW and Honda all recalled cars this and past year because of the airbag issue.

Repair

GM will replace the Takata airbags with a different model, free of charge. More information about the recall schedule should be released by December 24. 

What to do if you own a recalled vehicle

NHTSA has issued a few broad recommendations for drivers in the Takata recall population:

  1. Don’t have your dealer disable your airbags. “It is much more likely that your airbag will perform properly and protect you in a crash than cause harm,” NHTSA says.
  2. “If you feel uncomfortable continuing to drive your vehicle before it is repaired, you should contact your dealer to see if they will provide a loaner until the repair is completed,” NHTSA says. Dealers and manufacturers aren’t required to provide loaners, but it can’t hurt to ask. 
  3. If you’re offered an interim repair, take it. Some automakers will offer to replace the old Takatas with newer ones, which are safer. “It is an inconvenience to have your vehicle serviced twice and to wait for a final repair,” NHTSA says, “But rejecting an interim replacement air bag is not worth the continued higher risk of injury or even death to you, your family, and your friends while waiting for the final repair.”

Some automakers have advised riders not to sit in the front passenger seat. 

Here is the list of vehicles that NHTSA says should NOT be driven.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Nearly 6 million vehicles are included in this GM Takata Airbag recall. Use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool to see if your vehicle is affected. 

Rebecca RandGeneral Motors ordered to recall 5.9 million cars equipped with Takata airbags
Volvo recalls luxury sedans for Takata-like airbag problems

Volvo recalls luxury sedans for Takata-like airbag problems

November 30, 2020 Aleksandra Snesareva

Pleasanton, CA – November 29, 2020 – Volvo Car USA (OTC:GELYF)  has recalled 54,124 executive cars with airbags whose inflators may burst and injure or kill the driver and passengers with “metal fragments” when deployed. The recall concerns the FG2 Twin Driver Airbag Inflator Module containing 5AT 148 and includes:

  • 2001-2003 Volvo S60
  • 2001-2003 Volvo S80

Recall summary

Airbag inflators perform exactly what you’d expect them to do – inflate a car’s airbag when needed in the event of a crash. In a scenario that’s eerily similar to the infamous Takata airbag recall, metal fragments that form part of the inflator may shatter during the airbag deployment and strike the occupants of the vehicle.

The defect is a result of the propellant in the airbag being exposed to hot temperatures and “elevated moisture levels” present in the areas with such climate. As such, the recall encompasses 22 Southern U.S. states, as well as five U.S. territories,  such as Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. 

History of airbag troubles

Since 2018, ZF TRW – a U.S. subsidiary of German auto parts maker ZF Group that appears to be behind the recall – has been subject to 68 lawsuits, according to the court records. At least one of the ongoing lawsuits allege that ZF-manufactured airbags fail to deploy during a crash because of a “design defect,” according to a transcript from a hearing.

Risks

In the event of a crash, the airbag deploys at a very high speed, in less than a second.  During the deployment, the metal fragments in the inflator can shoot out and injure the driver or the passengers or cause their death.

As of the date of the recall, one fatality was reported.

Repair

Volvo will be replacing the driver side airbag free of charge. The vehicle owners will be notified of the recall on January 4.  It is not clear, however, when the remedy will be available.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

More than 54,000 vehicles are a part of this Volvo Car recall. To check whether your car is one of them, you can use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Aleksandra SnesarevaVolvo recalls luxury sedans for Takata-like airbag problems
Volkswagen recalls Audi cars with Takata airbags

Volkswagen recalls Audi cars with Takata airbags

February 7, 2020 Joe Glaser

The new Takata airbag recall includes shrapnel

  • Audi 2000-2001 TT Roadster, 2000 TT Coupe, 1999 Audi A8, 1998-2000 Audi A6, and 1999-2000 Audi A4 vehicles are under recall
  • Takata has recalled 1.4 million air bag inflators that may expel shrapnel
  • 107,000 older Audi luxury vehicles are under this recent recall

Laguna Hills, CA – Aug 24, 2022 – Volkswagen (OTCMKTS:VWAGY) has remedied issues with 1,652 vehicles including the 1999-2000 Audi A4 that had problems with Takata airbags. So far, 6,024 of these Audi vehicles have been declared unreachable and 132 have been removed from the recall. Two groups of these Audi vehicles were remedied in 2021, and one group was remedied in 2022 due to this issue with airbags that could over-inflate.

Laguna Hills, CA – Feb 6, 2020 – The recent Takata airbag recall forced Volkswagen to act. Volkswagen is notifying Audi owners that their vehicles may not be as safe as they thought.

In December, Takata recalled 1.4 million airbag inflators. This recall came about because when the airbags inflate following a car accident, they can do so with an excessive amount of force.

This causes a metal canister to explode and metal fragments may fly out, potentially harming a vehicle’s occupants. The risk is a significant consideration for Audi owners due to the exploding factor.

An ongoing problem

According to reports, Takata has been aware of its airbag risk since 2014. Because of this, airbag recalls have been occurring for years. Some vehicles are at a higher exploding risk.

These include Honda and Acura vehicles from 1996 to 2000. In March 2019, the driver of a 2002 Honda Civic died in the hospital following a crash that initiated the rupturing of the airbag and injured the driver.

Deaths and injuries worldwide

It is suspected that Takata inflators have caused about 25 deaths and 300 injuries throughout the world.

In the United States, more than 50 million Takata inflators are in recall status, resulting in the most vehicle recalls in the country’s history. The problem has been so big and impactful that it forced the airbag company into bankruptcy.

When can owners expect notification?

On October 21, 2019, German car manufacturer Volkswagen, Audi’s parent company, received reports from suppliers about issues with NADI inflators found during field tests.

Audi’s safety board was notified a few weeks later in November, and talks with the supplier commenced.

After confirming the risk, Audi notified the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the risk and the findings of their investigation so far, and Audi began an analysis of retrieved parts from the German and international markets in early January 2020.

Simultaneously, Takata sent out a defect report detailing the issues with the NADI inflators and the danger they posed. Audi independently verified the risk on January 22, 2020, when their own test results showed that there was indeed a risk of slow or no airbag deployment.

Repair

Volkswagen is recalling all vehicles that have faulty airbags to prevent the owners and occupants of their vehicles from harm. Replacement parts are not yet available.

In recall documents, Volkswagen told NHTSA, “At this point, due to the age of the vehicles, a repair is not available. Audi is working intensively on a remedy with the supplier, but currently, it is unclear when the remedy will be available.” 

When can owners expect notification?

This round of Audi recalls started on March 27, 2020. Those affected by the recall should have been notified or will be soon. Audi owners will receive a second notification when the parts are available. In some cases, both the driver’s airbag and the passenger’s front airbags are at risk.

Volkswagen wasn’t the first to issue a recall

BMW recalled 357,000 older automobiles back in January. This recall includes an estimated 293,000 BMW 3-Series from the year 2000 to 2006 as well as approximately 60,000 3 Series and 1 Series BMWs from 2006 to 2012. Some of the automaker’s SUVs were also equipped with faulty airbags.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Nearly 107,000 cars are part of this Audi recall.  As of March 29, 2021, repairs were still not available.

To check back on the repair status, bookmark MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

Note: June 8, 2021

We have noticed a large number of readers are interested in this recall. For that reason, we have edited the article to reflect that the parts are not yet available and to add Volkswagen’s statement pertaining to this fact.

Joe GlaserVolkswagen recalls Audi cars with Takata airbags
More Takata Airbags Recalled

More Takata Airbags Recalled

January 9, 2019 Sandra Thomas

Fords (NYSE:F) has recalled nearly 800,000 vehicles equipped with Takata airbags that may explode, shooting shrapnel at vehicle occupants. The recall includes the following models:

  • 2010 Ford Edge
  • 2010 Lincoln MKX
  • 2010-2011 Ford Ranger
  • 2010-2012 Ford Fusion
  • 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ,
  • 2010-2011 Mercury Milan
  • 2010 -2014 Ford Mustang

Millions of makes and models have been recalled for dangerous Takata airbags. Check all your cars here for Takata airbag recalls and other possible recalls.

The repair

Recall repairs are FREE. Some dealers can help make repairs more convenient. Ask for a loaner, mobile repair or what else they can do to make it easier to repair your car right away.

Even if your car’s recalled airbag has been repaired, you could be subject to newer airbag recalls.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Over 800,000 vehicles were originally part of this recall. As of April 9, 2021, – the last date for which information was available – 583,909 airbags had been replaced. To see if your car still needs to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

Sandra ThomasMore Takata Airbags Recalled
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