Stellantis has issued a strict "do not drive" alert for owners of certain Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles due to defective Takata airbags, part of the largest US safety recall in history.
The automaker estimates that roughly 225,000 of its vehicles still have unrepaired airbags, warning that driving them could put owners and passengers at serious risk.
"This action is intended to accelerate the repair of the remaining affected vehicles to safeguard owners, their families and the general public from the risk of serious injury or death," Stellantis said in a statement.
The automaker explained that the chemical propellant inside some Takata inflators can degrade over time, especially in hot and humid conditions.
This can cause the inflators to rupture during airbag deployment, potentially sending metal fragments into the cabin.
According to CBS News, the affected vehicles include a wide range of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram models produced between 2003 and 2016, such as the Dodge Ram, Dodge Durango, Dodge Charger, Jeep Wrangler, and Chrysler 300.
Owners of these vehicles have been advised not to operate them until repairs are completed. NHTSA emphasized in bold on its website: "If you have one of these vehicles, do not drive it until the repair is completed and the defective air bag is replaced."
Stellantis issues "do not drive" warning for 225,000 vehicles with unrepaired Takata air bags https://t.co/ahZ1j2i4Oh
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Free Repairs Offered as Stellantis Issues Airbag Recall
Frank Matyok, a Stellantis spokesperson, noted that owners began receiving notifications about the recall on February 9. Repairs for all affected vehicles are free at Stellantis dealerships.
The Takata airbag recall has been ongoing for more than a decade. To date, nearly 7 million Stellantis vehicles with faulty inflators have been repaired. Nationwide, 67 million defective Takata airbags have been recalled, USA Today reported.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), at least 28 people have been killed and 400 injured by exploding Takata airbags, making it "the largest and most complex safety recall in US history."
"Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries," the agency said.
The warning highlights the serious risks associated with driving unrepaired vehicles.
Stellantis, headquartered in the Netherlands, owns Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and several other brands.
The company stressed that the current "stop-drive" directive is critical for public safety and aims to speed up the replacement of remaining faulty airbags.
Originally published on vcpost.com
