Takata airbag recall: Reason, affected car models, and other details revealed

FCA U.S. LLC is urging owners of the recalled, yet unrepaired, Takata airbag recall-related Dodge Ram pickups to immediately stop driving them. Owners of the affected 'model-year 2003' pickups are also advised to contact the nearest dealership or the automaker to know the recall status of their vehicles.

Announced on July 11, 2023, the notification comes regarding a traffic fatality that has been linked to the ongoing Takata airbag recall. As per the establishment, an occupant driving a Dodge Ram model-year 2003 vehicle succumbed to serious injuries after the vehicle met with a collision accident this May.

The faulty airbags have been linked with another tragic fatality linked to a Dodge Ram model-year 2003 vehicle (Image via Joe Raedle / Getty Images)

The reports link the fatality to the faulty airbags after it was found that the collision caused the airbags to deploy and the occupant showed signs of injuries that were similar to those in the fatalities linked with the faulty Takata airbag inflators. The May 2023 accident is the fourth accident that has been linked to a Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) vehicle.

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Dodge Ram model-year 2003 pickups latest FCA vehicles to join the Takata airbag-related fatality cases

According to the recall notification issued by FCA U.S. LLC, over 29,000 Dodge Ram model-year 2003 vehicles are still being driven across the country without being repaired. The affected vehicles that are equipped with faulty Takata airbags pose serious life-threatening risks to the drivers and passengers of the vehicles.

The affected airbags have been recalled ever since 2014 because they contain chemicals prone to deterioration over time or if exposed to humid or hot climates. During a collision, the problem may cause the airbag inflators to explode during airbag deployment. When the inflators explode, sharp debris pieces capable of causing life-threatening injuries may be dispersed toward the drivers or passengers, thus putting their lives at risk.

The affected Dodge Ram model-year 2003 pickups are the latest FCA vehicles to join the Takata airbag-related stop-drive campaign. The campaign that began last year involves four other vehicles, including the Charger model years 2005–2010, the Dodge Magnum, the Challenger, and the Chrysler 300.

The faulty airbags have been recalled ever since 2014 (Image via Buddhika Weerasinghe / Getty Images)

Over 33 deaths worldwide have now been connected to the defective airbags. At least 24 of the fatalities have been reported from the United States alone, while more than 240 people have been injured due to faulty airbags.

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What should the owners of the affected Dodge Ram model-year 2003 vehicles do?

Considering the seriousness of the matter, FCA U.S. LLC is urging owners of all affected Dodge Ram model year 2003 to immediately stop driving them. Owners or custodians of the recalled vehicles are advised to get their vehicles repaired at the earliest possible date.

The free replacement for the affected Takata airbag inflators has been available for the last ten years and can be obtained from an authorized dealership. To do so, the owners may have to first get in touch with the nearest authorized dealership or contact the automaker to know the recall status of their vehicles.

Owners of the affected Dodge Ram model-year 2003 vehicles should not drive them till they are repaired (Image via PR Newswire)

The automaker will provide a no-cost replacement of the faulty Takata airbag inflators and equip the vehicles with safe and tested airbag inflators. They will also be providing free alternative transport, thus enabling owners of the affected vehicles to get to and from the dealerships without any problems.