Takata airbags continue to claim victims as Stellantis has confirmed another death.
In a statement, the automaker said the owner of the vehicle inquired about the airbag recall in 2018, but declined to schedule the installation of a replacement airbag at that time. As a result, the company “continued to send urgent notifications to this owner through 2022, contributing to a total of 114 outreach attempts over a seven-year period.”
Unfortunately, those attempts were in vain and this had tragic consequences as the owner of the vehicle loaned it to a family member in July. While driving it, they were involved in a crash where the driver’s airbag ruptured on deployment. Stellantis didn’t elaborate, but when the airbags rupture, they typically spew shrapnel at the driver’s face and neck.
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This is the third Takata airbag fatality involving an FCA vehicle and the company extends their “deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those affected.” While the death is tragic, the company is using the event to urge owners of affected vehicles to immediately stop driving them and call 833-585-0144 to schedule a repair. The company will arrange to have the vehicle towed to a dealership so the airbag can be replaced. Everything is free of charge and it could potentially save your life.
Last month, Stellantis said there were approximately 276,000 Chrysler 300s, Dodge Chargers, Dodge Challengers, and Dodge Magnums – from the 2005 to 2010 model years – that haven’t had their Takata airbags replaced. That number has now dropped to around 274,000 vehicles, but that’s far too many with a potentially deadly airbag.
Stellantis’ Global Head of Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance, Tom McCarthy, said “Time is a critical element here because the risk increases with each day these airbag inflators go unreplaced.” He added, the company has replacement parts in stock and everything is free of charge.
If you’re not sure whether or not you have a Takata airbag, you can enter your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on CheckToProtect.org or the NHTSA’s recall website. FCA / Stellantis owners in the United States can also call 833-585-0144.