The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·18V046000·Announced 2018-01-11

Ford Recalls Vehicles Due to Passenger Air Bag Inflator Explosion Risk

Ford is recalling specific 2009-2013 vehicles because passenger air bag inflators may explode due to humidity, posing a risk of serious injury or death.

NHTSA safety advisory

Do not drive this vehicle

NHTSA advises owners to stop driving this vehicle until the recall repair has been completed.

This is the agency’s own advisory, not our assessment. Contact the manufacturer or a dealer, and see the official NHTSA notice for the current guidance.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly states that the defect may result in 'serious injury or death,' which aligns with the rubric criteria for a Severe (4) rating involving significant injury reports or potential for serious harm.

Plain-English summary

Ford Motor Company is recalling certain 2009-2010 Ford Edge, Fusion, Mustang, and Ranger, Lincoln MKX and Zephyr/MKZ, and Mercury Milan vehicles, as well as 2013 Ford Mustangs. The recall is based on where the vehicles were sold or registered, divided into three geographic zones (A, B, and C) covering various US states and territories.

The defect involves passenger frontal air bag inflators that may explode due to propellant degradation after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature, and temperature cycling. This risk applies to inflators used as original equipment or replacement equipment. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator free of charge. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
MERCURY, FORD, LINCOLN MILAN, FUSION, MUSTANG, MKZ
Brand
MERCURY
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag Inflator
Hazard
Affected units
327,796

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (7)

  • MILAN
  • FUSION
  • MUSTANG
  • MKZ
  • MKX
  • EDGE
  • RANGER

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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