The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·19V001000·Announced 2019-01-07

Ford Recalls Vehicles for Air Bag Inflator Explosion Risk

Ford is recalling specific 2010-2014 models because passenger air bag inflators may explode due to humidity, posing a serious injury risk.

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

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The source explicitly states that an inflator explosion may result in serious injury or death, which aligns with the rubric criterion for 'significant injury/property-damage reports' or structural vehicle defects involving high-risk components.

Plain-English summary

Ford Motor Company is recalling certain 2010-2014 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles due to a defect in the passenger frontal air bag inflators. The affected vehicles are those sold or registered in specific U.S. states and territories, categorized into three zones based on humidity exposure. The recall includes models such as the Ford Mustang, Fusion, Ranger, Edge, Lincoln MKZ, Zephyr, MKX, and Mercury Milan.

The defect involves 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 as replacements after a crash. An inflator explosion could result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, potentially causing serious injury or death.

Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair is completed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator free of charge. The recall began on February 13, 2019. Owners can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
FORD, LINCOLN, MERCURY MUSTANG, RANGER, EDGE, MKX
Brand
FORD
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag Inflator
Hazard
Affected units
782,384

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 (8)

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

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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