Airbag Hazard recall, no-driving order for 276,000 Dodge, Chrysler vehicles

Officials issued the warning after two motorists died in separate accidents when the driver’s side airbag, which is made by the now-defunct Japanese auto parts company Takata, exploded with great force.

Vehicle owners should arrange for free repairs by contacting local car dealers or specialists Fiat Chrysler Airbag Call Center at 833-585-0144. Federal officials said they should not drive to get this service.

“If not repaired, recalled Takata airbags become increasingly hazardous as the risk of an explosion increases as vehicles age. Every day that passes when a recalled airbag is not replaced puts you at risk,” Ann Carlson, acting director of the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, said in a statement. You and your family are at risk of injury or death.” “A exploding Takata air bag can send metal shrapnel toward the driver or passengers, and these shrapnel can kill—and have caused—killing or maiming people.”

in the current situationStellantis, the parent company of Fiat Chrysler, said it had “sufficient stock of new airbags to meet demand.” The repair process takes less than one hour.

Referring to Fiat, the company said: “Owners or guardians of these vehicles will be contacted directly, advised to stop driving their vehicles and urged to obtain the necessary service, which is still available free of charge at any FCA authorized dealer.” Chrysler cars.

Representatives for Joyson Safety Systems, which bought Takata in 2018, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Since 2013, NHTSA has been forced to recall 67 million Takata air bags due to a defect that can cause them to explode with great force, sometimes shooting motorists with shrapnel.

In 2017, Takata pleaded guilty to criminal offenses to settle the charges that cover up those flaws. The company paid a $1 billion fine, including $125 million to a Victims Compensation Fund and $850 million to automakers to fund repairs.