USA - FCA expands TAKATA Airbag scandal to over 5.2 million vehicles.

FCA US LLC has identified which vehicles will be affected by expansions of ongoing voluntary recalls to replace certain air-bag inflators produced by Takata Corporation.

 

Precipitated by disclosures made by Takata to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, FCA US is consolidating two campaigns with new actions affecting model years 2003-2011. These actions bring the Company’s global Takata-related recall total to an estimated 5,224,845 vehicles.

 

FCA US is unaware of any related injuries or accidents involving the newly affected vehicles. All affected customers will be advised when they may schedule service.

 

One campaign involves an estimated global population of 4,747,202 vehicles equipped with certain driver’s-side air-bag inflators. Affected are:

 

• 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 pickups
• 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500 pickups
• 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500 pickups
• 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500 cab chassis vehicles
• 2008-2009 Sterling 4500 and 5500 cab chassis vehicles
• 2004-2008 Dodge Durango full-size SUVs
• 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C and SRT8 full-size sedans
• 2005-2010 Dodge Charger full-size sedans
• 2005-2010 Dodge Magnum full-size station wagons
• 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota small pickups
• 2006-2011 Mitsubishi Raider small pickups

Of this population, it is estimated that 4,066,732 vehicles are in the U.S., while 374,508 are in Canada. The remaining vehicles are in Mexico and various markets outside the NAFTA region.

 

This action supersedes an ongoing NHTSA-approved recall involving the same vehicles and expands the affected global population by an estimated 1,407,942 with the addition of model years 2008-2011. Inflators replaced in connection with the previous campaign will again require service.

 

The second action to which FCA US has committed involves replacing certain front-passenger air-bag inflators in model-year 2003 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups. An estimated 437,947 are in the U.S.; 38,835 in Canada and 360 are in markets outside the NAFTA region.

 

This recall supplements two ongoing campaigns involving some of the same vehicles in certain U.S. regions subject to high absolute humidity.

 

Certain Takata air-bag inflators may deploy with excessive force, sending debris into the vehicle cabin. Vehicle age and consistent exposure to high absolute humidity are believed to factor into such deployments.

 

The Company is aware of one related injury. It involved a 2006 Dodge Charger and occurred in southern Florida, where there is high absolute humidity.

 

FCA US vehicles are no longer produced with either suspect inflator. These components also are distinct from Takata inflators cited in fatalities involving other auto makers.