Ford and Mazda: Park Your Car and Let Us Complete the Airbag Recall for You

Take your medicine, you won’t get better without it.

Get your taxes done on time next year, so you won’t have to pay a fine.

Get a recall performed on your Ford or Mazda vehicle because you have shrapnel in your airbag(s).

It’s been close to a decade since Ford (and almost every other manufacturer) issued a recall for defective Takata airbags, and some owners have still not completed the task. The danger is clear and present, but not everyone knows or cares to take action. But if you have the following vehicles in your possession, in any condition, know that Ford and Mazda are making it easy to get the recall performed:

• 2004-2006 Ford Ranger
• 2005-2014 Ford Mustang
• 2005-2006 Ford GT (yes, even halo cars are subject to this)
• 2006-2012 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MKZ / Zephyr (passenger airbag only)
• 2007-2010 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX (passenger airbag only)
• 2007-2011 Ford Ranger (passenger airbag only)
• 2004-2006 Mazda B-Series
• 2007-2009 Mazda B-Series
• 2003-2008 Mazda 6
• 2006-2007 MazdaSpeed6
• 2004-2011 Mazda RX-8
• 2004-2006 Mazda MPV
• 2009-2013 Mazda6
• 2007-2012 Mazda CX-7
• 2007-2015 Mazda CX-9

The two companies warn that the age of these vehicles “makes it increasingly possible that a part inside the airbag will explode and expel sharp metal fragments during a crash.” This reality is why they are asking affected vehicles to be parked until the recall is performed. Depending on one’s needs, the repair can either happen by a mobile technician, or it can be towed to your local dealership. Ford also suggests that dealerships will provide a free loaner vehicle, if necessary.

Owners of affected vehicles can click here to begin the process. But there is more to the story than just a press release from Ford: The first concern is that many folks have bought a used vehicle in the last decade, one that can still have a defective airbag. So it behooves anyone who purchased darn near any vehicle to check NHTSA’s website for an outstanding recall. This goes beyond Ford and Mazda, as many other brands were affected by these defective airbags.

A second issue is those who tried to get the recall done during the pandemic, but had a difficult go at it. I know that nightmare firsthand, but I implore you to give it another shot. My 2011 Ranger’s passenger side airbag was replaced in October 2021, but not before being rejected/ignored by two Ford dealers, and the mobile service technician that served my area. A call to Ford Corporate finally got the ball rolling for me.

I reckon all that nonsense has changed, as we aren’t feeling the supply chain shocks that crippled the car business 2-3 years ago. Ford says they will notify owners “every month through a variety of communication channels with the updated do-not-drive advisory message.” And there’s a good reason for that dedication.

Taking the airbag recall this seriously is crucial, because it’s only a matter of time before someone buys one of these depreciated Fords or Mazdas as a project and gets it road worthy again. But will they remember to check for a defective airbag? If they do, will the replacement parts still exist at that point in the future?

So if you might know where an affected vehicle (it does not have to be a limited to these brands) is sitting, do us all a favor and get the owner to check the status of its airbag recall. Because in the future, someone’s life might be depending on it.