The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday confirmed the first fatality from an exploding passenger-side Takata inflator in a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500, increasing total deaths from Takata airbag ruptures in the United States to 26.
The vehicle involved in the May 13 incident was one of the 385,686 2003 Ram trucks recalled in 2015. NHTSA estimates roughly 84,000 of these pickup trucks remain unrepaired, warning occupants “are at grave risk of serious injury or death,” according to a news release. The administration is urging owners not to drive the vehicles until the defective air bag is replaced.
“The older a defective Takata air bag inflator gets, the more dangerous it becomes. Please, get your air bag replaced now for your sake, and for the sake of those who love you,” NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson said in a statement. “Don’t put yourself or someone you love at risk of dying or being seriously injured because of a defective, recalled Takata air bag. These repairs are absolutely free and could save your life.”
The 2003 pickup on May 13 was involved in a collision that caused its air bags to deploy. The occupant of the front-passenger seat, who also was the vehicle’s owner, succumbed to a serious injury consistent with those observed in previous Takata inflator fatalities, according to a new release from automaker Stellantis NV. Six recall notices had been sent to the customer’s home address. It is the fourth such incident known to involve a vehicle from Stellantis’ brands.
“The Company extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the customer whose life was lost in the May tragedy,” the automaker said in a statement.
The inflators on the recalled vehicles contain chemical compounds that may deteriorate as they age, particularly when exposed to hot, humid climates. This can lead them to rupturing when the air bag is deployed and scatter razor-sharp debris, which can cause serious injury and death.
Motorists can check whether their vehicle has been repaired by entering their vehicle identification number at recalls.mopar.com or checktoprotect.org, or by calling 833-585-0144. Stellantis will provide alternative transportation at no cost to customers to get to and from the dealership to have their vehicle repaired.
The company previously announced stop-drive campaigns for the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum, Challenger and Charger models from 2005-2010. An estimated 233,000 of these Chrysler and Dodge-brand vehicles remain unrepaired and on the road. The company says it has sent notices with first-class mail, courier service, email, text messages, phone calls and home visits.
Since the Takata recall began in 2014, the automaker has made more than 210 million outreach attempts. More than 6.1 million recalled Takata airbag inflators have been replaced. These type of inflators haven’t been used in the company’s vehicles since 2016.
bnoble@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @BreanaCNoble