Ford recalling Ranger pickups over airbags
Ford is recalling nearly 391,000 Ranger pickups because the driver’s airbag inflators can explode with too much force and cause injuries. The recall covers trucks from the 2004 through 2006 model years in the U.S. and Canada. It comes after the government announced that 52-year-old Joel Knight of South Carolina was killed when an inflator exploded in December; he was struck in the neck by metal shrapnel in his 2006 Ranger.
Other automakers are expected to announce more recalls soon, as the Takata airbag mess continues to grow. It now covers 14 manufacturers and totals about 24 million vehicles. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the number of recalls is likely to expand further.
Takata uses the chemical ammonium nitrate to cause a small explosion that creates gas and inflates airbags in a crash, but the chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high heat and humidity, causing it to burn too fast and blow apart a metal canister designed to contain the explosion. Knight is the 10th known death worldwide as a result of the faulty inflators; more than 100 people have been hurt.
Ford says it will send letters to owners about the recall starting the week of Feb. 22. Although it has some replacement parts available, the company is working with airbag makers to make additional inflators as soon as possible, spokesman John Cangany said.
The Rangers were recalled last year to replace the passenger airbag inflators. Ford says customers can find out if their trucks are included by visiting the page on Ford’s website dedicated to safety recalls and entering their vehicle identification number.