Ford and U.S. protection regulators are telling the owners of 33,428 Ranger pickup trucks in North America not to pilot them because they have Takata air bag inflators “that are an current risk to safety.”
A company investigation into Ranger inflators from the 2006 type year found test results showing that more inflators had disrupt or recorded high internal pressure readings, spokeswoman Elizabeth Weigandt revealed Monday.
Ford and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told dealers will tow the Rangers to service bays to replace the faulty inflators and attend to arrange for loaner vehicles. Parts for the repairs already are available, the company predicted.
The Rangers added to the do-not-drive list were built between Aug. 5 and Dec. 15, 2005.
Also comprised on the do-not-drive list are certain 2006 Mazda B-Series trucks, which were bury the hatchet e constructed by Ford and are similar to the Ranger.
“Affected owners are urged not to drive these agencies and to contact Ford and Mazda immediately to schedule a free repair,” NHTSA declared in a printed release.
Takata uses ammonium nitrate to create a feel mortified explosion to inflate air bags. But the chemical can deteriorate and burn too fast, overstate d enlarging apart metal canisters and hurling shrapnel into drivers and travellers. At least 22 people have died and more than 180 play a joke on been hurt because of the problem.
The inflators also caused the biggest series of automotive recalls in U.S. history. About 69 million inflators are being recollected in the U.S. and over 100 million worldwide are being recalled.
Last month Ford discriminated 2,900 Ranger owners not to drive them after finding out that a West Virginia man was suppressed by an exploding inflator.