Source: Gasgoo
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on May 29 that owners of nearly 84,000 older Nissan vehicles in the US with previously recalled Takata airbags that have not been fixed should immediately stop driving them because of safety concerns.
Nissan issued a warning on May 29, telling owners not to drive certain vehicles, including the 2002 to 2006 Nissan Sentra, the 2002 to 2004 Nissan Pathfinder, and the 2002 to 2003 Infiniti QX4. The models were recalled in 2020 but have not been fixed.
“If you own the vehicle described above, do not drive it until repairs have been completed and the defective airbag has been replaced,” NHTSA said in a statement. The agency also noted that Nissan dealers will provide owners with free towing and repair services, and in some locations, dealers will also provide owners with mobility vehicles.
Image source: Nissan
Over the past decade, more than 100 million Takata air bag have been recalled worldwide, including 7 million in the United States, the largest auto safety recall ever.
Since 2009, Takata airbag have been linked to more than 30 deaths worldwide, including 27 Americans, and injuries to more than 400 people because they can explode, releasing metal shards inside cars and trucks.
The NHTSA said that even “minor collisions can cause Takata airbags to explode, resulting in death or serious injury.”
Stellantis issued a warning to owners of 29,000 2003 Dodge Ram pickup trucks last year, asking them to stop driving the vehicles immediately and wait for repairs. Before that, a Takata air bag inflator was killed when it exploded.
In January, Toyota urged owners of 50,000 of its older models in the United States to undergo an immediate recall for repairs because Takata airbag gas generators can explode and potentially kill motorists. The models affected include the 2003-2004 Corolla, the 2003-2004 Corolla Matrix, and the 2004-2005 RAV4.
