Takata air bag recall: is your car still affected?
The Takata inflator recalls are the largest in US history and some cars are still unrepaired. NHTSA's file holds 257 air bag inflator campaigns received since 2016. Check yours by brand below.
Takata's frontal air bag inflators used ammonium nitrate without a drying agent, a propellant that degrades with years of heat, humidity and temperature cycling until it can burn too fast and rupture the inflator housing, spraying metal fragments into the cabin. NHTSA has confirmed 28 deaths in the United States from exploding Takata PSAN inflators, and at least 400 people are alleged to have been injured. All scheduled recalls have been filed: about 67 million air bags (priority groups 1 to 12) from 19 vehicle manufacturers, and NHTSA ordered the makers to replace the oldest air bags, with the longest exposure to heat and humidity, first. That is why some 2001 to 2003 Hondas and Acuras and 2006 Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series pickups carry a do-not-drive warning on NHTSA's Takata page, and why the recall file flags air bag campaigns of BMW, Mazda, Ford, the Chrysler group, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Toyota with the same advisory. Counting every vehicle campaign whose air bag summary mentions an inflator, NHTSA's file holds 257 campaigns received since 2016, 52.6 million vehicle notices, including later inflator defects from other suppliers.
Pick a brand to see its air bag inflator campaigns since 2016.
Air bag inflator campaigns by brand, 2016 to 2026
Ford: inflator campaigns
19
| Vehicles covered | 7.8 million |
| Share of the brand’s campaigns | 2.9 % |
| All brands, same period | 257 campaigns |
Inflator campaigns per year
| Year received | Inflator campaigns |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 46 |
| 2017 | 53 |
| 2018 | 50 |
| 2019 | 33 |
| 2020 | 23 |
| 2021 | 18 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 (to date) | 6 |
The peak of 2016 to 2018 reflects the phased Takata recalls, which NHTSA scheduled by risk until 2019. Later campaigns include replacement inflators that were themselves defective, and other suppliers, such as the ARC inflators that NHTSA has investigated, which affect some recent vehicles.
The largest inflator campaigns since 2016
| Campaign | Received | Vehicles | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16V346000 | May 24, 2016 | 2009-2011 Acura TSX; 2011 Acura TSX SPORT WAGON; 2010-2011 Acura ZDX and more | 2.7 million |
| 21V050000 | February 5, 2021 | 2007-2011 Cadillac ESCALADE; 2007-2011 Cadillac ESCALADE ESV; 2007-2011 Cadillac ESCALADE EXT and more | 2.6 million |
| 21V158000 | March 10, 2021 | 2007-2010 Ford EDGE; 2006-2012 Ford FUSION; 2007-2011 Ford RANGER and more | 2.6 million |
| 16V061000 | February 3, 2016 | 2013-2016 Acura ILX; 2007-2016 Acura RDX; 2005-2012 Acura RL and more | 2.2 million |
| 16V384000 | May 31, 2016 | 2007-2010 Ford EDGE; 2005-2006 Ford FORD GT; 2006-2011 Ford FUSION and more | 1.9 million |
Why heat and humidity matter
Ammonium nitrate changes crystal structure as it goes through temperature cycles, and absorbs moisture over the years. The propellant tablets become porous, so when the air bag fires they burn faster than designed, the pressure inside the steel inflator exceeds its strength, and the housing breaks into fragments. NHTSA's testing and field data show that older air bags in vehicles with prolonged exposure to hot and humid environments are far more likely to explode, which is why the oldest vehicles were served first. NHTSA also explains that a car that only spends winters in a hot, humid place does not get the same continuous exposure as one driven there year-round for many years.
How to check your vehicle
Enter the VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls: an open air bag campaign shows up with its number. If your car is from the 2000s, has never had an air bag replaced and spent years in a hot, humid state, treat it as urgent. The replacement is free at a dealer of the brand: NHTSA's Takata page says every affected air bag will be replaced for free, and Ford and Mazda provide towing and loaner vehicles for the do-not-drive pickups. Do not ask a dealer to disable the air bag while you wait: NHTSA notes that a disabled air bag has a 100 percent chance of failing to protect you in a crash.
Replacement inflators can be recalled too
A small number of makers replaced older Takata air bags with newly made versions of the same part, which NHTSA calls an “interim” or “like for like” repair: it lowers the risk, but those parts must be replaced again, free, by a final repair. A car that had an interim repair can therefore have a new open campaign. The VIN check shows it. Used parts are another risk: an inflator taken from a salvaged car and installed after a crash can be a recalled one, which the VIN does not reveal.
Brands and models
Honda was Takata's largest customer and has the most inflator campaigns, followed by BMW and Mazda among our brands; the Honda, BMW and Mazda pages list them. For all urgent advisories, see the do-not-drive recall page, and run any VIN through the decoder, which shows campaigns with their warnings.