Ford plans to recall 953,000 vehicles globally over a risk of airbag inflators that could explode and injure passengers. This is also the fourth time Ford has recalled vehicles due to the Takata airbag issue.


Ford Motor Co. has announced plans to recall 953,000 vehicles worldwide, including 782,000 in the U.S. and 150,000 in Canada, over a risk of airbag inflators that could explode and injure passengers. This is also the fourth time Ford has recalled vehicles due to the Takata airbag issue.


Ford said it has not received reports of casualties from the defect, but globally, 23 people have been killed and 290 injured in the Takata airbag incident.


The recalled vehicles include the 2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, 2010-2011 Ford Ranger, 2010-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2010-2011 Mercury Milan, and 2010-2014 Ford Mustang. Ford plans to replace Takata airbags for users free of charge.


Ford's recall is also part of a larger recall of Takata airbag inflators. The Takata air bag issue sparked the largest auto industry safety recall in auto industry history, which began in 2008 and involved 100 million Takata air bag inflators from 19 major automakers. Due to high temperature and humidity, inflatable devices may explode after a period of aging.


Last September, Honda and Acura recalled 1.4 million vehicles over the issue; in December, Toyota and Lexus recalled 65,000 vehicles. Ford also previously paid $300 million to settle consumer claims for financial losses from the Takata recall. Over the past year, more than 7.2 million defective inflators have been repaired. But more than three years after the government took over a recall involving Takata airbag inflators, a third of those recalled have not been replaced, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In addition, 50 million Takata airbags are defective in 37 million U.S. vehicles.