Ford Motor Company announced that it will be recalling approximately 391,000 Ford Ranger pickup trucks, model years 2004-2006, due to the driver’s air bag inflators possibly exploding with too much force and causing injuries.
The recall comes just days after the government announced that a South Carolina man was killed when an inflator exploded in December. Joel Knight, 52, of Kershaw died when he was struck in the neck by metal shrapnel after his 2006 Ranger hit a cow in the road and struck a fence. The government also announced that other car manufacturers will recall another 5 million vehicles equipped with faulty inflators made by Takata Corp. of Japan. Some of the recalls are because of the crash that killed Knight, with the rest due to air bags failing in lab tests. Other automakers are expected to announce more recalls soon as the Takata inflator problems continue to progress. The Takata airbags are present in 14 auto and truck makers and totals about 24 million vehicles. The 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 air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high heat and humidity and burn too fast, blowing apart a metal canister designed to contain the explosion. Mr. Knight is the 10th known death worldwide due to the inflators, and 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 air bag makers to make additional inflators as soon as possible. The Ford Rangers were previously recalled last year to replace the passenger air bag inflators. Ford says customers can find out if their trucks are included in the recall by going to Ford.com, clicking on “safety recalls” and entering their vehicle identification number.
If you have questions regarding your Ford, you should contact the experienced lemon law attorneys at Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center® at www.yourlemonlawrights.com or call 1-800-US-LEMON (800-875-3666), toll-free. Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center® has been effectively assisting Ford customers in Lemon Law claims involving various defects in all makes and models. Our lemon law attorneys will take time to talk to you about your rights and will let you know if they can help.
Krohn & Moss, Ltd. Consumer Law Center® was founded in 1995 and has helped over 45,000 consumers nationwide enforce their rights against manufacturers of defective consumer products.