The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration put out a do-not-drive warning for 2003 Dodge Ram trucks Tuesday. The vehicles were recalled in 2015 over faulty Takata airbags.
Now the federal agency can confirm the first Takata airbag explosion fatality in a 2003 Ram. The incident also marked the first death connected to an exploding inflator on the passenger side of an affected vehicle.
The death on May 13 marks the 26th such Takata airbag-related fatality in the U.S. since May 2009, according to The Associated Press.
Ram manufacturer Stellantis told the AP that six notices were sent to the Ram owner’s home without the truck being brought in for repair.
While 3.9 million Dodge Rams were recalled in 2015, around 84,000 of the cars remain extant without service.
Both the NHTSA and Stellantis are urging owners to stop driving them and to check with a dealer to see if their individual vehicle is subject to the recall.
The older a Takata-containing car is, the likelier and more dangerous an airbag explosion will be in the event of a crash.
The ammonium nitrate inside the airbags degrades and becomes more volatile over time, with the degradation happening faster in hot and humid climates.
Even a minor crash or collision can set off the airbag, shooting sharp and potentially fatal shrapnel at the driver or, as in this case, a passenger.
“Don’t put yourself or someone you love at risk of dying or being seriously injured because of a defective, recalled Takata airbag. These repairs are absolutely free and could save your life,” Ann Carlson, NHTSA acting administrator, said.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.