Ford recalls 2006 Rangers after latest Takata explosion death.
The AP (1/11) reports, “A 56-year-old West Virginia man is the 21st person to die worldwide due to exploding Takata air bag inflators. Steve Mollohan was driving a 2006 Ford Ranger when he was involved in a relatively minor crash and died July 1, an attorney for his family said.” Ford said it was notified of the death in late December.
The AP (1/11) reports that following the death, “Ford is telling owners of about 2,900 Ranger small pickup trucks not to drive them.” Ford said in a statement, “We take this matter very seriously and are advising owners of these specific 2006 Ford Rangers to stop driving their vehicles so dealers can make repairs immediately.”
Reuters (1/11) reports that NHTSA “urged owners to heed Ford’s warning.” NHTSA spokeswoman Karen Aldana said, “It is extremely important that all high-risk air bags are tracked down and replaced immediately.” Consumer Reports (1/11, 3.63M) reports that NHTSA said “the midsized trucks present ‘an immediate risk to safety.’” The Detroit Free Press (1/11, 1.15M), Fortune (1/11, Korosec, 1.31M), Car and Driver (1/11, 2.86M), and Trucks (1/11) also report.
