Stellantis Issues “Do Not Drive” Warning for Defective Airbags

On Wednesday, Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler, advised roughly 225,000 owners of older vehicles in the U.S. to refrain from driving due to unrepaired Takata airbag inflators. This urgent notice concerns several older models, including various Dodge Ram, Durango, Dakota, Magnum, Challenger, Chrysler Aspen, and 300, as well as Jeep Wrangler and Mitsubishi Raider vehicles produced from 2003 to 2016 that haven’t been serviced.

Since 2009, numerous accidents involving injuries have surfaced across different automakers. Takata airbag inflators have been known to malfunction, sometimes exploding and sending metal debris throughout the vehicle, leading to serious injuries and fatalities among drivers and passengers.

In a statement, Stellantis emphasized, “This action is aimed at accelerating the repair of the remaining affected vehicles to protect owners, their families, and the general public from the risk of serious injury or death.” They also mentioned that this “stop-and-operate order” is crucial for completing repairs on the remaining vehicles. Notably, over the past decade, Stellantis has managed to complete recall repairs on more than 6.6 million vehicles—about 95% of those recalled.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported that 28 individuals in the U.S. have lost their lives due to crashes involving defective Takata airbag inflators. They also cautioned that “Takata airbags can explode in minor crashes, resulting in death or serious, life-altering injuries.”

In the last ten years, the Takata airbag inflator issues have led to over 100 million global vehicle recalls, with 67 million of those in the United States, marking it as the largest recall in U.S. history.

In 2024, Honda revealed that 20 fatalities in Honda and Acura vehicles in the U.S. were linked to problems with Takata airbags. These issues are attributed to propellants that break down due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures and humidity.

Currently, many automakers are urging owners of older vehicles to cease driving until the airbag inflators can be replaced. Back in November 2022, Stellantis had already advised owners of 276,000 older U.S. cars to stop using their vehicles immediately.