Durham Drivers: Heed This "Do Not Drive" Warning

Ford Motor Co. and Mazda North American Operations have issued an urgent “Do Not Drive” warning for more than 457,000 vehicles equipped with unrepaired Takata airbags. Owners of these vehicles in Durham are strongly advised not to drive them until the faulty airbags have been replaced.

The warning impacts all unrepaired Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles, as well as Mazda vehicles, that are equipped with non-desiccated Takata airbags. The defective airbags, which can explode even in minor crashes, pose a serious risk of injury or death.

Ford’s recall covers 374,290 vehicles from model years 2004-2014, including the Ranger, Mustang, Fusion, Edge, and Lincoln MKX, among others. Mazda’s recall affects 82,893 vehicles from model years 2003-2015, including the Mazda6, CX-7, and CX-9.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urges all vehicle owners to check if their car is under recall and schedule a free repair immediately. Ford and Mazda are offering free towing, mobile repairs, and loaner vehicles if needed.

For more information, Ford owners can visit the company’s recall website, and Mazda owners should do the same.

To date, defective Takata airbags have been linked to 27 deaths and at least 400 injuries in the U.S.