Takata air bag recall has many Ford-Lincoln owners on hold

ORLANDO, Fla. – When News 6 viewer Marcia Rush saw a News 6 special report about Honda’s door-to-door recall pit crews Tuesday night, she immediately wanted to know why her 2008 Lincoln MKX couldn't get the same treatment.

In an email to News 6, Rush said she received an airbag inflator recall notice last year, yet as we close in on the end of 2017, the parts for her car aren’t available yet.

News 6 contacted the Ford-Lincoln corporate team Wednesday and the news from the company’s Safety Communications Manager Elizabeth Weigandt didn't offer a definitive timeline of when the replacement inflators would be available.

In an email to News 6 Weigardt repeated a statement found on Ford’s recall website:

“We do have parts available for some vehicles. We have a permanent repair in place for 2005-2014 Mustang driver-side and 2005-2006 Ford GT driver-side airbag inflator recalls. For other Takata airbag, inflator-related recalls, development of a permanent repair is in process. We are working with our suppliers to receive parts as quickly as possible.”

Ford-Lincoln urges customers not to disconnect the airbags despite the acknowledged safety risk.

It is the inflator that causes the airbag to deploy. High humidity areas, like Florida, cause moisture to interact with the chemical (Ammonium Nitrate) in the devices.

There have been 180 people injured as a result of the mechanical flaw that, according to safety reports, saw passengers sliced through metal chards that discharged from the airbags.

You can go to the NHTSA website and type in your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to get an update on all recall safety items for your vehicle.

For more information on Ford-Lincoln recall status go to: https://owner.ford.com/tools/account/maintenance/recalls/frequently-asked-questions-regarding-takata-airbag-inflator-recalls.html and https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwcOTzJXB1wIVyB2BCh0siQ8mEAAYASAAEgLiavD_BwE