Stellantis on Wednesday issued a public safety advisory telling owners not to drive about 225,000 older vehicles in the United States that still have defective Takata air bag inflators and have not yet received the required repairs. The company framed the guidance around the presence of unrepaired inflators tied to the long-running Takata air bag safety issue.
The affected roster includes a range of older models: Dodge Ram, Durango, Dakota, Magnum, Challenger, Chrysler Aspen and 300, Jeep Wrangler, and Mitsubishi Raider. All of the vehicles named fall within model years 2003 through 2016 and are specifically those that have not completed the necessary corrective work.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that 28 deaths in the United States have been linked to crashes involving defective Takata air bag inflators. The agency warned that even relatively minor collisions can cause Takata inflators to rupture, with the potential to produce fatal injuries or "life-altering, gruesome injuries."
This advisory from Stellantis reiterates the hazards associated with unrepaired Takata inflators and urges owners of the enumerated vehicles to avoid driving them until repairs have been performed. The guidance applies only to vehicles that remain unrepaired; it does not extend to vehicles that have already undergone the specified corrective procedures.
The public notice highlights the continuing safety concerns surrounding Takata inflators in older vehicles and reflects ongoing efforts by regulators and manufacturers to address those risks. Owners of the listed models who are unsure of their vehicle's repair status should consult their manufacturer or authorized service channels to verify whether the inflator has been replaced or otherwise remedied.
Contextual note: The factual information in this report is limited to Stellantis' advisory, the models and model years identified, and NHTSA's count of 28 deaths associated with defective Takata inflators. No additional claims or outcomes beyond those statements are made here.