Ford joins Honda, Nissan and Toyota on the list of companies that will no longer source the part from Takata.
DETROIT, MI - Ford Motor Co. is the latest automaker to stop sourcing airbag inflators form Takata Corp., the Japanese supplier at the heart of an unprecedented parts recall.
Ford joins Honda, Nissan and Toyota on the list of companies that will no longer source the part from Takata, the Associated Press reports.
Faulty driver- and passenger-side airbags made by Takata have been linked to at least eight deaths, including seven in the U.S., and more than 100 injuries. In some instances the defective airbags have exploded, sending metal shrapnel through the car.
Investigations by automakers, Takata and regulators have been searching for the root cause of the defective airbags. So far, the consensus is that the chemical propellant that ignites the air bag inflators can be damaged by moisture over time in humid environments. Once damaged, the propellant becomes explosive.
About 20 million vehicles spanning 12 automakers are affected by the recall. If you suspect your vehicle is included, you can plug your vehicle identification number into NHTSA's VIN lookup here: vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the settlement of a criminal probe of Takata Corp with a $70 million fine.
In addition to the DOT fine, Takata faces another $130 million in fines if it violates a settlement with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Takata is also prohibited from making airbag inflators affected by the recall until it can prove they are safe.
The unprecedented recall has been so massive that Takata has struggled to supply replacement parts. At least 4 million vehicles have been fixed so far.
Ford has recalled some 1.5 million Mustangs from 2005-2014, Ford GTs from 2005-2006 and Ranger pickups from 2004-2006.
Honda and Toyota are the automakers with the most vehicles affected by the recall.
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com, follow him on Twitter or find him on Facebook.