Ford and Mazda Hope to Be Removed From Latest Airbag Recall<br />By NEAL E. BOUDETTEJULY 21, 2017<br />Ford Motor and Mazda plan to ask federal safety regulators to exclude their vehicles from the latest expansion of the<br />sweeping recall of airbag inflaters made by Takata, a Japanese supplier that sought bankruptcy protection in June.<br />Earlier this month, Takata added 2.7 million vehicles to a recall aimed at replacing defective airbags<br />that can explode too violently and have been linked to at least 17 deaths, including 12 in the United States.<br />“At this point, there is no data to suggest a recall is needed.”<br />Takata inflaters use ammonium nitrate to create a controlled explosion that rapidly inflates airbags in the event of a collision.<br />But on Tuesday, Ford informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration<br />that it intended to fight the recall, saying its inflaters contain a chemical compound that has proved effective in preventing violent ruptures.<br />Over the years, Takata has used a variety of chemical agents to keep the propellant dry, with some<br />combinations showing a greater propensity to fail than others, according to federal regulators.
