Ford Joins Honda and Mazda in National Takata Airbag Recall

After NHTSA called on five automakers to expand their recalls of vehicles equipped with defective Takata airbags, Ford has issued a nationwide recall of over half of a million cars, joining Honda and Mazda in compliance with the safety regulator’s request. Ford originally recalled just 55,000 vehicles operating in high humidity areas, but when data proved that airbag malfunctions were occurring outside these warmer climates, agreed to expand its purview. The other two automakers, BMW and Chrysler, have yet to issue statements regarding their intent to comply with the recall request−while the parts manufacturer at the center of the entire safety scandal, Takata Corp., is refusing to yield to the NHTSA’s authority.