Reference
The Takata air bag recall
The largest vehicle recall in US history is still not finished. If a car you own or are buying was ever included, this is how to check it and get it fixed for free.
The short version
If your vehicle has an open Takata air bag recall, get it fixed now. The repair is free, NHTSA calls these “the largest and most complex vehicle recalls in U.S. history,” and the risk rises as the inflators age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; if the result shows an open Takata recall, call a dealer for that brand. If your vehicle is under a “Do Not Drive” warning, described below, do not drive it except as the manufacturer directs.
How big the recall is
NHTSA's Takata recall page states that approximately 67 million Takata air bags, in priority groups 1 through 12, have been recalled in tens of millions of vehicles in the United States, from 19 vehicle manufacturers. The number grew in stages as more inflators were added: NHTSA's own updates put it at about 50 million inflators in 37 million vehicles in 2018 and about 61 million inflators by 2020. NHTSA says all of the scheduled recalls have now been filed, so for any one vehicle the remaining question is whether its VIN has a recall still open.
The human cost is stated on the same page: NHTSA has confirmed that 28 people in the United States have been killed by defective Takata inflators, and at least 400 have allegedly been injured. Those figures have risen over time; NHTSA's May 2024 release on Nissan vehicles gave 27 confirmed deaths.
Why the inflators rupture
The inflator is the part that fills the air bag in a crash, using a chemical propellant. The recalled Takata inflators use phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate, which NHTSA abbreviates PSAN. According to NHTSA, the propellant breaks down after long-term exposure to high temperature fluctuations and humidity. Degraded propellant can burn too quickly and build excess pressure, and the inflator can then rupture in a crash and throw metal fragments at the people the air bag is meant to protect.
Two factors drive the risk. Age: NHTSA notes that “an older air bag is more likely to explode than a newer version of the same air bag.” And climate: the risk comes from continuous, year-round exposure to heat and humidity, which is why the oldest vehicles in the hottest, most humid regions were put in the first priority groups. NHTSA addresses a question it clearly gets asked: a car that spends only the winter in Florida does not get the same priority, because seasonal exposure is not the same as year-round exposure.
Alpha inflators and “Do Not Drive” warnings
Some inflators are far more dangerous than others. In February 2023, NHTSA and Honda upgraded the recall of Takata “Alpha” driver air bag inflators in certain 2001–2003 Honda and Acura vehicles to a Do Not Drive warning, stating that these inflators have a 50% chance of rupturing in even a minor crash. NHTSA has publicized Do Not Drive warnings for these groups:
| Manufacturer | Vehicles | Announced |
|---|---|---|
| Honda and Acura | 2001–2002 Accord and Civic; 2002 CR-V and Odyssey; 2003 Pilot; 2002–2003 Acura 3.2 TL; 2003 Acura 3.2 CL (Alpha inflators) | 3 February 2023 |
| BMW | 2000–2006 3 Series (E46), 2000–2003 5 Series (E39) and 2000–2004 X5 (E53) with certain Takata driver inflators — about 90,000 vehicles | 4 May 2023 |
| Nissan and Infiniti | 2002–2006 Sentra, 2002–2004 Pathfinder and 2002–2003 Infiniti QX4 with open recalls 20V-008 or 20V-747 — 83,920 vehicles | 29 May 2024 |
| Ford and Mazda | 2006 Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series trucks | Listed on NHTSA's Takata page |
For these vehicles the manufacturers have offered free towing or mobile repair, and in some cases loaner vehicles, so the car does not have to be driven to the dealer. For the Honda and Acura group, NHTSA's page says to drive only to the dealership for the repair. The list on NHTSA's Takata page is the current one; check it rather than relying on a copy.
Which makes are affected
NHTSA's list of affected vehicles covers the following makes, with the specific models and years on its Takata page: Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ferrari, Fisker, Ford, GMC, Honda, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Mercury, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Scion, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota and Volkswagen, plus Sprinter vans and Sterling Bullet trucks. NHTSA warns that the list is subject to change, and a make appearing on it does not mean every model of that make is affected.
How to check one specific car
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. This is the check that matters. Our recall lookup and the list shown when you decode a VIN show the Takata campaigns for a year, make and model, which tells you whether the model was included but not whether this car has been fixed.
- Check again. NHTSA recommends checking at least twice a year, since newly identified VINs are added over time.
- Ask about a second repair. Some manufacturers first fitted new inflators of the same type as an interim fix and then replaced those with a final remedy later. NHTSA notes that Ford's final repairs on vehicles that had an interim repair are tracked in priority groups 11 and 12. A car that was fixed once can therefore show an open Takata recall again.
- Look at both sides. Driver and passenger inflators can be covered by separate campaigns, so a car can have one repaired and the other still open. NHTSA's records for the 2003 Honda Accord, for example, include separate driver-side and passenger-side inflator campaigns, and a 2019 campaign that concerns a previous Takata inflator remedy.
Getting it fixed
Call a dealer for your vehicle's brand and give them the VIN. NHTSA's page is direct: the vehicle “will be repaired for free.” If the dealer offers an interim repair, NHTSA advises accepting it even though it moves you down the priority list, because a newer inflator is lower risk, and you remain entitled to the free final repair. If a dealer refuses, notify the manufacturer, and you can file a complaint with NHTSA or call its Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. The general process is in getting a recall repaired.
Two things NHTSA specifically warns against. Do not ask to have the air bag disabled; a disabled air bag cannot protect you, and NHTSA says a working one is more likely to help than harm. And do not confuse class action or bankruptcy mail with the recall: those are separate, and they do not affect your right to the free repair.
A separate issue: ARC inflators
Takata is not the only inflator maker NHTSA has examined. In September 2023 NHTSA issued an initial decision that certain air bag inflators made by ARC Automotive, and by Delphi under license from ARC, contain a safety defect, and in July 2024 it issued a supplemental initial decision covering approximately 51 million inflators in approximately 49 million vehicles. An initial decision is not a recall order: NHTSA said it would make a final decision only after manufacturers and the public had the chance to respond. We could not confirm a final decision on nhtsa.gov. ARC is a different company from Takata, and its inflators are not part of the Takata recalls. As with any recall, if one is filed that covers your vehicle, it should appear in NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Quick answers
Is the Takata airbag recall repair free?
Yes. NHTSA says the vehicle will be repaired for free. If the dealer offers an interim repair, NHTSA advises accepting it, and you remain entitled to the free final repair.
How do I check if my car has a Takata airbag recall?
Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, and if the result shows an open Takata recall, call a dealer for that brand. NHTSA recommends checking at least twice a year, since newly identified VINs are added over time.
What does a Takata Do Not Drive warning mean?
Do not drive the vehicle except as the manufacturer directs. NHTSA has publicized Do Not Drive warnings for certain Honda and Acura, BMW, Nissan and Infiniti, and Ford and Mazda vehicles, and for these the manufacturers have offered free towing or mobile repair, and in some cases loaner vehicles.
Why do Takata airbags explode?
Their propellant breaks down. The recalled inflators use phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate, which NHTSA says breaks down after long-term exposure to high temperature fluctuations and humidity, and degraded propellant can build excess pressure so the inflator ruptures in a crash and throws metal fragments. The risk rises with the inflator's age and with year-round heat and humidity.
Sources
- NHTSA, Takata Recall Spotlight
- NHTSA, NHTSA at Work: Safety Agency Oversees Free Air Bag Repairs for Millions of Americans
- NHTSA, Honda upgrades Takata Alpha recall to Do Not Drive (3 February 2023)
- NHTSA, BMW Do Not Drive warning (4 May 2023)
- NHTSA, Nissan and Infiniti Do Not Drive warning (29 May 2024)
- NHTSA, ARC initial decision notice (5 September 2023) and supplemental initial decision (31 July 2024)
- NHTSA, Check for Recalls
- NHTSA recalls API, recalls for the 2003 Honda Accord, retrieved October 2026