Ford recalls 3m vehicles with potentially deadly Takata airbags

*Multiple companies have recalled trailers, other vehicles due to fire hazards as the airbags are linked to about 18 deaths due to propellant in the airbags’ inflators degrading over time

*GM also battles with a seatbelt brackets issue affecting hundreds of thousands of vehicles

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

Consumers who own a Ford vehicle may want to double-check to make sure that it is safe to take out on the road for now.

The automobile company announced during the week, that it is recalling approximately 3 million vehicles that are equipped with Takata airbags.

It was gathered these airbags have already been linked to at least 18 deaths in the United States due to an issue that causes the propellant in the airbags’ inflators to degrade over time.

In some cases, according to agency report, the degradation can cause the airbags to explode and send tiny bits of metal into the passenger cabin.

The recall affects certain vehicles in the 2006 to 2012 model years, including the Ford Fusion, Ranger, and Edge; Lincoln/MKZ/Zephyr and MKX; and Mercury Milan. All told, the company said it will spend $610 million to repair affected vehicles.

Ford isn’t the only automaker dealing with this kind of problem. Volkswagen also announced a recall of 2012-2014 Beetles and Beetle Convertibles this week over similar issues.

Meanwhile, as Ford grappling with unsafe airbags, GM had its hands full during the week with a seatbelt issue affecting hundreds of thousands of vehicles.

It was discovered that some of the seat belt brackets in affected vehicles were not properly attached to the seat frames.

Without this connection, a passenger could potentially become seriously injured in a crash because they would not be restrained properly.

The automaker said it would notify affected owners who have affected vehicles and work with dealers to correct the issue free of charge.