Today, Ford issued a critical warning that certain recalled model year 2006 Ford Rangers with defective Takata air bags are an immediate risk to safety.  Affected owners are urged not to drive these vehicles and to contact Ford immediately to schedule a free repair. Ford announced that it will send mobile repair teams to owners’ homes, tow vehicles to a local dealership for repair, and provide loaner vehicles – all free of charge.

NHTSA is asking the media and the public to help spread the word. It’s critical that this message reaches all affected owners. NHTSA’s top priority is safety; it is extremely important that all high-risk air bags are tracked down and replaced immediately.

NHTSA will continue to ensure all consumers are kept informed of current and future recalls. To stay informed and safe, NHTSA urges all drivers to take the following five actions. 

1. Visit NHTSA.gov to find out if your car or truck is under recall. Search using your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Your search result will tell you if your car or truck is included in this or any other safety recall at this time. Vehicles scheduled for future recalls will not show up in this search, so it is important that you check regularly, at least twice per year.
2. If your vehicle does have a recall, call your local dealer to schedule the free repair. Just remember that in the Takata air bag recalls, there are priority groups; parts are only available for certain vehicles starting at certain dates. 
3. Sign up at NHTSA.gov/Alerts to be notified by e-mail if your vehicle is affected by a future recall. 
4. Get answers to frequently asked questions at nhtsa.gov/takata.
5. Help spread the word: share NHTSA’s consumer fact sheet and video with friends and family.

Stay connected with NHTSA: Search for open recalls with NHTSA.gov/Recalls| Download the Safercar Mobile App for Apple devices | Receive recall alerts by e-mail | Visit us on Facebook.com/NHTSA | Follow us on Twitter.com/NHTSA.gov | Watch 5-Star Safety Ratings crash tests on YouTube.com/USDOTNHTSA.