Ford Must Recall 3M Vehicles Due To Dangerous Airbags, Orders NHTSA

Ford Motor Company F will have to recall 3 million vehicles due to defective airbags, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Reuters reported Tuesday.

What Happened: The federal regulator rejected Ford and Mazda Motor Corporation’s MZDAY petitions centered around avoiding the recall of the dangerous Takata airbags, according to Reuters.

The agency said on its website that 2006 Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series vehicles are at a far higher risk for exploding airbags, which could injure or kill vehicle occupants due to emanating fragments.

“These vehicles can and should be repaired immediately,” the regulator said. 

Ford said Tuesday that the affected vehicles were subject to an earlier recall for the passenger-side airbag, according to Reuters.

See Also: GM To Recall 5.9M Vehicles Over Faulty Airbags As NHTSA Turns Down Petition

Why It Matters: Affected vehicles include Ford Ranger, Fusion, Edge, Lincoln, Zephyr/MKZ, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln MKX, noted Reuters.

The defect has led to the largest automotive recall in U.S. history — necessitating the refurbishing of 67 million airbags.

The inflators have reportedly led to the death of at least 27 people around the world and 18 in the United States and have caused over 400 injuries. 

Ford must submit to NHTSA a “proposed schedule for the notification of vehicle owners and the launch of a remedy” within 30 days, as per Reuters.

Last week, Tesla Inc TSLA was asked by the regulator to recall 158,000 Model S, X vehicles due to defective touchscreens.

Price Action: Ford shares closed nearly 1.9% higher on Tuesday at $10.02 and gained 1% in the after-hours session.