Stellantis Issues Urgent “Do Not Drive” Alert for 225,000 Older U.S. Vehicles Over Takata Airbag Risk

Stellantis has issued a serious safety warning for owners of approximately 225,000 older vehicles in the United States, urging them not to drive their cars or trucks until defective airbag inflators are replaced. The automaker’s alert highlights a long-standing safety issue with Takata-made airbags, which have been linked to deadly deployments in collisions.

The announcement, issued through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), applies to a wide range of older models from brands under the Stellantis umbrella — including Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram, and Mitsubishi — that have not yet had their recalled airbags repaired.

Defective Airbags and Deadly Consequences

The Takata airbags at issue use a chemical propellant that can degrade over time, especially after prolonged exposure to heat and humidity. When the inflator fails during deployment, the airbag can explode and send metal fragments flying into the vehicle cabin, posing a serious risk of injury or even death — even in relatively minor crashes. According to NHTSA data, at least 28 deaths in the U.S. have been linked to crashes involving faulty Takata inflators.

This safety risk is why the agency has urged owners to park affected vehicles immediately and to arrange for repairs before driving again. Stellantis has already completed repairs on millions of affected vehicles across previous stages of the recall — but this alert focuses on the remaining unrepaired population.

Who Is Affected?

Older vehicles with unrepaired Takata airbags span many models and years, including classic favorites and workhorses:

• Dodge: Ram pickup trucks, Durango SUVs, Dakota, Magnum, Charger and Challenger models
• Chrysler: Aspen and 300 sedans
• Jeep: Wrangler
• Mitsubishi: Raider pickup
  Affected models generally range from the early 2000s through mid-2010s and have recall campaigns that were initiated years ago but not yet completed.

What Owners Should Do

Stellantis and NHTSA emphasize safety first:

• Do not drive the vehicle until the defective airbag inflator is replaced.
• Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or contact your dealer to confirm if your vehicle is covered.
• Repairs are free under the recall and must be completed at an authorized dealer.

This “Do Not Drive” alert is part of what federal regulators describe as the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history, involving over 100 million Takata airbags installed across many automakers’ vehicles. Stellantis remains focused on getting the remaining unrepaired examples fixed, underlining that even vehicles that seem to operate normally could pose hidden risks if a defect remains unaddressed.