Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
490–25K
1525–50K
1050–75K
675–100K
7100–150K
0150K+
87 reports with mileage · 68 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Service Brakes. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports3 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
155 reports
Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2022
Wheels
Went to the dealer for oil change & tire rotation. Service department told me they could not do the tire rotation due to the fact they could not remove the lug nuts. They wanted me to buy new lug nuts at a cost of $334.00. I declined, decided to research on my own to replace. Hopefully I don’t have to worry about a wheel falling…
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Went to the dealer for oil change & tire rotation. Service department told me they could not do the tire rotation due to the fact they could not remove the lug nuts. They wanted me to buy new lug nuts at a cost of $334.00. I declined, decided to research on my own to replace. Hopefully I don’t have to worry about a wheel falling off.
NHTSA ODI #11492978
Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2022
Electrical System
In early September the vehicle was completely without electrical power. My husband was able to jump start the car. We bought a new battery from AutoZone and it was installed by their technician. September 22, 2022 the same issue occurred and the car had to be jump started. I took the vehicle to the dealership who was able to …
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In early September the vehicle was completely without electrical power. My husband was able to jump start the car. We bought a new battery from AutoZone and it was installed by their technician. September 22, 2022 the same issue occurred and the car had to be jump started. I took the vehicle to the dealership who was able to find no cause of the failure. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms (no difficulty starting etc.) Based on other accounts this appears to be associated with NHTSA Campaign # 19V809000 - Electrical System. The dealership did not charge me for anything related to this failure as they could not recreate it.
NHTSA ODI #11489678
122,000 miles · Sep 12, 2022
Electrical System
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The contact's husband replaced the battery, and the vehicle restarted; however, the failure reoccurred twice. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred th…
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The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The contact's husband replaced the battery, and the vehicle restarted; however, the failure reoccurred twice. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. The dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V809000 (Electrical System). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
NHTSA ODI #11484035
Mileage unknown · Apr 5, 2022
Wheels
Brought vehicle into the dealer for tire rotation service. They said they could not take my wheels off the car because the lug nuts have become swollen. This is a common condition where the chromed metal lug nut covers become separated from the lug nuts and expand such that the lug nut socket no longer fits. This means that I ca…
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Brought vehicle into the dealer for tire rotation service. They said they could not take my wheels off the car because the lug nuts have become swollen. This is a common condition where the chromed metal lug nut covers become separated from the lug nuts and expand such that the lug nut socket no longer fits. This means that I can't remove a wheel to fix a flat on the road which become a real hazard.
NHTSA ODI #11459743
43,700 miles · Feb 1, 2022
Engine
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated complete failure warning message was displayed. The contact was able to pull over and restart the vehicle and functionality was returned. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but …
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The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated complete failure warning message was displayed. The contact was able to pull over and restart the vehicle and functionality was returned. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer but was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,700.
NHTSA ODI #11449768
Mileage unknown · Dec 21, 2021
Electrical SystemSteering
While driving, there is an electrical issue that is causing warning alarms to go off for hill-descend control, advance-trac traction control, etc. During this time, there is also a complete loss of power steering and making the vehicle almost impossible to turn. The first incident happened on November 26, 2021 around 7pm were I …
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While driving, there is an electrical issue that is causing warning alarms to go off for hill-descend control, advance-trac traction control, etc. During this time, there is also a complete loss of power steering and making the vehicle almost impossible to turn. The first incident happened on November 26, 2021 around 7pm were I was able to stop prior to hitting a building. I shut the vehicle off and back on again and the power steering was now working. I was unable to get Lincoln to tow the vehicle because it was "too far" from the roadside tow drivers service area. On the same day, I drove it the rest of the way home but upon exciting the highway around 7:30pm, the power steering again went out and I was able to stop the vehicle prior to going into the ditch next to the road. I had it towed to a Lincoln dealer in Wixom, Michigan but over the weekend could not locate the vehicle and at that point I was talking to an Advisor with Lincoln. They told her it would be at least 5 weeks before they could even look at the vehicle so per her recommendation, it was towed to Lafontaine Lincoln in Flushing, Michigan. It was in the shop until Wednesday, December 15th. I was informed they changed out the steering rack and pinion but was given no paperwork because they told me it was all covered under warranty. On December 21, 2021 while driving on Linden Road in Fenton, Michigan, it did the same thing with my wife driving and resulted in a compete loss of power steering and she went into the oncoming lane around a bend before she was able to get the vehicle stopped. Luckily there was no oncoming traffic. I will be having it towed again to the dealership. Luckily for me, these incidents have only resulted in near-miss situations but this is a major issue and will result in serious accidents if it hasn't already.
NHTSA ODI #11444541
20,963 miles · Dec 14, 2021
Wheels
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for routine maintenance, the dealer informed the contact that the lug nuts needed to be replaced due to the lug nut edges being rounded. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had safety concerns if the vehicle had a flat tire in …
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The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for routine maintenance, the dealer informed the contact that the lug nuts needed to be replaced due to the lug nut edges being rounded. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had safety concerns if the vehicle had a flat tire in a rural area or in cold weather conditions where the lug nuts could not be removed with a lug wrench to replace a flat tire. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,963.
NHTSA ODI #11443824
Mileage unknown · Nov 30, 2021
Service BrakesCrash
Brake pedal went to the floor causing crash. Inspected by the insurance company. No warning lamps came on
NHTSA ODI #11442136
85,000 miles · Oct 6, 2021
Electrical System
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the battery and indicated that the gear selector indicator on the gauge cluster and shifter buttons remained illuminated while the vehicle was off causing the battery to drain. T…
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The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the battery and indicated that the gear selector indicator on the gauge cluster and shifter buttons remained illuminated while the vehicle was off causing the battery to drain. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,000.
NHTSA ODI #11435723
50,000 miles · Jul 7, 2021
Seats
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while entering the vehicle and adjusting the seat adjuster switch, the seat failed to move forward. The contact restarted the vehicle and depressed the seat adjuster button and the seat moved forward but failed to stop. The contact moved forward into the steering wheel…
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The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact stated that while entering the vehicle and adjusting the seat adjuster switch, the seat failed to move forward. The contact restarted the vehicle and depressed the seat adjuster button and the seat moved forward but failed to stop. The contact moved forward into the steering wheel and squeezed his leg under the steering wheel. The contact turned off the vehicle for the seat to stop moving. The contact exited the vehicle however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 50,000.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2015-2018 Edge vehicles. The rear brake jounce hose may rupture and leak brake fluid.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A brake fluid leak can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake jounce hoses and adjust brake jounce hoses with no damage present, free of charge. Interim owner letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed September 8, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S87.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture prematurely.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A ruptured front brake hose will cause a brake fluid leak, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front brake hoses with the new hoses that have a revised braid material, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 13, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S42.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture prematurely.
Consequence: A ruptured front brake hose will cause a brake fluid leak, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front brake hoses with the new hoses that have a revised braid material, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 13, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S42.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford Edge and 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture prematurely.
Consequence: A ruptured front brake hose will cause a brake fluid leak, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front brake hoses with the new hoses that have a revised braid material, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 13, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S42.
Ford Motor Company, Inc. (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2019-2020 Nautilus vehicles equipped with 16-way electric tilt seats. The seat cushion frame edge may contact the wire harness when the seat occupant uses the tilt function of the seat, potentially damaging one or more wires within the harness, which can result in either inadvertent deployment of the air bag or nondeployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An air bag that deploys inadvertently increases the risk of a crash. An air bag that does not deploy in the event of a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective flocking tape onto the exposed edge of the 16-way seat cushion frames, and inspect the wire harness for damage, and repair or replace it as needed, free of charge. This recall began August 12, 2020. Owners may contact Ford/Lincoln customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S37.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Seats:front Assembly:power Adjust
Ford Motor Company, Inc. (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2019-2020 Nautilus vehicles equipped with 16-way electric tilt seats. The seat cushion frame edge may contact the wire harness when the seat occupant uses the tilt function of the seat, potentially damaging one or more wires within the harness, which can result in either inadvertent deployment of the air bag or nondeployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
Consequence: An air bag that deploys inadvertently increases the risk of a crash. An air bag that does not deploy in the event of a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective flocking tape onto the exposed edge of the 16-way seat cushion frames, and inspect the wire harness for damage, and repair or replace it as needed, free of charge. This recall began August 12, 2020. Owners may contact Ford/Lincoln customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S37.
Air Bags
Ford Motor Company, Inc. (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2019-2020 Nautilus vehicles equipped with 16-way electric tilt seats. The seat cushion frame edge may contact the wire harness when the seat occupant uses the tilt function of the seat, potentially damaging one or more wires within the harness, which can result in either inadvertent deployment of the air bag or nondeployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
Consequence: An air bag that deploys inadvertently increases the risk of a crash. An air bag that does not deploy in the event of a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective flocking tape onto the exposed edge of the 16-way seat cushion frames, and inspect the wire harness for damage, and repair or replace it as needed, free of charge. This recall began August 12, 2020. Owners may contact Ford/Lincoln customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S37.
Electrical System:wiring:interior/under Dash
Ford Motor Company, Inc. (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX and 2019-2020 Nautilus vehicles equipped with 16-way electric tilt seats. The seat cushion frame edge may contact the wire harness when the seat occupant uses the tilt function of the seat, potentially damaging one or more wires within the harness, which can result in either inadvertent deployment of the air bag or nondeployment of the air bag in the event of a crash.
Consequence: An air bag that deploys inadvertently increases the risk of a crash. An air bag that does not deploy in the event of a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will install protective flocking tape onto the exposed edge of the 16-way seat cushion frames, and inspect the wire harness for damage, and repair or replace it as needed, free of charge. This recall began August 12, 2020. Owners may contact Ford/Lincoln customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S37.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Lincoln MKX vehicles equipped with 3.7L engines. The battery positive cable harness may contact the transmission shifter cable bracket resulting in a short circuit.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the battery harness clips and elbow guide, and install a wire channel shield and protective sleeve to the battery cable harness, free of charge. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on December 2, 2019. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available, currently expected to be the end of April 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S41.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2015-2016 Ford Edge, and 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Road salt or other contaminants may corrode the electric power steering gear motor attachment bolts.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the bolts corrode, the steering gear motor may detach from the gear housing resulting in a loss of power steering assist, requiring a greater steering effort, especially at lower speeds, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear motor bolts and apply a wax sealer. If any of the steering gear motor attachment bolts are broken or missing, a new steering gear will be installed in the vehicle. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began October 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S26.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles and 2017 Lincoln Continental vehicles. In the event of a crash, the driver's frontal air bag may not fully inflate or the air bag cushion may detach from the air bag module. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: During deployment, if the air bag does not fully inflate or the cushion detaches, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began June 16, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17C02.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Lincoln MKX vehicles manufactured September 24, 2015. An incorrect seat back trim cover was installed on the affected vehicles, blocking the child seat tether anchors in the second row center seating position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child restraint anchorage systems."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An improperly anchored child seat can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seat back trim cover and tether cover bezel on the second row, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C09.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
EA21002 · Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Opened Sep 17, 2021 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module; Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
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