Ford stops using Takata air bag inflators in future vehicles

The automaker joins Honda, Toyota and Nissan in moving away from airbag components built by the beleaguered parts maker, which is the subject of the largest overall recall in US history.

Ford Motor Co. said on Monday it is not using Takata Corp. air bag inflators in vehicles under development, but is not issuing a recall or expanding previously announced recalls.

Hundreds of injuries and at least eight fatalities are tied to the air bags. The inflators have led to the recall of 19.2 million vehicles in the USA, and government regulators are investigating the possibility of millions more.

Felker said it remains a “possibility” that Ford will continue buying other parts from Takata in the future. As part of a bargain with theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Takata accepted pay up to $200 million in penalties and hasty replacements of numerous of the devices already in use.

Ford has recalled 1,509,535 vehicles from the 2005-14 model years because of the defect.

Takata has said it will phase out the manufacturing of the compound by the end of 2018. The Japanese auto supplier faces another $130 million in fines if it doesn’t comply with orders, which include hiring an independent monitor. As of October 9, only 22.5 percent of the recalled inflators had been replaced nationwide, but the pace is a bit faster in high-humidity states like Florida, which have been given priority.