Stellantis confirms third Takata airbag death

Stellantis and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have confirmed that an exploding Takata airbag inflator has killed another driver.

Warnings have been made to stop driving the 274,000 Dodge Magnum wagons, Dodge Challenger and Charger muscle cars, and Chrysler 300 sedans from the 2005 through 2010 model years until faulty inflators are replaced.

Takata creates a tiny explosion using ammonium nitrate to inflate airbags during a collision.

However, if the substance is repeatedly exposed to high temperatures and moisture in the air, it may eventually become more volatile. A metal canister may shatter during the explosion, spewing shards into the passenger area.

In November, Stellantis announced two deaths caused by the airbags and said it suspected the inflators caused another.

The exploding airbags have killed at least 33 people worldwide since 2009, including 24 in the US.

All three deaths this year happened in warm-weather US states.

NHTSA said the latest person killed was driving a 2010 Chrysler 300.

Deaths and injuries have also occurred in Australia and Malaysia.

According to Tom McCarthy, global head of safety and regulatory compliance at Stellantis.the risk increases with each day these air bag inflators go unreplaced

On Feb. 22, the driver of a 2002 Honda Accord was killed in Bowling Green, Kentucky when the airbag inflator ruptured and hurled shrapnel.

About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. Millions have not been repaired in the US.