🕑3 min read
Stellantis is taking the rare step of telling some owners to park their vehicles immediately. The automaker has issued a formal “Do Not Drive” directive covering approximately 225,000 older Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, and Ram vehicles in the U.S. that still have unrepaired Takata airbag inflators.
This latest action is part of the long-running Takata airbag recall—the largest automotive recall in U.S. history. While Stellantis says it has repaired more than 6.6 million affected vehicles over the past decade—about 95% of the total recalled population—there are still hundreds of thousands of vehicles on the road that have not received the critical fix.
2005 Dodge Dakota Laramie Club Cab 4×2. (Dodge).
Owners who have not completed the repair began receiving renewed outreach earlier this month.
Now, the message has escalated from reminder to urgent warning.
The problem centers around defective Takata airbag inflators that can deteriorate over time. The chemical propellant inside the inflator may degrade — especially in areas exposed to prolonged heat and humidity. If the airbag deploys in a crash, the inflator can rupture instead of inflating properly. When that happens, metal fragments can be blasted into the cabin, creating a potentially deadly situation.
2007 Chrysler Aspen Limited 4×4. (Chrysler).
Stellantis emphasized the seriousness of the directive, stating, “This action is intended to accelerate the repair of the remaining affected vehicles to safeguard owners, their families and the general public from the risk of serious injury or death.” The company continued, “This stop-drive directive is focused on completing repairs on this remaining population,” noting it has already completed recall repairs on more than 6.6 million vehicles.
Federal regulators are backing up the urgency. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said 28 deaths stemming from crashes involving defective Takata air bag inflators have occurred in the U.S. and warned that “minor crashes can result in exploding Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries.”
2009 Ram 1500 Laramie Crew Cab 4×4. (Ram).
To put this into perspective, more than 100 million vehicles worldwide have been recalled over Takata inflators, including 67 million in the U.S. alone — making it the largest automotive recall in U.S. history.
The affected Stellantis vehicles include:
Dodge –
Dodge Ram (2003–2016)
Dodge Sprinter (2003–2016)
Dodge Durango (2004–2009)
Dodge Dakota (2005–2012)
Dodge Magnum (2005–2008)
Dodge Charger (2006–2015)
Dodge Challenger (2008–2014)
Chrysler –
Chrysler Aspen (2007–2009)
Chrysler Crossfire (2007–2008)
Chrysler 300 (2008–2014)
Jeep® –
2007 Dodge Sprinter 3500 170″ EWB. (Dodge).
Repairs are free and involve replacing the defective inflator with an updated component that meets current federal safety standards. Owners can check their VIN through NHTSA’s recall lookup tool or contact their local dealership to confirm eligibility.
If your vehicle is included and the recall hasn’t been completed, Stellantis is making it clear: park it and schedule the repair immediately. This is not a routine recall notice — it’s a direct warning tied to a proven safety risk.
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For owners — what this means for you
Owners affected by this recall should take two steps to stay informed:
Robert S. Miller