Faulty Takata airbags are being blamed for another death.
This involves a 2003 Dodge Ram pickup truck and is the 26th death linked to the rupturing airbags.
While the vehicle had been recalled, it has not been repaired.
Despite warnings and multiple recall notices, the government says seven million recalled airbags have still not been repaired.
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Many of the vehicles could still be on the road or sitting in your driveway.
Six years ago, forensic expert Bill Williams spoke with ABC15 and showed the Let Joe Know tam how Takata inflators work and how the round part in the middle can turn deadly.
"That's the explosion right there. That's normally in the airbag," said Williams.
Williams showed ABC15 what a normal explosion would look like, sending gas out to inflate the airbag and protect the passengers.
Then he showed me what happens when a faulty inflator ruptures inside the bag.
He then showed what a faulty inflator looks like when it ruptures inside the bag. Sharp metal pieces broke loose and went through the airbag causing driver deaths and now a passenger airbag death.
The government says this 26th death was the first involving a passenger-side Takata inflator.
While that is new, automakers are dealing with the same old problem.
The 2003 Dodge Ram truck involved in this case was recalled back in 2015.
But the automaker says it had not been brought in for repairs.
"There were 6 outreach attempts in this case," said Eric Mayne, a spokesperson for Sellantis.
Dodge is one of its brands.
Because of this recent death, 2003 Dodge Ram pickup trucks have been added to their "stop drive" campaign, which literally means stop driving the car.
It's a drastic step taken by several automakers.
Right now, the Takata recalls involve most carmakers, 34 brands, usually older model cars.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA shows while nearly 45 million of the affected airbags have been repaired, 7 million have not.
NHTSA released the latest Takata airbag recall numbers and information including automakers and models affected.
Recall notices may not have gotten to owners or they are being ignored.
Recall repairs are free.
Mayne says with Stellantis brand cars, "We will pick up the vehicle, repair it for free, pick it up for free."
You can contact your dealer for this recall repair service.
The Takata recall is massive and has had massive problems, including parts not being available.
Replacement parts are now available.
Does your car have a Takata airbag recall notice, to check click here.
To read the full Stellantis statement, click here.
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