Ford and Mazda warned owners of more than 475,000 older vehicles in the United States not to drive these cars because they contain dangerous airbags produced by Takata that have not been replaced.

The warning issued on Tuesday includes more than 374,000 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles from models 2004 to 2014 and about 83,000 Mazda vehicles from models 2003 to 2015.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that the airbags can explode with great force in the event of an accident, leading to the rupture of a metal canister and shrapnel being released that can seriously injure or kill people. All of these vehicles have previously been recalled but have not yet completed repairs.

The Ford models covered by the warning include Ranger pickup trucks from 2004 to 2011, Mustang cars from 2005 to 2014, Ford GTs from 2005 and 2006, Fusion cars from 2006 to 2012, and Edge SUVs from 2007 to 2010.

The affected Mercury and Lincoln models include Milan, MKZ, and Zephyr from 2006 to 2012, and MKX from 2007 to 2010.

The Mazda models covered by the warning include B-Series trucks from 2004 to 2009, Mazda 6 cars from 2003 to 2013, Speed6 from 2006 and 2007, and RX-8 from 2004 to 2011. The list also includes MPV cars from 2004 to 2006, CX-7 from 2007 to 2012, and CX-9 from 2007 to 2015.

The government reports that 27 people have died in the United States because of the faulty Takata inflators, which used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate airbags in the event of an accident. The chemical can degrade over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. More than 400 people have been injured in the United States.

At least 35 people have been killed worldwide due to Takata airbags in Malaysia, Australia, and the United States.

The potential for serious failure led to the largest series of automotive recalls in U.S. history, involving at least 67 million vehicles. The U.S. government states that many of these have not been repaired. Approximately 100 million vehicles have been recalled worldwide. The explosion of the airbags led to Takata's bankruptcy.

Owners can check to see if their vehicles are covered by going to the NHTSA website and entering their vehicle identification number or license plate. Ford and Mazda also have online sites for vehicle recalls.

If the vehicle has an unremedied Takata inflator, owners should stop driving it and contact the dealer to set up an appointment for repairs. NHTSA states that Ford and Mazda offer free towing services or mobile repairs and loaner vehicles if necessary.

The agency said in a statement, "Even minor accidents can lead to the explosion of Takata airbags that can kill or cause life-altering injuries. Older-model vehicles expose their occupants to a higher risk."

Ford states that more than 765,000 inflators in Ford and Lincoln vehicles worldwide should not be driven until the airbags inflators are replaced. In the United States, the company has made more than 121 million attempts to contact owners, including emails, phone calls, text messages, and home visits. The company states that over 95% of its customers in the United States have replaced their vehicle’s inflators.

Nissan, Honda, Stellantis, Ford, BMW, Toyota, and Mazda have previously issued similar warnings not to drive some of their vehicles equipped with Takata inflators.