Third air bag death confirmed, owners urged to get repairs

By TOM KRISHER
AP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) — Stellantis and U.S. safety regulators have confirmed that an exploding Takata air bag inflator has killed another driver. The company and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reiterated warnings to owners of 274,000 older Dodge and Chrysler vehicles to stop driving them until faulty inflators are replaced. Stellantis announced two deaths in November caused by the air bags and said it suspected an inflator caused another. The company formerly known as Fiat Chrysler confirmed the third death early Monday. Stellantis is urging people to stop driving Dodge Magnum wagons, Dodge Challenger and Charger muscle cars and Chrysler 300 sedans from the 2005 through 2010 model years. Since 2009, the exploding air bags have killed at least 33 people worldwide.