HORRIFYING Airbag Fiasco Leads to RECALL

Jaguar Land Rover just pulled nearly 21,000 Range Rover Evoques off American roads because the supposedly “luxury” SUV’s airbag might actually burn your passenger—if it deploys at all.

At a Glance

Jaguar Land Rover recalls almost 21,000 Range Rover Evoque SUVs (model years 2021–2025) due to dangerous passenger airbag defect.
No injuries or accidents reported so far, but the risk of burn injuries led to the urgent recall.
Airbag supplier Joyson Safety Systems, successor to disgraced Takata, is at the center of the defect.
Owners will be notified after August 29, repairs are free, and NHTSA is overseeing the recall process.

Jaguar’s Latest Safety Blunder: A High-End Recall with a Familiar Story

Jaguar Land Rover announced a recall that should make any taxpayer who’s ever been stuck behind the wheel of an overhyped “luxury” vehicle shake their head. Nearly 21,000 Range Rover Evoque SUVs, built between 2021 and 2025, are headed back to the shop—not because of a minor glitch, but because the passenger airbag could literally tear open and shoot out hot gases, causing potential burn injuries. The company claims nobody has been hurt yet, but how many times have we heard that one? This is the same automaker that touts safety and British engineering, yet here we go again with another high-dollar car that can’t even guarantee the most basic promise: keeping you safe in a crash.

Jaguar Land Rover has issued a major safety recall for select 2021–2025 Range Rover Evoque models in the U.S. due to a critical defect in the front passenger airbag.@JLR_News https://t.co/PevQKmO2ve

— Express Drives (@ExpressDrives) July 14, 2025

This isn’t the first rodeo for Jaguar Land Rover when it comes to airbag problems. The company was forced to recall 2020 Evoques for knee airbag deployment failures. If you’ve got a memory for automotive disasters, you’ll remember Takata—the airbag supplier with the explosive recall that cost billions and left a trail of injuries and lawsuits. Joyson Safety Systems, the same outfit responsible for these defective Evoque airbags, actually bought up Takata’s assets. They promised to clean up the mess, but here we are, dealing with the same old story: globalized auto parts, rushed assembly, and “luxury” brands passing the buck until regulators step in. American families who bought these vehicles for peace of mind are now getting a crash course in why “Made in America” matters more than ever.

Airbag Defect Timeline: What Went Wrong and When

Jaguar Land Rover started investigating the airbag issue in May 2023 after reports of abnormal deployments surfaced from the assembly line. Multiple tests—both in-house and independent—confirmed the problem: inconsistent folding of the airbag material, traced straight back to Joyson’s modules, could cause the airbag to fail in a crash. The recall officially landed on July 2025 after senior executives finally decided they couldn’t ignore the mounting evidence. Owners will get their official recall letters after August 29, and the company claims all repairs will be free. The recall’s internal number is N945, and NHTSA has it logged as 25V454. But let’s be honest: If you’re the kind of person who keeps your family in a $50,000-plus SUV, you expect more than a free airbag swap—you expect the car to be safe in the first place.

Jaguar Land Rover’s approach does have a silver lining, if you want to call it that. No one has been hurt yet, and the company is acting faster than some of its competitors did during the infamous Takata crisis. Still, it’s hard not to see this as a symptom of a global supply chain gone haywire. When parts are sourced from the lowest bidder, and when corporate bean counters put cost ahead of quality, American consumers are left holding the bag—sometimes literally, as in this case.

Wider Impact: Owners, Dealers, and the Industry Pay the Price

Range Rover Evoque owners now have to deal with the hassle of repairs, scheduling time at the dealership, and worrying about resale value. Dealerships face a wave of frustrated customers and the logistical nightmare of replacing airbag modules in thousands of vehicles. Jaguar Land Rover fronts the cost for parts and labor, but the real price is their reputation—already battered by years of recalls and quality complaints. Joyson Safety Systems, which inherited Takata’s tarnished legacy, will face renewed questions about its ability to deliver safe, reliable products. For the broader industry, this recall is a stark reminder: entrusting critical safety components to offshore suppliers with a history of problems is a recipe for disaster.

Regulatory scrutiny is ramping up, and you can bet lawmakers will latch onto this as another example of why American auto regulations need teeth. NHTSA is overseeing the recall, and given the memory of the Takata fiasco, no one is taking chances. There’s also an economic hit—recall costs, potential lawsuits, and the impact on used vehicle values for everyone unlucky enough to own one of these “premium” SUVs. And let’s not forget the social cost: the erosion of trust in automakers who seem more interested in image than substance.

Expert and Industry Reactions: Lessons Not Learned?

Automotive safety analysts stress that even a defect with “no injuries reported” can be deadly if ignored. They point to this recall as an example of the industry learning from past disasters—getting out ahead of the problem instead of dragging their feet until tragedy strikes. Legal experts note that a proactive recall can blunt lawsuits and regulatory penalties, but it doesn’t erase the fundamental problem: why did this happen in the first place? Consumer advocates are calling for quicker notification and more transparency, arguing that too often, automakers hide behind technical jargon and PR spin instead of owning up to their mistakes.

Industry insiders say this is a wake-up call for every automaker relying on global parts suppliers, especially those with a checkered past. The message is clear: quality assurance can’t be outsourced, and American drivers deserve better. This isn’t just a Jaguar problem—it’s a symptom of an industry that’s forgotten who it’s supposed to serve. Until American companies and regulators put safety, quality, and accountability first, these “luxury” recalls will keep coming. And taxpayers—who ultimately foot the bill for regulatory oversight and bailouts—should demand better.