NATIONWIDE — The U.S. Department of Transportation is urging vehicle owners in several states with defective Takata air bags to seek repairs immediately.

  • 21 cities included in the urgent call

The agency singled out Ford Rangers and Mazda B-Series trucks from 2006, which are under a "do not drive" warning.

Chemicals used to inflate the air bags can deteriorate in some conditions, causing them to explode with too much force and blow apart a metal canister that can lead to hurling shrapnel.

At least 22 deaths and more than 180 injuries have been linked to the defect. Some 50 million Takata air bag inflators have been recalled in the United States and millions more globally. Lawsuits are pending against the company.

Here are the key locations of the agency's focus:

  • Atlanta
  • Austin, Texas
  • Boston
  • Chicago
  • Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
  • Houston-Galveston, Texas
  • Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Los Angeles
  • Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Florida
  • New York
  • Philadelphia
  • Phoenix
  • Portland, Oregon
  • Puerto Rico
  • Riverside-San Bernardino, California
  • San Antonio, Texas
  • San Diego
  • San Francisco
  • Washington D.C.
  • West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Florida
  • Wilmington, Delaware