WASHINGTON, May 29 (Reuters) - Owners of nearly 84,000

older Nissan ( NSANF ) vehicles in the United States equipped with

recalled, unrepaired Takata air bags should immediately stop

driving them due to a safety hazard, the U.S. National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday.

The agency made its announcement after the Japanese

automaker issued a warning on Wednesday telling vehicle owners

not to drive certain vehicles - the 2002-2006 model year Nissan

Sentra, 2002-2004 Nissan Pathfinder and 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 -

that were recalled in 2020 but have not been fixed.

"If you have one of these vehicles, do not drive it until

the repair is completed and the defective air bag is replaced,"

NHTSA said in a statement, noting that Nissan ( NSANF ) dealers are

offering free towing, mobile repair and in some places loaner

vehicles.

Over the past decade, more than 100 million Takata air bag

inflators have been recalled worldwide - including 7 million in

the United States - in the biggest auto safety callback on

record.

More than 30 deaths worldwide - including 27 in the United

States - and more than 400 injuries have been reported since

2009 in vehicles sold by various automakers due to Takata air

bag inflators that can explode, unleashing metal shrapnel inside

cars and trucks. The air bag problems have been blamed on

propellant that can break down after long-term exposure to

high-temperature fluctuations and humidity.

NHTSA said that even "minor crashes can result in exploding

Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome

injuries."

Chrysler parent company Stellantis ( STLA ) last year issued warnings

to owners of 29,000 2003 Dodge Ram pickups to immediately stop

driving the vehicles, pending repairs, after one person was

killed when a Takata air-bag inflator exploded.

Toyota in January urged owners of 50,000 of its older

vehicles - the 2003-2004 model year Corolla, 2003-2004 Corolla

Matrix and 2004-2005 RAV4 - in the United States to get

immediate recall repairs because a Takata air bag inflator could

explode and potentially kill motorists.