Back in 2012, GM Authority reported that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a warning regarding counterfeit airbags, while more recently, General Motors expressed caution for the same problem. Now, Carfax data shows that a large number of U.S. vehicles may be at risk of being fitted with said fraudulent airbags.
Per Carfax, almost two million vehicles that were involved in an accident where an airbag deployed are back on U.S. roads. As such, each vehicle could be a victim of scammers installing a counterfeit airbag as a replacement, which in turn could put occupants at risk.
Thankfully, injury doesn’t appear to be the norm, as such instances are believed to be rare. That being said, it’s hard to tell for sure how many subpar counterfeit airbags are installed in U.S. vehicles. However, the NHTSA did find that there have been at least three deaths and two severe injuries in just the last nine months due to this concern.
“If consumers own or are considering the purchase of a used vehicle, NHTSA urges them to learn their vehicle’s history and ensure their vehicle has genuine air bag inflators,” a spokesperson from the NHTSA advised in a prepared statement. “If their vehicle has one of these inadequate replacement parts, it could kill or critically injure them in a crash.”
For those who may be worried that their vehicle could be affected, they may check Vehicle History Reports for airbag deployments in every used car listed on Carfax’s website – all for free. With that in mind, consumers who do have the misfortune of being involved in an accident where airbags deploy should take their vehicle to a reputable repair. Beyond that, this serves as an important reminder to have a trusted mechanic check out a used vehicle before purchasing, especially if it has an accident on its record.
Interestingly, a new car today could feature up to 10 to 15 airbags, meaning that counterfeit airbags could be a more widely spread issue than currently believed.
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