The Los Angeles Times reports, “Federal safety regulators are warning that counterfeit air bags are being installed by auto repair shops that might not deploy in an accident or alternately, could explode, sending metal shrapnel into the vehicle’s passenger cabin. The fake air bags look nearly identical to certified, original-equipment parts, right down to bearing the insignia and branding of major automakers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The NHTSA said it was working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Intellectual Property Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, ‘to better understand the issue of counterfeit air bags and how to prevent them from being purchased and installed in vehicles.’”
The Washington Post reports, “The auto industry cautioned that drivers who have had their factory-installed air bags replaced should contact the shop or dealer that did the installation to determine whether the new bags are bogus. ‘Organized criminals are selling dangerous counterfeit and substandard air bags to consumers and suppliers with little to no regard to hazardous health and safety consequences,’ said Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton.”
From the American Association for Justice news release.
