Safety Advisory: NHTSA Alerting Consumers to Dangers of Counterfeit Air Bags

[HumanWiki]

FYI

http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Pre...rfeit+Air+Bags


Chevrolet
2011-2012 Cruze
2006-2010 Aveo
2011-2012 Volt
2012 Camaro



NHTSA 42-12
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Contact: Lynda Tran, 202-366-9550

Traffic safety agency urges vehicle owners and repair professionals to use only certified, original equipment replacement parts

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a consumer safety advisory to alert vehicle owners and repair professionals to the dangers of counterfeit air bags. NHTSA has become aware of a problem involving the sale of counterfeit air bags for use as replacement parts in vehicles that have been involved in a crash. While these air bags look nearly identical to certified, original equipment parts—including bearing the insignia and branding of major automakers — NHTSA testing showed consistent malfunctioning ranging from non-deployment of the air bag to the expulsion of metal shrapnel during deployment. NHTSA is not aware of any deaths or injuries connected to counterfeit air bags.
While the full scope and scale of the problem of counterfeit air bags is uncertain from currently available data, NHTSA has identified certain vehicle makes and models for which these air bags may be available and believes this issue affects less than 0.1 percent of the U.S. vehicle fleet. Only vehicles which have had an air bag replaced within the past three years by a repair shop that is not part of a new car dealership may be at risk.

Consumers whose vehicles have been in a crash and had their air bags replaced by a repair shop that is not part of a new car dealership within the past three years or who have purchased a replacement air bag online should contact the call center that has been established by their auto manufacturer to have their vehicle inspected at their own expense and their air bag replaced if necessary. The full list of call centers and additional information are available at www.SaferCar.gov.

“Anytime equipment that is critical to protecting drivers and passengers fails to operate properly, it is a serious safety concern,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We want consumers to be immediately aware of this problem and to review our safety information to see if their vehicle could be in need of inspection.”

“We expect all motor vehicle equipment to meet federal safety standards — and air bags in particular play a central role in keeping drivers and passengers safe in the event of a crash,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “That’s why it’s critical that vehicle owners work with their automotive dealers and repair professionals to ensure they use the appropriate, original equipment parts in the event they need to replace their air bag.”

NHTSA has been working with a number of government agencies — including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and 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.

“Organized criminals are selling dangerous counterfeit and substandard airbags to consumers and suppliers with little to no regard to hazardous health and safety consequences,” said ICE Director John Morton. “We will continue to aggressively investigate criminal supply chains with our law enforcement and private industry partners and bring these criminals to justice.”

NHTSA is currently gathering information from automakers about their systems for verifying the authenticity of replacement parts and is working with the industry to make the driving public aware of the potential safety risk posed by counterfeit air bags. Moving forward, the agency will continue to monitor consumer complaints, police accident reports, and other sources for additional information.

CONSUMERS THAT SHOULD NOT BE AT RISK:

Consumers who purchased their vehicle new and have not had their air bags replaced
Consumers who have full knowledge of the entire history of their used vehicle (including knowing whether the vehicle had been in a crash in the last three years and being certain that the air bag was replaced at a new car dealership)



CONSUMERS THAT MAY BE AT RISK AND SHOULD CONTACT THE CALL CENTER ESTABLISHED BY THEIR AUTO MANUFACTURER:

Consumers who have had air bags replaced within the past three years at a repair shop that is not part of a new car dealership
Consumers who have purchased a used car that may have sustained an air bag deployment before their purchase
Consumers who own a car with a title branded salvage, rebuilt, or reconstructed
Consumers who have purchased replacement air bags from eBay or other non-certified sources—especially if they were purchased at unusually low prices (i.e. less than $400)

[ShowSStopper]

Just saw this in my GM employee mailbox. At least it says that if you have had work done at a dealer, you are ok. Well, so long as the dealership used genuine GM parts. Which all dealerships would do. Right?

[MS3DALE]

Originally Posted by ShowSStopper

Just saw this in my GM employee mailbox. At least it says that if you have had work done at a dealer, you are ok. Well, so long as the dealership used genuine GM parts. Which all dealerships would do. Right?

Thanks to the "Bump the Competition" program we use Genuine GM parts on almost every repair,and we NEVER use anything but brand-new GM air bags,air bag sensors,and DERM's.

[Burton]

Just saw a report on TV that 2012 Camaro's may have had conterfiet airbag's installed. These bag's may either not inflate at all or throw sharp plastic and metal at the driver when activated. Contacting your dealer was recomended to verify if your Camaro could be one of the affected cars. Hope I'm not repeating news already posted. Just thought I'd share what I heard.

[meissen]

My understanding of the report was that replacement aftermarket air bags were counterfeit, not the OEM ones. That's why they're urging folks to use only OEM replacement parts, not aftermarket air bags.

[Mr_Draco]

Yep someone done beat you to it.

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=254834

[meissen]

Yeah - that report says what I thought -- "Consumers whose vehicles have been in a crash and had their air bags replaced by a repair shop that is not part of a new car dealership within the past three years or who have purchased a replacement air bag online should contact the call center that has been established by their auto manufacturer to have their vehicle inspected at their own expense and their air bag replaced if necessary. "

[meissen]

Yup, this is only a concern if your air bags deployed and they had to be replaced.

[Burton]

Got my post bumped to here and somone already posted the info..Crap I hate it when that happens