NHTSA Recommends Ways to Avoid Risky, Low-Quality Airbag Inflators

We are almost a decade into the extensive Takata airbag recall, a significant event that shook the automotive industry with 30 deaths globally and numerous injuries. Despite efforts to address the issue, concerns about airbag safety persist, particularly regarding the quality of replacement airbags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently issued a warning regarding substandard replacement airbags, linking them to three deaths and two severe injuries.

The replacement airbags in question are suspected to originate from foreign companies with questionable reputations for quality and manufacturing processes. These suspicious products are often priced significantly lower than genuine equipment, ordered online, and installed by non-reputable repair shops or manufacturer dealerships. This alarming trend raises concerns about the prevalence of counterfeit airbags in American vehicles.

In each fatal or injurious incident, the vehicles had previously been involved in crashes, necessitating airbag replacements. Malfunctioning airbag inflators released large metal fragments, causing severe injuries to drivers. Some cheap inflators may also deploy inadequately, leaving occupants vulnerable to impact injuries during collisions.

To protect consumers, the NHTSA has provided guidelines to identify defective replacement airbags:

1. Utilize vehicle history reports to verify if an airbag has been replaced after a crash. A receipt from a reputable shop should accompany the purchase of a used vehicle.
2. Have a qualified mechanic inspect any potential used-car purchase to ensure airbag safety.
3. When replacing airbags, visit established independent repair shops or dealers to access official or OEM-approved parts and avoid shady supply chain issues.
4. Exercise caution when purchasing discount-priced parts from overseas manufacturers, as they may be of substandard quality.
5. Engage in conversations with repair shops to verify the brand and sourcing of replacement parts, ensuring they are approved or made by the original vehicle manufacturer.

If a faulty airbag inflator is identified by a dealership or mechanic, the NHTSA recommends immediate replacement and notification of local Homeland Security Investigations or FBI offices to address potential safety risks.

This information, originally reported by Autoblog and the Associated Press, serves as a crucial reminder for consumers and industry professionals alike to prioritize safety in all automotive repair and replacement processes.