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Industry group and BAR warn of counterfeit airbags after multiple fatal cases; NHTSA opens inquiry
Summary
Representatives from the Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council told the Bureau of Automotive Repair advisory group that counterfeit airbags sold online have been linked to multiple fatal crashes and that the problem is widespread. The group urged technicians and shops to report suspected counterfeit parts; NHTSA has launched an investigation into
John Ruttencutter, manager with the Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council (A2C2), told the bureau advisory group that counterfeit airbags sold online have been linked to fatalities and serious injuries and urged shops and first responders to report suspected parts.
“We've had to date 6 fatalities, 3 serious injuries, and that's just what we know,” Ruttencutter said, describing recent crash investigations where replacement or aftermarket inflators and modules failed to deploy or deployed dangerously late or violently. He and A2C2 president Bob Stewart showed test footage and photographs in which counterfeit inflators under-deployed, over-deployed, or disintegrated, sending shrapnel into vehicle cabins.
Why it matters: counterfeit restraint components can fail to protect vehicle occupants during a crash and, in several documented cases, have been associated with driver and passenger deaths in low-speed collisions. A2C2 members — which include vehicle manufacturers and brand-protection teams — said they have repeatedly found inflators and airbags purchased online that do not meet manufacturer or safety standards.
What the group recommended: technicians who encounter suspect parts should document and report them to A2C2 members and law enforcement. Ruttencutter said the group maintains contact points for engineers and investigators who can help verify suspicious parts and noted the group coordinates with federal agencies and platforms to remove counterfeit listings. He told the room that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into a specific Chinese manufacturer linked by investigators to fatal cases.
Public comment and industry steps: attendees noted salvage auctions, rental and dealer resale channels and other secondary markets can put vehicles with non-genuine parts back into circulation. A2C2 urged shops to check inflators and airbag subassemblies, to preserve evidence if a suspect airbag deploys, and to contact law enforcement and A2C2 engineers rather than reusing unknown parts from salvage or online sources.
Ending: BAR staff said they are incorporating airbag checks into certain vehicle-safety inspections for salvage-title vehicles and will continue to coordinate with NHTSA, state law enforcement and industry groups on identification and consumer-protection steps.
