As most drivers know, car recalls often involve defective airbags. In fact, some companies have gained quite a negative reputation for producing flawed airbags. Sadly, this isn’t the only barrier to safety drivers are facing when it comes to this protective technology. According to a new report, the number of counterfeit airbags is rising, and owners who have had them replaced may need to find auto mechanics to inspect them. Naturally, this could be bad news when it comes to car wrecks.

Car recalls can’t fix the issue of fake airbags

According to CBS News, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has already seized over 200,000 counterfeit automotive parts this year. Of that number, 500 were airbags. Apparently, this amount is about ten times higher than in all of 2023, which means more vehicles that need new airbags after car wrecks are at risk of getting fake ones. Naturally, there were more than likely many counterfeit airbags that the organization couldn’t seize. 

Of course, there’s no way to know how many fake car airbags are on the road. However, it is a massive safety issue. Sure, there’s always the small chance these airbags could work as well as factory options do. However, most people wouldn’t knowingly take the risk, as these “substandard” airbags run the risk of not deploying in car wrecks where they could save lives. Additionally, counterfeit options could present other issues. 

The editor-in-chief of CARFAX had this to say, “Either the airbag does nothing. So, you’re in a crash, and there’s no protection for the driver or the passenger. Or in some cases, as we’ve seen, the airbag will explode with so much force it turns the metal parts of it into shrapnel, literally flying pieces of metal in the cabin of the car. We know of at least three cases, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, of people being killed in just the last year.”

So, how would you know if you have fake airbags in your car? It seems the best advice is to find auto mechanics to inspect them. The editor-in-chief of CARFAX continues, “There should be markings on the airbag that will indicate where it came from and if it’s a legitimate airbag. They can also inspect it to make sure that it’s installed in the car with through the electronics correctly.”

For more reading, check out our recent article about 51 million vehicles being recalled for faulty airbags.