Could your car have a counterfeit airbag?

The fallout stemming from defective Takata airbags affected a number of prominent automakers, including General Motors, BMW, Nissan and Toyota. The discovery prompted recalls of millions of vehicles and is still being felt today.  Of course, no automaker wants to have a car that has an airbag that shoots shrapnel into drivers’ faces when it deploys. After all, what is supposed to be a life-saving device should not be a weapon that takes lives.

Despite the number of recalls on millions of vehicles, there may be additional questions about airbags. This is because a growing number of airbags included in vehicles have been found to be counterfeit. For consumers, this raises a huge concern. In essence, how can you tell if an airbag is counterfeit? According to consumer protection agencies, the key is to look at the seams on the steering wheel. If the seams look irregular or they are crooked, chances are that you may have a counterfeit.

Also, consumers can look to a car’s CarFax report to determine if the vehicle has been in an accident. If the airbag has been deployed previously, and there is no record of the bag has been replaced, chances are that something is not right with the car. In situations like these, the person or entity who sold a car that has a defective airbag could be held liable if the driver is involved in an accident and it is found that the airbag was the culprit.

The preceding is for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice.