Beware Dangerous Aftermarket Imitation Air Bags.

Government Warns Motorists Tens of Thousands May Have Counterfeit Air Bags. Tens of thousands of car owners may be driving with counterfeit air bags installed by body shops in Phoenix and around the country. Earlier this week the Obama administration warned that car owners whose air bags have been replaced in the past three years may have dangerous counterfeit bags installed.

Capitol Collision Repair is here to help!

As a consumer, or customer of Capitol Collision Repair it is important for you then read the following information as posted in our Phoenix Body Shop Blog The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration believes only 0.1 percent of the U.S. vehicle fleet has been affected.  However, industry officials said tens of thousands of car owners may be driving with counterfeit air bags. Testing by the NHTSA has shown that the air bags don’t inflate or fail to inflate properly. Also, one case dealing with the counterfeit air bag has resulted in shards of metal shrapnel coming from the air bag. No deaths or injuries have been reported from the counterfeit air bags. But, it is not known if a police accident investigator will be able to tell a genuine air bag from a counterfeit one. These counterfeit bags have been made to look like air bags made by the automakers and typically have a manufacturer’s logo. Government investigators believe that the bags came from China. The thirty-seven percent of auto dealers who own their own body shop are required to buy their parts, which include air bags, directly from the automaker, which decreases the chance of counterfeit airbags being installed in the cars. Industry officials commented that the counterfeiting of auto parts has been a well-known problem and recent incidents have raised more suspicion. A statement made by the U.S. Attorney’s Office talked about Dai Zhensong, a Chinese citizen, who pleaded guilty and sentenced to thirty-seven months in prison for the trafficking of counterfeit airbags in February. Another incident occurred in August when federal agents confiscated nearly 1,600 counterfeit air bags. They arrested the North Carolina auto mechanic, who was tied to another counterfeit air bag case in Tennessee last year. NHTSA is asking car owners to check the government website, www.Safercar.gov for information about if your vehicle model is among those who have counterfeit air bags. Also, if your car is on the list and you have had your air bags replaced in the last three years by a repair shop other than a new car dealership. They are asking you to take them into the dealership and the fee for checking out the airbags may be up to one hundred dollars or more. NHTSA has created a list of the vehicle makes and models for which the air bags may be counterfeit but the list is expected to evolve over time.  Visit their website for additional details. From the owner of Capitol Collision: Unfortunately there are shops and people that have no morals or ethics and do not mind jeopardizing people’s lives to make a buck.  The philosophy of Capitol Collision is we repair each and every car as if my family will be riding or driving that vehicle.  As far as air bags are concerned, Capitol Collision only uses OEM factory air bags and if you have had your vehicle repaired with us and would like proof, we keep a copy of all receipts for repairs completed by us. We are happy to prove our air bags are factory in case you need peace of mind. A personal story is about a year ago I had to go pick up a part at an aftermarket supplier in Phoenix. We NEVER shop at this store but supposedly this company had a turn signal light that was impossible to find for an older vehicle we were working on (it turned out they did not have the part) however, displayed on their wall for sale was an assortment of “mock” air bags. By mock, I specifically mean air bag covers meant to install in place of an air bag.  How unethical is that?

We will make sure you get on the road safely and without the hassle. Give us a call to make an appointment 602-253-1630, or Request a FREE estimate.