Counterfeit airbags have killed 10 U.S. drivers, WSJ finds
Used cars that have been in accidents should be checked for bogus airbags
A Wall Street Journal investigation published Thursday concluded that counterfeit airbag components installed by used-car dealers and repair shops have killed at least 10 U.S. drivers since 2023, with regulators struggling to trace them through the aftermarket parts supply.
In one case documented by the Journal, E Seok Kang lost control of his 2018 Chevrolet Malibu on a rain-soaked Texas highway in October 2023. The counterfeit airbag deployed with such force that it shattered his jaw. "I struggled to breathe, it felt as if something was lodged in my throat," Kang told the Journal.
The airbag in Kang's Malibu had been purchased on eBay and installed by the Texas dealership that sold him the pre-owned vehicle, the WSJ reported. Kang lost half his lower jaw, most of his lower teeth and several upper teeth, and endured three surgeries in the following month, including operations to treat infection and reconstruct his face.
Three other drivers have suffered serious injuries linked to the same class of components, including a driver in an incident as recently as June in Louisville, Kentucky. Federal safety authorities are warning consumers to check their airbag repair history if they purchased a used vehicle with prior collision damage.
Long hot summer of recalls
The finding compounds a punishing summer for auto-safety recalls. Ford recalled 110,626 Mustang vehicles Tuesday for wiper motor and rear-differential defects, Reuters reported, extending the automaker's summer campaign to well over 3 million vehicles. And The New York Times reported Wednesday that Mars Petcare has recalled certain lots of Pedigree dog food it said had shipped despite failing quality-control testing — a reminder that unsafe products keep reaching consumers even when the systems designed to catch them are working.
