Recycled Airbags Can Create Risk for Unsuspecting Motorists

With the recall of tens of millions of Takata airbags in the United States, there is increasing possibility of recycled airbags posing a risk to unsuspecting motorists. These airbags which were involved in the recall can be easily found for sale in used cars and on online sites. In markets like the UAE where they is a thriving gray market for aftermarket parts and used parts, motorists might end up buying these airbags without knowing that they have been recalled. They might come to know only after a crash and by then, the damage would already have been done.

A Craigslist search for airbags in South Florida turned up many corresponding to cars on the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration’s Takata airbag recall list, including many Honda airbags. Many sellers who are selling such airbags and cars feel it is upto the buyer to research the vehicles and parts they buy.

When it comes to the safety of motorists, it is always better to err on the side of caution. Takata might have recalled a greater number than the airbags that might actually have been affected, but it is not possible to know if the airbags are defective till after an accident.

In the United States, Honda has an airbag buy-back program, and claims to have purchased more than 60-thousand from salvage yards.

When buying used vehicles or replacement bags, customers have been cautioned to check the antecedents of the vehicles and parts they buy thoroughly before they proceed with the purchase, especially if they live in paces with high heat and humidity like the UAE.

If the airbags are sourced from the United States, customers can check Carfax to find out if a car’s airbags have been replaced. They can also get a replacement airbag inspected by a professional, and insist on original replacement parts if they need to replace their airbags instead of procuring airbags from secondhand parts stores or salvage yards.