One Victim's Story
Sulaine Noble (California) thought she'd found a perfect deal on a used car-a 1997 Honda Accord. When she recently got in a minor fender-bender, she noticed that the car's airbag light came on and stayed on. When she had it checked out, she was stunned to learn that her car didn't even have working airbags installed.

Sam Massey, Director of Supplemental Restraint Specialists, who has made a full-time job of helping consumers investigate phony airbags, examined Noble's car. "We ran the numbers on this part and found it wasn't even the correct part for your car," said Massey. "The entire airbag system has been monkeyed with...definitely these airbags would not work."

Larry Gamache of CARFAX explains how this scam is pulled off. "Without some investigation it's virtually impossible for the average consumer to tell just by looking at a used car if it has phony airbags," explains Gamache. "So after a car is in an accident, some unscrupulous repairers replace only the airbag cover and not the actual system beneath it."

"Some crooked mechanics are stuffing steering wheels and dashboards with everything from packing peanuts to empty beer cans," relates Massey.

Experts like Kim Hazelbaker from the Highway Loss Data Institute recommend consumers like Noble, who are considering pre-owned vehicles, use all the available resources to check out a vehicle before buying. "We would advise purchasers of used cars to find out from Internet sites the vehicle history, to look at the safety equipment on the vehicle, and to have it inspected by a mechanic of their choice, not the seller's," says Hazelbaker.

Noble is now trying to find out who installed the dummy airbags in her car, but says now that she would "never buy another car without using CARFAX to check on the title and the history of the car—it reveals a lot."

Airbag Facts and Statistics

Airbag systems, considered supplemental restraint systems, are meant to be used in conjunction with seat belts. The California Highway Alliance recently found 1 of out every 25 previously damaged vehicles inspected had phony or dummy airbags.

Phony or dummy airbag system can consist of:

• Non-functioning, outdated, or inappropriate airbags for the make, model and year of the vehicle.
  
  
• No airbag at all—a replacement airbag system cover has been used to cosmetically repair the airbag compartment.
  
  
• Victims of airbag fraud have found everything from packing peanuts to paper towels, old shoes to aluminum cans stuffed into steering wheel and dash-board airbag compartments to fill the space that should be taken up by the airbag.
  
  
• Airbags—taken from salvaged or junked cars—that have not been thoroughly tested to ensure function and safety.

According to the National Association of Consumers Advocates and the Consumer Federation of America, each year approximately 2.5 million vehicles are totaled by insurance companies and issued salvage titles. More than 1 million of those—or 2 out of every 5—were rebuilt and put back on the road. CARFAX vehicle history reports can indicate salvage (junk) titled vehicles, vehicles that have been involved in major accidents and in some states notes airbag deployment. Only a handful of states have laws regulating airbag system replacement.

Airbag system covers can be purchased without airbags. CARFAX explains that covers are legally available to replace covers damaged during deployment; they can make the vehicle appear cosmetically the same whether or not an airbag is included beneath it. Airbag warning lights can even be reconnected and simulate normal airbag systems when one is not present.

"Replacement airbag systems may range from $1,000 to $3,000, maybe more if the dashboard shell or other dash components are damaged by the force of a passenger side deployment. Dishonest mechanics can generate a lot of money taking advantage of the unsuspecting consumer," according to Gamache.

How to Detect and Avoid Airbag Fraud

• Order a CARFAX Vehicle History Report to check for:
  
  • Salvage or junk titles
  • Accidents reported to CARFAX in the vehicle's past

If the vehicle has a salvage or junk title or has been involved in an accident, the airbag may have deployed. Even if it remained undeployed, the airbag system may still have been affected by the crash. This should be a red flag to have the airbag system closely examined.

• Deployed airbag notations – CARFAX has "airbag deployed" notifications resulting from accidents for some states.
  
  
• Take the vehicle to a certified airbag mechanic for inspection PRIOR to purchase to ensure a properly working airbag system.
  
  
• Turn on the ignition.
  • The airbag indicator light should appear momentarily and then go out.
  • If indicator light remains on or flashes, this may indicate an air bag system problem exists – take vehicle to qualified mechanic for further inspection.
  • What if the light NEVER comes on? This indicates a serious problem. Its highly likely the air bag is missing and the bulb has been removed. Airbag lights may not come on if the previous owner has had an on-off switch' installed. If you face this situation, ask owner or dealer to provide a copy of the NHTSA letter authorizing the switch and have airbag turned back on.