Photo: VincentDavidson on Reddit
As if having you car involved in the gigantic Takata recall isn't bad enough, a recent case of a recalled Honda in the US showed things can get even worse.
The vehicle, a 2007 Honda Accord, had reached one of the automaker's dealers, where its airbag inflators would be replaced as part of the recall action.
Nevertheless, the dealer employee who took apart the steering wheel to fix the issue discovered the vehicle had been fitted with a counterfeit inflator.
This showed the clues that give away most fake products (you can use this info whenever it is necessary). The easiest way to spot counterfeit hardware from the lack of an OEM part number, as well as the SRS sticker, which doesn't look 100 percent like the original one.
The mechanic, who took his story to Reddit, explains the backing for the part was actually coming from an airbag that had already been deployed.
While the car did have a salvage title on it, it's difficult to understand how the vehicle passed the post-operation inspection.
However, the mechanic explains Honda proceeded to replace the airbag module (a $1,000 part), to cover liability concerns.
As news.com.au writes, the company explained it didn't know how the fake parts were installed on the local vehicles. We are talking about fake spiral cables that could lead to airbag non-deployment.
The fake part is estimated to cost about six times less than the original one.
The Japanese safety equipment manufacturer is currently making efforts to deal with what has become the largest recall campaign ever.
Nevertheless, the dealer employee who took apart the steering wheel to fix the issue discovered the vehicle had been fitted with a counterfeit inflator.
This showed the clues that give away most fake products (you can use this info whenever it is necessary). The easiest way to spot counterfeit hardware from the lack of an OEM part number, as well as the SRS sticker, which doesn't look 100 percent like the original one.
The mechanic, who took his story to Reddit, explains the backing for the part was actually coming from an airbag that had already been deployed.
While the car did have a salvage title on it, it's difficult to understand how the vehicle passed the post-operation inspection.
However, the mechanic explains Honda proceeded to replace the airbag module (a $1,000 part), to cover liability concerns.
Fake Takata airbags are a global issue
One of the most recent examples of a carmaker dealing with fake Takata airbags dates back to last month, when Toyota Australia started a campaign to locate thousands of counterfeit airbags, which could obviously be deadly in the event of an accident.As news.com.au writes, the company explained it didn't know how the fake parts were installed on the local vehicles. We are talking about fake spiral cables that could lead to airbag non-deployment.
The fake part is estimated to cost about six times less than the original one.
The Takata Recall saga
Even though it's difficult to keep track of all the Takata recalls, we are dealing with a monster action affecting an estimated total of 33.8 million vehicles across the globe. The vehicles, which belong to multiple brands, use faulty inflators. These can cause the airbags to deploy with too much force and even send shrapnel flying through the cabin.The Japanese safety equipment manufacturer is currently making efforts to deal with what has become the largest recall campaign ever.
Google News