eBay has joined a growing number of online retailers in banning the sale of airbags and many of their components. This decision comes amid concerns about faulty or counterfeit auto parts, particularly following an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in April. The NHTSA's findings indicated that substandard airbag inflators imported from China had been linked to a dozen deaths or serious injuries since 2023. A Wall Street Journal investigation in July traced some of these faulty and potentially counterfeit airbag components, finding one had been purchased on eBay.
In a statement, eBay cited a "comprehensive review of the risks these products may pose to eBay users" as the reason for the ban. The company plans to enforce this policy through seller compliance audits, filtering algorithms, and AI-supported monitoring.
Consumer safety advocates have welcomed eBay's move. Rosemary Shahan, president of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, stated, "It's a good thing that eBay is no longer going to be offering airbags or airbag components on their platform. And it's about time." However, William Wallace, director of safety advocacy for Consumer Reports, warned that faulty or counterfeit airbags could still appear on other platforms, describing the situation as a "game of Whack-A-Mole."
Other major online retailers have already implemented similar bans. Amazon, Meta (owner of Facebook Marketplace), Temu, and Alibaba all prohibit the sale of airbags. These companies stated they continuously monitor their platforms for prohibited listings. Alibaba noted that it banned airbags and components in 2014 due to safety concerns and to halt potential fakes, using algorithms to intercept and block such listings.
Wallace expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of these bans alone, stating, "It's one thing to have a policy in place banning the sale of airbags. It's an entirely different thing to actually see the sale of airbags stop."
How airbags work
Airbags are described as pyrotechnic devices. During a crash, sensors detect a high-speed collision and send a signal to the airbag module, igniting the inflator. Gases rapidly expand, creating the airbag's cushioning effect. However, if airbags malfunction, the inflator can break apart, sending shrapnel flying at occupants, which has led to fatalities.
NHTSA's largest airbag recall, involving an estimated 67 million airbags in the U.S., began in 2014 due to reports of shrapnel from Takata airbags causing fatalities. Takata's airbag igniters were found to degrade over time due to moisture, posing a particular risk in humid climates. Takata filed for bankruptcy and paid over $1 billion in criminal penalties. NHTSA still has a "Do Not Drive" advisory for vehicles with a specific type of Takata airbag that is more likely to explode.
Counterfeit airbags pose an additional risk. While they may resemble genuine parts, they might not function correctly or deploy at all. Unlike counterfeit consumer goods where the worst-case scenario might be financial loss or product failure, counterfeit airbags carry life-or-death consequences.
Could your airbag be faulty or counterfeit?
New cars come with certified airbags. However, identifying the provenance of airbags in used cars can be more challenging, especially if an original airbag needed replacement after a collision. Resources like Carfax offer free checks for deployed airbags in used cars, and Vehiclehistory.gov provides full vehicle history reports. A Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) report from Lexis Nexis can also reveal insurance claims, including reports of stolen airbags.
Ultimately, the most reliable way to determine if a car's airbag is safe is to have it inspected by an experienced mechanic.
