PHMSA Issues Safety Advisory on Counterfeit Parts

Do you work on cars as a professional mechanic, or even just as a hobbyist? If you do, crooks may be trying to swindle you by selling you counterfeit parts, endangering not just your wallet, but your safety. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and its agency the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) have issued a warning to industry and individuals dealing with used cars and car maintenance that there has been a significant increase in counterfeit and substandard parts coming to market. Their safety advisory notice outlines the problem, and steps you can take to ensure the parts you’re using are safe and approved.

What’s the Problem with Counterfeits?

You can save yourself a lot of money by shopping around for the best deal in parts. But as most people are aware, there’s a vast market for counterfeit goods that can be purchased for a fraction of the price of real ones. Unlike a fake Rolex watch or a Gucci purse, however, counterfeit parts can be a serious safety issue.

Many of these parts can be purely mechanical. However, many replacement parts can be hazardous materials. These include so-called “safety devices” such as air bag inflators, air bag modules, seatbelt pretensioners, pyromechanical devices used for restraint, and other supplemental restraint system (SRS) components. PHMSA notes that “[t]he suspected replacement safety devices may be produced by companies with limited manufacturing experience and are sometimes sold at prices significantly lower than those of genuine, high-quality replacement devices, which are ordered online and shipped into or through the United States.” Often, of course, we realize that “you get what you pay for.” But the temptation of buying the lowest priced parts can be great. This is especially true since many of these counterfeiters may pay more attention to copying the packaging and labelling of legitimate suppliers than they do to producing a safe, working device.

The risk with these counterfeit parts can be substantial. Not only do we face the possibility of malfunction (such as an airbag that fails to work in an accident), but they may contain unapproved explosive devices or lithium batteries that may cause a dangerous reaction during transportation. They may also not be properly packaged or identified, so emergency responders and handlers during transportation will be at risk.

How Big Is the Problem?

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), more than 211,000 counterfeit automotive parts were seized in 2024. This almost doubled the number of parts seized in the previous year. Nearly 500 shipments of counterfeit air bags were seized.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that counterfeit air bags “consistently malfunction” in use. And these malfunctions can be deadly, from simply not working to restrain passengers in an accident to spraying plastic and metal shards throughout the passenger compartment when triggered. According to NHTSA, at least three fatalities have been identified as being due, at least in part, to these counterfeits.

What Can You Do to Avoid Counterfeit Parts?

Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself (and the vehicle occupants) from counterfeits. Some recommendations include:

Obtain a vehicle history report before purchasing a used vehicle. If you’ve already purchased the vehicle, obtain this report if the life history of the vehicle is unknown.
If the used vehicle has a history of air bag deployment, visit a reliable mechanic or a dealership for your brand to inspect the parts to make sure they meet original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specifications.
If you are having work done on your vehicle, make sure to use a trustworthy mechanic or a dealership. Dealerships may cost more, but will normally use only manufacturer-certified parts. Ask about the replacement parts being used, including the brand and sourcing of the parts.
If you do your own work on vehicles, keep in mind that the lowest price isn’t always the best choice. While parts that are obviously much cheaper than all the alternatives are suspicious, many counterfeiters will avoid this and make their parts just a small bit cheaper.
When purchasing parts, do your research. Is the labelling on the part you’re purchasing similar to that on known OEM parts? When purchasing lithium batteries, can the supplier provide the Lithium Battery Testing Summary on request? And don’t forget social media – does the vendor have a good customer rating, or are there a number of complaints about quality?

What if you determine a part appears to be counterfeit? The NHTSA advises that you contact the local Homeland Security Investigations office or FBI field office to file a report. You can also submit an online complaint to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center. The CBP also has reporting resources at IPRCenter.gov or CBP’s online e-Allegations portal.

Finally, if you think you’re at risk, you can contact the call center that has been established by your automotive manufacturer to have your vehicle inspected (unfortunately, this will be at your own expense) and its air bags replaced if necessary. The full list of call centers and additional information is available at www.SaferCar.gov.

Conclusion

Many people are unaware that many automotive parts are also hazardous materials for transportation. If you have questions about them, or how to ship them, our team of experts is just a call away for our customers at 855.734.5469 or send us an email, we’re happy to help.