Global Automakers Applauds Ohio Governor for Keeping Consumers Safe from Counterfeit Airbags

WASHINGTON--Dec. 23, 2013: The Association of Global Automakers (Global Automakers) praised Ohio Governor John Kasich for signing into law a bill that makes it a crime to knowingly sell or install a counterfeit or nonfunctional airbag in a vehicle.

"We are pleased that Ohio has stepped up to the plate and recognized the legitimate public safety issue this poses to citizens of the Buckeye State," said Michael J. Stanton, Global Automakers' President & CEO. "We believe this will provide a real deterrence to those who would commit the crime of knowingly selling or installing a counterfeit or nonfunctional airbag."

Going into effect on March 19, 2014, the new law makes it a criminal offense for anyone to install, manufacture, import, reinstall, or sell counterfeit airbags in the state of Ohio. The law also prohibits installing a device to alter the vehicle's diagnostic system to make a counterfeit airbag appear to be functional. Global Automakers worked closely with the principal bill sponsors, Senator Dave Thomas and Representative Dorothy Pelanda, in drafting this important legislation.

Last fall, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a consumer alert regarding certain counterfeit airbags in the marketplace that posed a risk of serious injury to the public. While these air bags look nearly identical to certified, original equipment parts, NHTSA testing showed consistent malfunctioning ranging from non-deployment of the air bag to the expulsion of metal shrapnel during deployment. The Association is working with NHTSA and state legislatures across the country to bring attention to this dangerous consumer issue.