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(ARA) - When purchasing a used vehicle the average buyer may
never know whether the airbag is there or functioning correctly until it's too
late. Airbag fraud is on the rise and may soon rank as the worst vehicle repair
scam out there and a potentially fatal one.
Last year 2.5 million vehicles were totaled by insurance companies and issued
salvage titles. More than 1 million of those -- nearly half -- were rebuilt and
put back on the road.
According to the California Highway Alliance, bad or non-functioning airbag
replacement systems are installed at an alarming rate. Recently they found 1 out
of every 25 previously damaged vehicles inspected had phony airbags. The problem
may be worse in other parts of the country. With more than a million totaled
vehicles being repaired and resold annually, the opportunity for fraud is
frightening. Even with a minor accident, if the airbag deployed, fraud is a
risk.
Here's the scam: Airbag systems are expensive to replace, so dishonest mechanics
keep costs down and profits up by using incorrect, outdated or no system at all
to replace the deployed bags. Since it's virtually impossible for consumers to
tell just by looking that dummy airbags were used, they purchase improperly
repaired vehicles.
A California consumer thought he had purchased the ideal car for his 16-year-old
daughter. When he took it into a local dealership for a tune-up he got the shock
of his life. He learned that the compartment that normally contains the airbag
system was filled with old rags. In an accident they would have been worthless.
Victims of airbag fraud have found everything stuffed into steering wheel and
dashboard airbag compartments from packing peanuts to paper towels, old shoes to
aluminum cans. |
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In addition to getting a car checked by a qualified mechanic, Carfax.com
recommends consumers perform the following self-checks to determine if an
airbag is in good working order:
When turning 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 airbag
system problem exists -- take vehicle to qualified mechanic for further
inspection.
* What if the light NEVER comes on? This indicates a serious problem. It's
highly likely the air bag is missing and the bulb has been removed.
To protect themselves, consumers should ask for a Carfax Vehicle History
Report and get as much information about the car's past as possible.
Reports are available free of charge at more than 25,000 Carfax Certified
Dealers around the country. Consumers can also log on to www.Carfax.com to
order reports directly from the company. Using this information and taking
the vehicle to a certified airbag mechanic for inspection prior to
purchase will ensure a properly working airbag system and can help provide
peace of mind.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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