eBay bans airbag sales after counterfeit inflators kill eight drivers

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eBay will ban sales of airbags and airbag inflators starting next month.

Move comes after users were caught selling counterfeit airbags on the site.

eBay will also restrict sales of some airbag-related parts, but only in America.

Earlier this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed eight drivers were killed in otherwise survivable crashes that involved replacement airbag inflators made by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System. The government believes the components were illegally imported and then used to repair vehicles that were involved in a previous collision.

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Officials warned these “dangerous, substandard airbag inflators” malfunction during crashes and this sends “large metal fragments into drivers’ chests, necks, eyes and faces.” This effectively means they’re more of a claymore mine than an airbag.

More: Counterfeit Airbags From China Are Exploding In US Cars Killing People

That’s terrifying and, in 2025, a Michigan man was arraigned for selling counterfeit airbags on eBay . At the time, the Michigan Department of Attorney General noted over 80% of counterfeit airbags fail to deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury or death. They also revealed that approximately 81,000 vehicles in Michigan may be equipped with counterfeit restraint systems.

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That’s a staggering number, but eBay is helping to address the deadly problem. Starting September 24, the site will ban the listing or sale of airbags, airbag inflators, and steering wheel airbag covers. The company said the decision was made following a “comprehensive review of the risks these products may pose to eBay users.”

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On top of that, eBay will restrict sales and listings of certain airbag-related components to “pre-approved” sellers in the United States. Items include airbag control units, airbag crash sensors, diagnostic modules, and passenger sensors.

Outside of America, it’s the wild west as “all sellers may continue to list permitted airbag-related parts that do not contain an airbag or inflator.”

The Morgan & Morgan law firm has filed three wrongful death lawsuits related to counterfeit airbag inflators and they welcomed the move as an “important first step toward preventing these illegal, counterfeit devices from entering the stream of commerce and making their way into vehicles.” However, they noted the “issue runs deeper than one platform.”

That’s important to remember and you should always get your vehicle repaired at a shop that uses reputable replacement parts. Buying a used car makes things more difficult, but vehicle history reports will normally show if airbags were deployed in an accident. You can then get them inspected to make sure they’re legit.

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