NHTSA: Beware of counterfeit airbags

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is advising consumers whose vehicles have been in a crash in the past three years to have them inspected for fake parts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a consumer safety advisory regarding counterfeit airbags. These airbags, which the NHTSA says are installed at third party repair shops, can malfunction and jeopardize the lives of vehicle occupants in a crash.

According to the NHTSA, car owners who have been in a crash may have had their airbags replaced with counterfeits. The counterfeit parts look like original equipment, right down to fake manufacturer logos.

However, the counterfeit airbags are not made to the same standards as genuine parts, and have consistently malfunctioned in tests. In a crash, these fake airbags may not deploy, or they may expel metal shrapnel if they do. In one test, an airbag separated from its mounting point, showering the vehicle occupants with sparks from the bag’s pyrotechnics.

While it does not know the full scope of the problem, at the moment the NHTSA estimates that a very small number (0.1 percent) of American vehicles have counterfeit airbags. The NHTSA is not aware of any deaths or injuries due to counterfeit airbags.

The NHTSA is urging consumers whose vehicle has been in a crash within the last three years, and who have had the airbags replaced by a shop that is not part of a new car dealership, to call the manufacturer and have the replacement parts inspected. The safety advisory also applies to anyone who bought a replacement airbag online.

If the manufacturer finds a counterfeit airbag, vehicle owners will need to have it replaced at their own expense.

Consumers who purchased their cars new and have not been in a crash, and people who own a used car that has not had its airbags replaced in the last three years, shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

So far, the NHTSA is aware of counterfeit airbags being made for the following makes and models:

Acura: 2009-2011 TSX

Audi: 2006-2009 A3, A4, A6, A8, Q5, Q7

BMW: 2004-2011 5 Series; 2007-2011 3 Series, X5; 2011-2012 X3

Buick: 2010-2011 Lacrosse

Chevrolet: 2011-2012 Cruze, Volt; 2006-2010 Aveo; 2012 Camaro

Ford: 2012 Focus; 2005-2009 Mustang

Honda: 2003-2012 Accord; 2006-2011 Civic; 2002-2011 CRV; 2007-2011 Fit; 2009-2011 Pilot, Insight; 2010-2011 Crosstour; 2011 Odyssey

Hyundai: 2007-2011 Elantra; (not listed) Genesis, Sonata

Infiniti: 2007-2011 G35/37, EX35

Kia: 2010-2011 Soul, Forte; 2004-2009 Spectra

Land Rover: 2012 Range Rover Evoque

Lexus: 2006-2011 IS; 2003-2008 GX470; 2007-2009 RX350; (not listed) ES350

 Mazda: 2004, 2010-2012 Mazda3

Mercedes: 2009-2011 C-Class, GLK; 2010-2011 E-Class; 2007-2008 S550; 2006-2010 ML; 2009-2010 GL

Mitsubishi: (not listed) Outlander

Nissan: 1992-2002, Quest; 2010-2011 Quest; 2009-2011 Cube; 2007-2011 Versa; 2009-2010 Murano; (not listed) Altima

Subaru: 2008-2009 Forester, Impreza, Outback; 2010-2011 Legacy

Suzuki: 2007-2010 SX4

Toyota: 2002-2006, 2012 Camry; 2009-2011 Corolla, Matrix; 2007-2011 Yaris, Tundra; 2004-2011 Highlander, Sienna, Tacoma; 2010-2012 Prius; 2003-2006 Tundra, Sequoia; 2003-2010 Land Cruiser; 2004-2010 Highlander; 2004-2009 4Runner; 2007-2009 Solara; 2005-2011 RAV4

Volkswagen: 2006-2010 Jetta

Volvo: (not listed) XC60, XC70, V70, S60, S80

The NHTSA is advising all consumers, even ones whose cars do not appear on this list, to have their vehicles inspected if their airbags have been replaced in the last three years. In addition, a vehicle may not have counterfeit airbags just because it is on this list, it just means the NHTSA has found counterfeits made for that model. A full list of manufacturer call centers is available at the NHTSA’s website.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

FDA launches ‘BeSafeRx’ campaign against fake pharmacies

The Food and Drug Administration is striking back against "fake" online pharmacies with a new campaign designed to educate consumers as to where to buy medicine online safely.

If the very idea of an online pharmacy is something that makes you just a little bit suspicious – Not just in terms of “I have no idea where these drugs are coming from, what they are, or any sense of quality control over this entire operation,” but also a basic question of whether or not you’ll ever get what you’ve paid for – then help is on the way in the form of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA today announced a new national campaign called “BeSafeRx: Know Your Online Pharmacy,” which aims to “raise awareness of the dangers of buying prescription medicines from fake online pharmacies.” The campaign comes months after the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy looked into 10,000 websites and discovered that a staggering 97 percent were not in compliance with U.S. pharmacy laws, marking them as “Not Recommended” for fear of being sold drugs that are unsafe.

Talking about the campaign, FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg explained to CNN that “Buying medicines from rogue online pharmacies can be risky because they may sell fake, expired, contaminated, not approved by FDA, or otherwise unsafe products that are dangerous to patients. Fraudulent and illegal online pharmacies often offer deeply discounted products.  If the low prices seem too good to be true, they probably are. FDA’s BeSafeRx campaign is designed to help patients learn how to avoid these risks.”

The campaign is targeted at “consumers who have or who would consider purchasing prescription medicines from an online pharmacy that is not associated with a health insurance plan or local ‘brick and mortar’ pharmacy to save money or for convenience,” according to the FDA, noting that said customers “may not have health insurance, may have recently lost their health insurance coverage or may have reached their coverage limits for prescription medications,” in addition to potentially being responsible for loved ones dependent on medicine that they cannot afford. “Whatever the situation,” the campaign’s website explains, “BeSafeRx’s goal is to provide important information to consumers so that they can make informed decisions to safely purchase medicines online.”

According to FDA statistics, 1 in 4 consumers have bought prescription drugs online, with nearly 30 percent of those asked admitting that they were not confident about the safety of the practice. As part of the BeSafeRx campaign, consumers will be advised to only purchase from online pharmacies that follow the basic guidelines of being located within the United States, require a prescription from a doctor or healthcare professional before release of medication, are able to provide a licensed pharmacist for consultation if requested, and are licensed by the patient’s state board of pharmacy.

Or, if all else fails, there’s always the possibility of just telling people to find out where their local Walgreens is, and go there, instead.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

US flight regulator to look again at in-flight use of electronics, may relax rules

The Federal Aviation Administration is planning to take a closer look at the use of electronics on passenger planes in a move that could ultimately see rules relaxed.

If you’ve ever flown, you’ll be more than a little familiar with the take-off and landing procedures, which include switching off all personal electronic devices (PEDs), a source of frustration among many nervous flyers who would rather listen to some calming tunes on their music player than the roar of the engines as they hurtle down the runway in an aluminum tube laden with highly inflammable fuel.

Likewise, taking a few photos of the landscape below with your digital camera as you come in to land will, if you get spotted, result in a few stern words from a member of the cabin crew.

Interference?

Can it really be the case that all PEDs have inner workings that, if switched on, are going to bring the plane down? Despite people discreetly using their iPods or e-readers during take-offs and landings, has there ever been a report of an aviation accident caused by a PED? Aren’t airplane crashes usually the result of pilot error or catastrophic mechanical failure rather than Mr. Smith in seat 43A using his music player?

With a Reuters report on Monday about Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to take a closer look at the use of PEDs on flights, perhaps things are about to change for the better for passengers with a bag of gadgets under the seat.

Study group

The report says that starting in the fall, a new study group will examine the procedures airlines use to discover whether a gadget or gizmo can be safely used during a flight, or parts of a flight. However, the group will not be considering whether to allow passengers to make calls using mobile phones.

As things currently stand, airlines have to show that a device doesn’t cause potentially dangerous radio interference before they can be given the green light for use during a flight.

Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said of the plans: “We’re looking for information to help air carriers and operators decide if they can allow more widespread use of electronic devices in today’s aircraft,” adding, “We also want solid safety data to make sure tomorrow’s aircraft designs are protected from interference.”

Speaking to Forbes about the FAA’s plans, Steve Lott, a spokesperson for industry trade group Airlines for America, said: “The safety of our passengers and crews remains our top priority and our members will work cooperatively with the FAA on opportunities to evaluate personal electronic devices to ensure customers can use these products safely during flight.”

Troublesome passengers

Though there have been reports of pilots suspecting PEDs as the cause of some mysterious happenings on the flight deck, no link has ever been proved.

Indeed, the biggest PED-related problem appears not to be interference with an aircraft’s flying instruments, but stubborn passengers who cause trouble by refusing to switch off their device – remember the incident late last year when actor Alec Baldwin was kicked off a plane for refusing to turn off his phone during what must have been a particularly exciting game of Words With Friends?

With more and more people dumping paper books in favor of e-readers, and with other PEDs gaining in popularity, it would be great if the airlines discovered that actually many of these devices are safe to use during any part of the flight. We await the study groups’s decision….

[Image: Dimitriy Shironosov / Shutterstock]

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com