ebay officially bans airbags, Image LinkedInImage: LinkedIneBay has enacted a strict policy ban prohibiting all listings and sales of complete airbags, airbag inflators, and steering wheel airbag covers across its e-commerce platform.The ban, which took effect September 24, applies across all seller accounts globally. The decision follows mounting federal safety investigations and reports linking cheap counterfeit or defective replacement parts sold online to severe injuries and deaths.ebay officially bans airbags, Image CaitoImage: CaitoUnder the updated vehicle-parts policy, no seller may list complete airbag modules, gas-generator inflators, or standalone airbag covers. Within the U.S. market, eBay is restricting remaining non-explosive components-such as airbag control units, crash sensors, diagnostic modules, and passenger occupancy sensors-strictly to pre-approved sellers.In an official statement announcing the policy change, eBay confirmed the move was initiated after a comprehensive internal review of the safety risks these components pose to consumers. The online marketplace joins rival digital platforms like Amazon, Meta (Facebook Marketplace), Alibaba, and Temu, which already maintain strict bans on peer-to-peer airbag sales.The marketplace crackdown follows an April report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The federal safety agency warned that substandard Chinese-made replacement airbag inflators were linked to at least 10 fatalities and two severe injuries across 12 vehicle crashes over the last three years. NHTSA verified that at least one of those fatal replacement inflators was originally purchased through an online marketplace listing on eBay.When an authentic airbag deploys during a collision, it relies on a controlled pyrotechnic charge to expand rapidly in milliseconds to protect occupants' heads and chests. However, counterfeit or salvaged replacement units often lack proper structural integrity. Upon detonation, defective metal inflator canisters can rupture, blasting shrapnel directly into the passenger cabin rather than safely filling the fabric cushion.Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter.