The driver was involved in a crash in which the air bag deployed and sent two pieces of a metal aftermarket decal with rhinestones into the person’s face and neck.
NHTSA is aware of at least one other driver who suffered a severe injury from an aftermarket steering wheel decal in a vehicle crash. In that case, the driver lost sight in one eye after the rhinestone-adorned decal dislodged from the steering wheel and hit the driver in the face.
Aftermarket steering wheel decals are made of metal or plastic and are usually covered with rhinestones or other shiny decorations. They have an adhesive back that covers the vehicle’s logo in the center of the steering wheel. In a crash, the force of a deploying air bag can turn the product into a projectile, resulting in serious injury or death.
Unlike the permanently affixed emblems on your vehicle’s steering wheel, these aftermarket decals can easily become dislodged when the air bag deploys. Any alterations or changes to your air bag or its cover can also cause it to malfunction.
NHTSA is again urging consumers to avoid purchasing these steering wheel decals for all vehicle makes and models. Consumers should also remove any such decals that they have already applied to their steering wheels.