Australian authorities find asbestos in Chinese cars

Just as the Chinese are trying to persuade consumers that their cars can be trusted, Australian customs officials have discovered that 23,000 Chinese cars were using asbestos in engine and exhaust gaskets.

The cars are now subject to a recall and will have the illegal gaskets replaced. While safety recalls are a regular occurrence in the car industry, they are almost always for things that have gone wrong at the manufacturing or assembly stage. We cannot think of another case where the car manufacturer was using a part whose actual design was illegal in western markets. Recalls are also usually made when car companies discover a problem, not when customs officials run checks for dangerous substances.