Federal authorities have fined a California car shop made famous by MTV's "Pimp My Ride" show for disabling or removing safety equipment.
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The NHTSA fines are part of a crackdown on illegal customization.
The NHTSA slapped a $16,000 fine on "Pimp My Ride," which follows the Inglewood, Calif., crew of West Coast Customs as they turn decrepit vehicles into high-glitz, rolling entertainment platforms.
The $16,000 fine was for removing air bags to install video monitors in the steering column of some cars.
"It's not only a bad idea to disable the air bag, it's against the law," agency spokesman Rae Tyson told The New York Times." If you have a DVD player there instead of an air bag, it's not going to protect you in a crash."
