NHTSA investigates fatal accidents linked to banned Chinese airbag inflators

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating a series of fatal accidents linked to banned Chinese airbag inflators. An eleventh death has been reported following a crash in Dallas, Texas, involving a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. Federal authorities state the accident, which might have been survivable, became fatal when the inflator failed and projected metal fragments into the cabin.

The components are manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System (DTN), a company whose products have been banned in the United States since April due to non-compliance with federal standards. Since May 2023, there have been 13 reported incidents involving these parts, including three deaths in Hyundai Sonata vehicles and eight deaths in General Motors vehicles, primarily Chevrolet Malibus.

Investigations reveal that the faulty components are typically non-original replacement parts installed following vehicle thefts or post-accident repairs. U.S. Customs has seized at least 490 counterfeit inflators in 2024, a tenfold increase compared to 2023. The NHTSA is urging vehicle owners and repair shops to verify the integrity of airbags, particularly in vehicles involved in accidents since 2020, to ensure banned components have not been installed.