Airbag Warning Issued for Illegal Inflator Devices Linked to Multiple Deaths: NHTSA

While reported incidents have involved rebuilt Chevrolet and Hyundai vehicles repaired after crashes, federal regulators warn the risk may not be limited to those cars.

An investigation has been opened into certain replacement airbag inflators manufactured in China, following multiple reports of injuries and deaths linked to the devices rupturing during crashes.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued the airbag inflator warning on January 13, cautioning that the inflators were likely imported illegally and installed as replacements.

An airbag inflator is the component inside an airbag system that produces the gas needed to rapidly inflate the airbag during a crash. However, the reported inflators malfunctioned and ruptured during collisions, propelling large metal fragments into drivers’ chests, necks and faces.

NHTSA officials have become aware of at least eight deaths and two severe injuries associated with crashes involving the affected products.

The warning currently applies to certain Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata vehicles with salvage or rebuilt titles. Although all known incidents have involved replacement inflators being installed in these kinds of vehicles following prior crashes, NHTSA cannot confirm that the risk is limited to these makes and models.

Officials say the airbag inflators were manufactured in China by Jilin Province Detiannou Automobile Safety System Co. Ltd., also known as DTN, under product number DTN60DB202.

Counterfeit Airbag Concerns 

NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) first identified substandard and counterfeit airbag modules being sold through online marketplaces in 2012. Testing repeatedly found that the airbags failed to deploy properly or ruptured during deployment, prompting early warnings about their safety risks.

The first fatal incident involving an imported substandard airbag was reported in 2017, when an inflator ruptured during a crash and killed the driver. An inspection later confirmed the airbag was not original equipment and was likely an imported replacement.

In June 2023, ODI was notified of another rupture involving a DTN-manufactured inflator installed in a Chevrolet Malibu. Four additional ruptures followed over the next several months, prompting NHTSA to issue renewed warnings about the dangers of substandard replacement airbags.

Federal officials were later notified of three similar incidents involving Hyundai Sonata and Chevrolet Malibu vehicles equipped with DTN replacement inflators. Analysis of metal fragments recovered from the ruptured devices confirmed DTN involvement, while photographs from a separate incident strongly suggested another DTN-manufactured inflator failure.

As a result, NHTSA issued an urgent safety warning and announced that ODI is launching an engineering analysis to examine DTN-manufactured inflators. The agency said it will also continue supporting federal enforcement efforts targeting DTN and other substandard or illegally imported airbag components.

Used Vehicle Dangers

NHTSA is warning the auto repair industry to watch for these dangerous inflators and report new information, while simultaneously urging owners of salvage or rebuilt vehicles to seek inspections.

Used vehicle owners and buyers should verify their vehicle’s history and confirm it has proper airbag inflators. If the history is unknown, they should obtain a report and have the vehicle inspected by a reputable mechanic if the airbag has previously deployed.

Vehicles with prior airbag deployments should be inspected to verify the replacement is legitimate. If a DTN inflator is present, the vehicle must not be driven until it is replaced.

Owners who suspect they may have one of the affected inflators should report it to their local Homeland Security Investigations or FBI field office, or submit a complaint online to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center. Owners may also contact NHTSA online or by phone at 888-327-4236 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

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