NHTSA Confirms 11th US Fatality Linked to Banned Chinese Airbag Inflators

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Thursday confirmed an eleventh U.S. motorist has died in a crash linked to a banned, substandard replacement airbag inflator. The incident, which occurred on August 27 in Dallas, marks the first such fatality since the agency prohibited the Chinese-made components in April.

Latest Incident Details

The fatal crash involved a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, according to the NHTSA. The agency noted that the crash was otherwise survivable, but the faulty replacement airbag inflator malfunctioned, leading to the driver's death. This is the first death reported since the U.S. government took formal action to ban the components earlier this year.

Before this incident, the most recent fatal crash occurred in February in Clarksdale, Mississippi, involving a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The components are manufactured in China by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co Ltd, also known as DTN.

Broader Safety Investigation

This fatality is part of a larger pattern of dangerous malfunctions. Since May 2023, a total of 13 incidents have been reported to the safety agency.

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• The incidents have resulted in 11 deaths and two serious injuries.
• Three fatalities occurred in Hyundai Sonata vehicles.
• Ten crashes involved General Motors vehicles, leading to eight fatalities and two injuries. All but the most recent GM incident involved Chevrolet Malibus.

NHTSA has stated that the DTN airbag inflators can malfunction during deployment, "sending large metal fragments into drivers’ chests, necks, eyes and faces." In response to the agency, DTN has argued it "cannot be proven that the inflators in question" were made by the company or that the crashes were caused by defective parts. The company also claims it has never directly sold the inflators to the U.S. market.

Regulatory Action and Consumer Warning

In response to the growing number of incidents, the NHTSA issued an urgent warning to vehicle owners and repair shops in January, followed by the formal ban in April. The agency has expressed concern that the components are still being illicitly imported and installed.

"Whoever is bringing them into the country and installing them is putting American families in danger," the NHTSA said in a statement. The agency is urging owners of any vehicle that has been in a crash involving an airbag deployment since 2020 to have their vehicle inspected by a professional to ensure safe components were used for repairs.