The United States road safety regulator has issued an urgent and stark warning to used car buyers, owners, and repair shops across the nation. This critical alert follows the confirmation of two further driver deaths in December, linked to dangerous replacement airbag inflators manufactured in China.
Deaths in Otherwise Survivable Crashes
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has now documented a total of 10 serious incidents involving fatalities or severe injuries caused by rupturing inflators. These components are believed to have been produced by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co Ltd, known as DTN, and are suspected of being illegally imported into the US market.
Tragically, eight drivers have lost their lives in collisions that authorities describe as 'otherwise survivable'. Two other individuals sustained serious injuries. In each case, the vehicles involved had been repaired after a prior accident, with the original, certified airbags replaced by substandard DTN units.
NHTSA stated that the defective DTN inflators malfunctioned upon deployment, "propelling large metal fragments into drivers' chests, necks, eyes, and faces" with lethal force.
Ongoing Investigation and Industry Alert
The regulator first opened a formal investigation into DTN replacement inflators in October 2025, following eight crashes and six deaths at that time. NHTSA is currently collaborating with law enforcement to tackle any illegal activities connected to the importation of these prohibited parts. The agency estimates that approximately 10,000 of these dangerous inflators could be in circulation within the country.
All the fatal crashes identified so far involved used Chevrolet Malibu or Hyundai Sonata models fitted with the counterfeit parts. However, NHTSA officials cautioned that they cannot confirm the risk is confined solely to these makes and models.
Hyundai Motor Company expressed deep concern over reports that counterfeit inflators ruptured in three older, used Sonata vehicles. "These dangerous components were not supplied or authorized by Hyundai," a spokesperson said, noting they were installed in vehicles with salvaged or rebuilt titles. The firm pledged full support for NHTSA's efforts to locate affected cars.
General Motors, the manufacturer of Chevrolet, declined to comment on the ongoing situation. Attempts to reach DTN for comment were not immediately successful.
Critical Advice for Consumers
NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison emphasised the agency's focus on resolving this grave issue with both industry and the public. A specific alert has been issued to the auto repair industry, urging workshops to be vigilant for these inflators and to notify NHTSA immediately with any relevant information.
"As DTN has acknowledged on its website, the inflators are prohibited from sale in the United States," NHTSA stated. "Whoever is bringing them into the country and installing them is putting American families in danger."
The agency's final, crucial advice is directed at consumers: Anyone purchasing a used vehicle that was previously in a crash where the airbag deployed must have it inspected immediately. This inspection is vital to ensure any replacement airbag is a legitimate, certified part equivalent to the original manufacturer's equipment.
