NHTSA Investigating Chinese Airbags That Have Killed 10 People

Uh oh, a new crop of deadly airbags just dropped. In all seriousness, airbags are lifesaving devices that are an integral part of the safety systems in all new cars sold in the United States, so when they start killing people it's no laughing matter. Yesterday the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released findings that "suggest substandard Chinese air bag inflators, likely illegally imported into the United States, are to blame for 10 fatalities and two serious injuries in a dozen crashes over the past three years. All 12 crashes involved Chinese frontal driver air bag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Safety Technology Co., Ltd. (DTN) that ruptured during a crash."

Not unlike the largest automotive recall in history, the Takata airbag scandal that's still claiming lives today, these Chinese inflators exploded and sent large metal fragments into drivers' chests, necks, eyes, and faces. So far, all known crashes have occurred in Chevrolet Malibus and Hyundai Sonatas, but NHTSA does not have sufficient information to confirm the risk is limited to these makes and models.

Issues like this are tricky, since air bags are hidden from view and only deploy in the event of a car crash. According to the press release, NHTSA urges owners of used vehicles to learn their vehicle's history, and "If a vehicle has been in a previous crash where the air bag deployed, it should be inspected by a reputable mechanic immediately to ensure the air bag is a legitimate replacement equivalent to the original."

NHTSA initially opened the investigation into these DTN inflators in October last year, and found that the inflators were imported into the United States by unknown importers, probably illegally. This means NHTSA has been unable to obtain sufficient information to estimate the number of subject inflators in the country with any confidence, making the scale of this deadly issue unknown as of now. 

The investigation is continuing, and "by law, NHTSA must seek public comment and provide DTN with the opportunity to present information challenging the decision." NHTSA says it's also weighing whether a ban on sales of these air bags will be necessary. If you think your vehicle has a DTN air bag inflator, contact your local Homeland Security Investigations office or FBI field office to report it. Alternatively, you can submit an online complaint to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, or contact the NHTSA online or via the Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.