Trump’s Transportation Department Bans Sale and Import of Deadly, Defective Chinese Air Bag Inflators

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it is banning defective Chinese air bag inflators that have killed at least 10 people and caused serious injuries to two others in a dozen crashes.

NHTSA’s investigation concluded that these inflators pose a risk of serious injury or death to drivers and passengers. Instead of inflating the air bag in a crash to protect the driver, these inflators explode, sending large metal fragments into drivers’ chests, necks, eyes and faces.

“Banning these illegal Chinese airbag parts responsible for 10 deaths is necessary to ensure the safety of Americans on our roads,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Anyone caught importing or selling these defective, deadly inflators will be held accountable as we work with our law enforcement partners to restore safety on our roads.”

All 12 crashes involving frontal driver air bag inflators marked with the identifier “DTN60DB” were likely illegally imported into the United States. 

“Thanks to Secretary Duffy’s leadership, this is the first time in 20 years that NHTSA has taken such an action to protect Americans,” said NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison. “These extraordinary actions are appropriate and necessary given the deadly risks posed by these substandard inflators.”

Although all known ruptures have occurred in Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata vehicles, NHTSA cannot confirm the risk is limited to these makes and models. Because the inflators were imported illegally, the number of these dangerous inflators in the United States is currently unknown.

NHTSA’s investigation into these inflators is ongoing. See NHTSA’s information page for more on these inflators.

Information for Used Vehicle Owners: 

NHTSA urges used vehicle owners and buyers to learn their vehicle’s history and ensure the vehicle has genuine air bag inflators. Owners or buyers not familiar with their vehicle’s history should obtain a history report. A vehicle should be inspected if it was in a previous crash with an air bag deployment since 2020 and was not repaired by the manufacturer’s dealership. 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. 

If a vehicle is found to have one of these inflators, it should not be driven until the inflator is replaced with genuine parts. 

If an owner has a vehicle with one of these suspect inflators, they should contact their local Homeland Security Investigations office or FBI field office to report it or submit an online complaint to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.

Owners may also contact NHTSA online or by calling the agency’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.

Additional Information:

NHTSA’s initial decision indicated that the inflators were manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Safety Technology Co., Ltd. (DTN) of China. DTN has argued that the devices may be counterfeit and that it has not sold these inflators for installation in U.S. vehicles. Whether the subject inflators were manufactured by DTN or are counterfeit does not change NHTSA’s finding that the inflators marked as DTN60DB are defective.