This marks the first vehicle equipment ban ordered by NHTSA in over two decades. Anyone caught importing or selling these defective inflators will be held accountable.
Washington, D.C. —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.
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