After 10 Deaths, US Considers Banning Illegal Chinese Airbags
The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has concluded that certain airbag inflators produced by Jilin Province Detiannuo Safety Technology Co., Ltd (DTN) are defective and pose a safety risk, prompting the US to consider a permanent ban on their sale.
Carscoops reported on Thursday (2/4) local time that this conclusion follows 12 incidents of inflator explosions resulting in 10 fatalities and two serious injuries.
Airbag inflators are the primary components in a vehicle’s airbag system, responsible for rapidly inflating the airbag bag during a collision.
Local authorities state that these airbags entered the US through unknown importers and are likely illegal.
This initial determination is part of a process that includes a period for public comments and input.
DTN is also given the opportunity to refute the allegations. Once this process concludes, NHTSA will make a final decision that could lead to the prohibition of these inflators—whether already installed in airbags or sold separately.
The case has been under investigation since October last year, and NHTSA is still working to determine how many of these products have entered the United States.
All known incidents to date have occurred in Chevrolet Malibu or Hyundai Sonata vehicles, though the risk may not be limited to these models.
This suggests that repair shops may be cutting costs by purchasing dubious and likely illegally imported airbags.
Regardless, the impact is deadly, as the government has previously stated that the drivers died in “accidents that should have been survivable”.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to know what type of inflator is installed in your vehicle.
Nevertheless, NHTSA advises owners of used vehicles to check the vehicle’s history and confirm whether it has been in an accident.
If the vehicle has been in an accident and the airbag has deployed since 2020, it should be inspected immediately “to ensure the airbag used is a legitimate replacement equivalent to the original”.
“Our initial investigation into the use of illegal Chinese airbags in automotive workshops has revealed a worrying trend: these substandard components are killing families in America,” said US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
Lawsuits have been filed
Given the number of fatalities, it is no surprise that lawsuits are already being filed. Andrew Parker Felix from the law firm Morgan & Morgan has submitted three lawsuits and stated that NHTSA’s acknowledgment of the danger from these airbag inflators is a crucial first step in preventing illegal and counterfeit devices from entering the market and being used in vehicles.
“In every case we have reviewed, the accident should have been survivable. However, the airbag inflator allegedly acted like a grenade, turning a life-saving device into a death sentence,” Felix added.