Illegally imported air bag inflators blamed for deaths and injuries

Air bag inflators

The Transportation Department is weighing a permanent ban on the sale of Chinese air bag inflators in the U.S.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation in October 2025 into air bags illegally imported from China. That investigation has concluded that the air bags are responsible for the deaths of at least 10 people and two serious injuries in a dozen crashes over the past three years.

The 12 crashes involved Chinese front driver air bag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Safety Technology Co., Ltd. (DTN) that ruptured during a crash. The inflators exploded, sending large metal fragments into drivers’ chests, necks, eyes and faces instead of inflating the bag.

A DTN inflator is labeled with a distinctive number sequence and bar code and a DTN inflator cap will be marked with a DTN serial number, which is not visible without removal.

Although all the known crashes have occurred in Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata vehicles, the agency does not have information to confirm the risk is limited to these makes and models.

By law, NHTSA must seek public comment and provide DTN with the opportunity to present information challenging any decision. NHTSA is still investigating how many of these inflators have illegally entered the United States and will determine whether a permanent ban on U.S. sales of the inflator is required.

The initial decision NHTSA released today includes a summary of NHTSA’s work on the investigation, as well as additional details on the 12 crashes. NHTSA is accepting public comments on this initial decision until April 17. Comments can be submitted at regulations.gov, Docket No. NHTSA-2026-0793.

What drivers should do

The agency urges used vehicle owners and buyers to learn their vehicle’s history and ensure that it 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 one of the manufacturer’s dealerships.

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 DTN 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.

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