Chinese Airbag Inflators Blamed for 11th U.S. Driver DeathAutoGuide.comMarcus LewinskyTue, September 8, 2026 at 6:51 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleAftermarket airbag inflators imported from China have killed an 11th person in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed the death after a collision in Dallas, Texas, on August 27, 2026.Image: WSJImage: WSJThe crash marked a first. It killed a driver in a Chevrolet Equinox, the first such casualty in that model, according to NHTSA. All 10 prior deaths, along with three severe injuries, occurred in Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata models. Every incident the agency examined shared one detail. Someone had swapped the vehicle's original frontal driver airbag inflator for a defective, illegally imported unit carrying the identifier DTN60DB.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe NHTSA report covering the earlier 10 incidents describes the inflators rupturing, expelling shrapnel into drivers' chests, necks, eyes, and faces. The previous fatal incidents took place between May 2023 and February 2026. Manufacturers built the inflators in question in 2021 and 2022, the agency believes.The inflators' maker, Jilin Province Detiannuo Safety Technology Co, known as DTN, disputes the agency's findings. The company casts doubt on the inflators being the cause. It said it "[cannot] be proven that the accidents were caused by defective inflators," adding that "the inflator is only one component of the system; improper installation or defects in other components can all lead to an accident." DTN also argued it cannot be proven it made the units. They may be counterfeits bearing the DTN logo, the company suggested.Image: LinkedInImage: LinkedInNHTSA rejected that position in its final decision. "In each of the twelve incidents addressed in this decision, a subject inflator with the DTN60DB labeling ruptured. The investigative file contains direct support, including several autopsy and police reports, that establish the subject inflators ruptured and that the injuries and fatalities were directly caused by the ruptured subject inflators," the decision reads.AdvertisementAdvertisementNHTSA has posted photos of a DTN60DB inflator and its caps on its website. Its online investigation file holds additional detail. Regulators urge owners of used vehicles that have been in a crash with an airbag deployment since 2020 to have them inspected. Found a DTN60DB inflator? Do not drive the vehicle until genuine parts replace the unit.Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletterhere.
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