by Investigation into Dangerous Counterfeit Airbags
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an official investigation into counterfeit airbags manufactured in China, linked to six driver fatalities. According to investigators, the counterfeit inflatable devices from DTN Company may have entered US territory illegally.
Tragedies on the Roads
Several weeks after alarming reports about the spread of counterfeit airbags from China in vehicles across the United States, the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation initiated a formal investigation. The government agency recorded eight incidents where driver airbags deployed with catastrophic consequences, leading to the death or serious injury of the person behind the wheel.
Engineering Analysis Findings
According to official engineering analysis data, six drivers died and two sustained serious injuries. All eight airbags were installed as replacements after previous accidents, and each originated from a single Chinese manufacturer – Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., also known as DTN.
NHTSA reports that their preliminary analysis indicates these inflatable devices may have been illegally imported into the country.
It is believed that many repair shops and salvage yards import these airbags from abroad, often unaware that DTN products are counterfeit and made to look like original ones. The cost of such airbags can be as low as one-tenth the price of a standard inflatable device.
Chronology of Fatal Incidents
In June 2023, NHTSA received a vehicle owner questionnaire regarding the death of a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu driver. Investigators later determined that a counterfeit DTN airbag had been installed during previous repairs, which exploded upon deployment, killing the driver.
Over the following year, information emerged about four additional airbag ruptures in Chevrolet Malibus, although investigators initially could not confirm the manufacturer of the defective components.
The situation escalated in March of this year when a 2017 Hyundai Sonata driver died after an airbag rupture. Another fatal incident occurred in August with a 2019 Sonata, and earlier this month, a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu driver died under the same circumstances.
Photographs of the recovered parts confirmed that all three recent cases were linked to DTN inflatable devices. Images from earlier, unidentified incidents also showed the same origin.
Last month, DTN issued a statement claiming it does not conduct business in the United States and that its products are banned for sale there. This situation points to serious problems in the automotive parts quality control system and the need for enhanced oversight of supply chains in the automotive industry. Ensuring road safety requires more thorough monitoring of parts supply sources and increased awareness among auto repair shops about the dangers of using counterfeit safety components.
