You’ve probably heard about the long-running Takata airbag recall process, but there’s another related issue that could pose even more significant risks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently announced another fatality related to defective imported airbag inflators, and the worst part is that you might never know about the problem until it’s too late.
NHTSA reported the 11th fatality related to banned Chinese airbag inflators. The latest death occurred from an inflator installed in a Chevrolet Equinox, but all 10 of the other fatalities came in Chevy Malibu and Hyundai Sonata models.
In every case, the vehicle’s front driver airbag inflators were replaced with defective and “likely illegally imported” units wearing the DTN60DB identifying numbers, according to the federal safety agency. NHTSA said the latest death occurred in Texas in late August and said that it would have been an otherwise survivable crash, just like all 10 previous fatalities.
Models Potentially Affected
Vehicles that have been in a crash with airbag deployment since 2020 could be affected by this problem. NHTSA advises owners to have their vehicles inspected if they suspect an issue. You won’t be able to identify the defective airbag inflators on your own without at least an intermediate level of automotive experience, so it’s a good idea to have a mechanic check your airbags.
If you suspect your vehicle may have a defective inflator, you can check the history report to get a better idea of its accident history. Many reporting services list crashes and the severity of the impact, and some can tell if the airbags deployed during the collision.
Vehicles found to have defective DTN60DB inflators should not be driven until the inflators are replaced with genuine components. Owners are also being asked to report defective inflators to their local Homeland Security Investigations Office or FBI field office.
