Federal Regulators Consider Ban on Chinese Air Bag Inflators Blamed for 10 Deaths

Federal auto safety regulators said they are considering a nationwide ban on air bag inflators and related components from a Chinese supplier after finding that the parts have been linked to deaths in otherwise survivable crashes.

In its initial findings published on April 2, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) identified “substandard” air bag inflators made by China’s Jilin Province Detiannuo Safety Technology (DTN) as the cause of 10 deaths and two serious injuries in a dozen crashes over the past three years.

According to the agency, the inflators exploded during crashes, ejecting metal shrapnel onto vehicle occupants. Inflators are small gas generators containing chemicals that ignite to rapidly fill an air bag with gas during a collision.

The agency also noted that the inflators were “likely illegally” imported into the United States by “unknown importers.”

“Our initial investigation into the use of illegal Chinese [air bags] in auto shops has revealed a disturbing trend: these substandard parts are killing American families,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement.

Before the NHTSA can move forward with a permanent ban, federal law requires the agency to seek public comment and give DTN an opportunity to respond. Comments on its initial decision, which concluded that DTN inflators “contain a safety-related defect,” will be accepted through April 17.

The proposed action is the latest step in NHTSA’s probe into a series of crashes in which DTN inflators allegedly malfunctioned and showered occupants with metal shards.

NHTSA issued its initial consumer alert in July 2024. It warned that some “cheap, substandard” replacement air bag inflators can cause death or serious injury but did not link such incidents to DTN products. The agency opened a formal investigation into DTN in October 2025 and has been attempting to determine how many inflators illegally entered the United States and how many vehicles still have them.

In January, NHTSA issued another warning to used car owners nationwide, urging drivers to look closely at their vehicles’ repair histories. The agency said any vehicle involved in a crash since 2020 in which an air bag deployed, and which was not repaired by a manufacturer-authorized dealer, should be inspected by a reputable mechanic.

“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,” the agency said.

A representative for DTN did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company’s website states that DTN does not sell products in the United States.

“We don’t do business with Americans, and the sale of any of our products to the United States is strictly prohibited,” a statement on the company’s home page reads in Chinese. “Gas generators can be dangerous; therefore, you must subject them to rigorous experimentation and testing prior to installation and use.”