By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) – The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Friday said a ninth motorist has been killed since 2023 by a dangerous Chinese replacement automobile air bag inflator, as the agency urges motorists and repair shops to be aware of the risks.
The auto safety agency said it was aware of 11 crashes in the U.S. resulting in death or serious injury from ruptured replacement air bag inflators made in China by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co Ltd, also known as DTN, and likely illegally imported into the United States, since May 2023.
The latest death took place in December in Ohio in a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu.
Earlier this month, NHTSA said two other drivers were killed late last year in Texas and Kansas in the otherwise survivable crashes in vehicles that had their original air bags replaced with substandard air bags after a previous crash.
NHTSA said the DTN air bag inflators malfunctioned in crashes “sending large metal fragments into drivers’ chests, necks, eyes and faces” and earlier this month issued an urgent warning.
NHTSA in October opened an investigation into DTN replacement inflators. NHTSA is working with law enforcement agencies to address any illegal activities associated with the importation of these inflators and estimated the population of inflators under investigation at 10,000.
Six of the replacement air bags in the fatal crashes were installed in used Chevrolet Malibu vehicles and three in Hyundai Sonata cars, but NHTSA said it could not confirm the risk is limited to these makes and models.
Chevrolet maker General Motors did not comment on Friday.
DTN says on its website the inflators are prohibited from sale in the United States.
“Whoever is bringing them into the country and installing them is putting American families in danger,” NHTSA said.
For consumers buying used vehicles that were in a previous crash where the air bag deployed, the air bag should be inspected immediately to ensure the air bag is a legitimate replacement equivalent to the original, NHTSA said.
(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Chris Reese)
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