— Another person has been killed by an airbag illegally imported from China, bringing the number of known fatalities to 11.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning drivers of Chevrolet Malibu, Hyundai Sonata and Chevrolet Equinox vehicles to be on guard if the driver-side airbags have been replaced.
Sadly, all 11 drivers would have survived the crash impacts if the airbags wouldn't have exploded.
NHTSA knew of problems with defective Chinese airbags in Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata vehicles because 10 drivers of those models had been killed. In addition, three severe non-fatal injuries were reported in those models.
But in August the government confirmed the driver of a 2018 Chevy Equinox in Dallas was killed by an illegally imported Chinese airbag that exploded. The front driver's airbag inflator was identified with the code DTN60DB.
In every case the original driver's airbag had been replaced with the faulty Chinese airbags. This has convinced NHTSA to issue a warning to owners of any used vehicles involved in crashes since 2020, especially if the front airbags deployed.
CarComplaints.com viewed photos of victims struck and killed by large metal fragments which hit drivers in their necks, eyes, faces and chests. As with Takata airbags that killed and injured occupants, the large metal fragments came from the metal airbag inflators in the Chinese products.
In one incident, 22-year-old Destiny Byassee was killed when the Chinese airbag inflator exploded in a Chevy Malibu.
The government investigated Chinese airbag inflators and the DTN60DB airbag inflators were banned by NHTSA earlier this year, but if your vehicle had either front airbag replaced since 2020, the agency warns not to drive it if the replacement airbag includes a DTN60DB?inflator.
In addition, vehicle owners are advised to contact their local FBI field office if the replacement airbag includes the faulty inflator.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration can be reached at 888-327-4236.