The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently implemented its first import ban in over 20 years due to concerns surrounding a defective Chinese air bag inflator, the DTN60DB, which has been linked to 11 fatalities in the U.S. The latest incident occurred in a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox in Dallas on August 27, 2026.
NHTSA has reported that all victims were affected by the DTN60DB inflator, which has been described as likely illegally imported. This component poses a severe risk, exploding upon impact and causing injury from metal fragments to drivers in otherwise survivable crashes.
The agency’s comprehensive investigation revealed that the ban was necessary due to the grave health risks associated with the inflators. In total, the DTN60DB has been linked to 11 deaths and three severe injuries, primarily involving Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata vehicles.
NHTSA is advising owners of used vehicles that have had airbag deployments since 2020 to have their vehicles inspected. Additionally, resources including images of the faulty inflators are available on NHTSA’s website for public access.
For more detailed information, visit the official NHTSA site here.
