Banned airbag inflators that could rupture, shoot metal shrapnel might still be in your car

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning drivers about dangerous airbag inflators that are now banned in the United States but could still be inside vehicles on the road.

According to NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison, "These deadly Chinese inflators, the inflator itself is overpressuring, and it's rupturing and shooting metal shrapnel right to the face, neck, and eyes of the driver." The agency says the devices have been linked to at least 10 deaths in the U.S., along with multiple serious injuries.

Morrison says the inflators made their way into the US from China, and investigators do not yet know how many may be in circulation. "We don't know how many of these have worked their way into the country because they have been imported illegally, but the one thing we can do is find that there has been a defect in these inflators, and by being able to do that, that prohibits anyone from selling these for use in a vehicle."

While the sale of these inflators is now banned, officials warn they may still be in vehicles. The inflators in question are marked "DTN60DB." Morrison add, "Someone is buying a vehicle that has been in a total loss, the airbag has been deployed and then they fix it up, my guess is they are looking to save a buck and they go online find an inflator that would fit these vehicles and install it and the problem here they installed these faulty, dangerous inflators and it's killing people across the country."

Morrison advises anyone who purchased a used vehicle since 2020 to check their car's history report. If the report shows the vehicle was involved in a crash and the airbag deployed, drivers should have the vehicle inspected by a reputable mechanic to ensure the airbag system was properly replaced with a legitimate part.

The investigation is ongoing. If you believe your vehicle may have one of these inflators, NHTSA is asking you to file a complaint. For more information, click here.

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