If you drive a vehicle that was previously involved in a crash where the air bags deployed, you should be aware that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating replacement airbag filters that have been linked to several deaths and serious injuries.
Dangerous Air Bag Inflators
The replacement air bag inflators were manufactured in China by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co. Ltd. (DTN) and installed in vehicles in the United States. These inflators are prohibited from sale in the United States. The affected vehicles had their original air bags replaced with air bags containing these substandard air bag inflators following an earlier crash.
The DTN air bag inflators malfunctioned and ruptured in crashes, sending large metal fragments into the chests, necks, eyes, and faces of drivers. Nine people have died and two others received serious injuries in 11 crashes involving these air bag inflators. These fatalities happened in crashes that should have been survivable.
What to Do
If you own a vehicle with a “salvage” or “rebuilt” title, a used car with unknown crash history, or a vehicle that was involved in a previous crash where air bags deployed, you could potentially be at risk. Since these parts are installed after the vehicle has left the factory, you won’t be able to learn whether your vehicle has a DTN inflator from a standard vehicle identification number check.
Instead, you’ll need to review the vehicle’s history report to find out if it’s been involved in previous crashes or “total loss” events, if the air bag has deployed, if it has a salvage title, and if repairs were performed at non-certified service centers. If your vehicle has an air bag deployment history, have a certified technician inspect it at the manufacturer’s dealership or a reputable independent mechanic. They can verify if the air bag inflator is genuine replacement equipment. Do not attempt to check yourself – people have been killed while trying to work on their own air bags.
If a DTN inflator is found, do not drive the vehicle until it is replaced with genuine parts.
If you discover a DTN inflator in your vehicle, report it to your local Homeland Security Investigations office, FBI field office, or the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center as well as NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.
If you or a loved one has been injured, contact the Schuerman Law office today. Schuerman Law has been working with personal injury claims for over 40 years. John Schuerman will compassionately advocate for injured individuals as well as their families while fighting for full compensation of their claims. Schuerman Law offers evening and weekend appointments in addition to home and hospital visits. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 1-800-274-0045.
