Information provided by NADA

What's new:  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent industry and consumer alert to warn of the safety risks of used vehicles equipped with sub-standard replacement airbag inflators made in China by DTN (formally known as Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co. Ltd.).

NHTSA directs dealers to examine the vehicle history of at-risk vehicles and inspect any suspect vehicles for DTN inflators. If the dealer finds a DTN inflator, the vehicle should not be operated until the inflator is replaced with genuine parts. Dealers should notify NHTSA of any DTN inflators they find in inspected vehicles by contacting the agency through the webpage linked below.

Why it matters:  NHTSA is aware of 11 crashes resulting in fatalities and severe injuries as a result of ruptures of DTN inflators installed as replacement equipment following a prior crash. Per NHTSA, DTN air bag inflators are strictly prohibited from sale in the U.S. but have been found installed in vehicles in the U.S., so they were likely illegally imported as aftermarket equipment.

No safety recall has been declared as NHTSA is still conducting a safety investigation into the inflators. Individual vehicle inspections are necessary to identify suspect inflators.

Tell me more:  Because these parts are installed as replacement components and not as original equipment, a standard vehicle identification number check will not reveal if a vehicle has a DTN inflator. For used vehicles or vehicles with an unknown history, dealers should review the vehicle's history report and any service records for:

• Previous crashes or "total loss" events.
• Air bag deployment history.
• A salvage title.
• Repairs performed at non-certified service centers.

Go deeper:  NHTSA has created a webpage providing additional information on identifying DTN inflators and reporting any DTN inflators that dealers find:  Deadly Air Bag Inflator Replacements: What We Know | NHTSA