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What's new:  After issuing consumer and industry warnings earlier this year on the safety risks of used vehicles equipped with substandard aftermarket airbag inflators made by DTN, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has now issued guidance to assist service technicians in (1) evaluating whether a vehicle may include a DTN inflator, and (2) identifying the features and appearance of a DTN inflator, including how it differs from an OEM inflator.

A vehicle inspection is necessary to identify a suspect inflator. Because these parts are installed as replacement components and not as original equipment, a standard VIN check will not reveal if a vehicle has a DTN inflator.

Why it matters:  NHTSA has made an initial decision that DTN inflators constitute a safety related defect. There have been 12 crashes where DTN inflators have ruptured in commanded deployments, ejecting metal debris and causing 10 fatalities and two severe injuries.

If NHTSA finalizes its defect decision in the coming weeks, the agency will prohibit the sale of DTN inflators and airbag modules equipped with DTN inflators.

NHTSA has not ordered a safety recall of these DTN inflators, so any inspection for these inflators would be conducted at a customer's request.

What's next:  Dealers should notify NHTSA of any DTN inflators they find in inspected vehicles by contacting the agency's safety reporting hotline (888) 327-4236) or website. Dealers should include the VIN and the vehicle owner's contact information in their report to NHTSA.

Go deeper:

• NHTSA Technician Guidance Document
• NHTSA DTN Webpage
• NHTSA Press Release
• NHTSA Initial Decision on Safety Defect

See also NADA's prior alert on NHTSA's February DTN industry alert.