[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 65 (Monday, April 6, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17327-17331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06620]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
[Docket No. NHTSA-2026-0793]
Initial Decision That Certain Frontal Driver Air Bag Inflators
Manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Safety Technology Co., Ltd.
(DTN) Contain a Safety Defect
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of initial decision.
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SUMMARY: NHTSA has made an initial decision that certain air bag
inflators manufactured by DTN contain a defect related to motor vehicle
safety. Available information demonstrates that the inflators were
imported into the United States by unknown importers (likely
illegally). NHTSA is aware of twelve instances in which the inflators
have ruptured in vehicles in the United States, resulting in ten
fatalities and two severe injuries. Following this initial decision,
NHTSA is required by statute to seek public comment and allow the
manufacturer an opportunity to dispute
[[Page 17328]]
the initial decision. After review of any comments or additional
relevant information, should NHTSA makes a final determination that the
subject inflators contain a defect related to motor vehicle safety, the
sale of the inflators (whether separately or installed in an air bag
module) in the United States would be illegal.
DATES: Comments should be submitted no later than April 17, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit written submissions to the docket number
identified in the heading of this document by any of the following
methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments.
Mail: Docket Management Facility: U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery or Courier: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET,
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Fax: 202-493-2251.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and
docket number. Note that all written submissions received will be
posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided. Please see the Privacy Act discussion
below. We will consider all written submissions received before the
closing date indicated above.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
written submissions received, go to https://www.regulations.gov at any
time or to 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground Floor, Room
W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, except Federal Holidays. Telephone: 202-366-9826.
Privacy Act: In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 30118(b)(1), NHTSA will
make a final decision only after providing an opportunity for DTN and
any interested person to present information, views, and arguments. DOT
posts written submissions from manufacturers and interested persons,
without edit, including any personal information the submitter
provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records
notice (DOT/ALL-14 Federal Docket Management System (FDMS)), which can
be reviewed at www.transportation.gov/privacy.
Confidential Business Information: If you wish to submit any
information under a claim of confidentiality, you must submit your
request directly to NHTSA's Office of the Chief Counsel. Requests for
confidentiality are governed by 49 CFR part 512. NHTSA is currently
treating electronic submission as an acceptable method for submitting
confidential business information (CBI) to the agency under Part 512.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dylan Voneiff, Office of the Chief
Counsel, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; [email protected].
The publicly available information on which this initial decision
is based will be available on the agency's website at, https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA25005, and on the public docket under
the docket number in the heading of this document.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 30118(a) and 49 CFR
554.10, NHTSA has made an initial decision that certain frontal driver
air bag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Safety
Technology Co., Ltd. (DTN) contain a defect related to motor vehicle
safety. These air bag inflators have been imported into the United
States by unknown importers, likely illegally. NHTSA is aware of twelve
instances in which such inflators have ruptured in vehicles in the
United States after the vehicle's air bag was commanded to deploy,
causing metal debris to be forcefully ejected into the vehicle's
occupant compartment, resulting in ten deaths and two severe injuries.
NHTSA has concluded that these inflators pose an unreasonable risk of
serious injury or death to vehicle occupants.
A. Inflators Subject to This Initial Decision
The inflators subject to this initial decision were manufactured by
DTN in 2021 and 2022, and at or about the time of manufacture were
etched or labeled with an identifier beginning ``DTN60DB'' \1\ on the
face of the inflator cap. Exemplar photographs of the marking or
labeling are shown below: \2\
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\1\ The manufacture date of the inflators is also part of the
code etched onto the inflator cap. The code begins DTN60DB, is
followed by four digits representing the year of manufacture, two
digits representing the month of manufacture, two digits
representing the day of manufacture, and ending in a part
identification sequence number.
\2\ Larger photographs can be found in a docket memorandum. See
60DB Inflator Photographs, Docket No. NHTSA-2026-0793,
www.regulations.gov/documents/NHTSA-2026-0793.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN6AP26.082
In addition, the inflators have a label on the electrical connector
side that includes a bar code containing the number sequence
``144415654 666631'' or ``144415654 666633.'' This label remains
visible when the inflator is installed in an air bag module. An
exemplar photo is shown below:
[[Page 17329]]
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN6AP26.083
The inflators subject to this initial decision are described as the
``subject inflators.'' In at least ten of the twelve incidents outlined
below, the subject inflators were installed as replacement (i.e.,
aftermarket) equipment after the vehicle was involved in a previous
crash in which a driver air bag deployed. NHTSA does not have
information about how or why subject inflators were installed in the
other two incidents.
Since the subject inflators were likely imported illegally, NHTSA
has been unable, despite substantial efforts, to obtain sufficient
information to estimate the number of subject inflators in the United
States with any confidence. The agency's investigation is continuing.
B. Known Inflator Ruptures Resulting in Deaths and Injuries
The agency is currently aware of twelve confirmed subject inflator
ruptures in the United States. At least ten of the incidents involved
vehicles that had their air bags replaced following a prior crash.
On May 30, 2023, a DTN60DB inflator manufactured in
December 2021ruptured in a Model Year 2018 Chevrolet Malibu during a
crash in Dallas, TX. The driver was killed by shrapnel expelled from
the ruptured inflator.
On June 11, 2023, a DTN60DB inflator manufactured in
November 2021 ruptured in a Model Year 2020 Chevrolet Malibu during a
crash in Sarasota, FL. The driver was killed by shrapnel expelled from
the ruptured inflator.
On September 4, 2023, a DTN60DB inflator manufactured in
November 2021ruptured in a Model Year 2021 Chevrolet Malibu during a
crash in Philadelphia, PA. The driver was severely injured by shrapnel
expelled from the ruptured inflator.
On October 25, 2023, a DTN60DB inflator with an unknown
date of manufacture ruptured in a Model Year 2020 Chevrolet Malibu
during a crash in Fort Worth, TX. The driver was severely injured by
shrapnel expelled from the ruptured inflator.
On March 1, 2024, a DTN60DB inflator manufactured in
December 2021 ruptured in a Model Year 2022 Chevrolet Malibu during a
crash in Oklahoma City, OK. The driver was killed by shrapnel expelled
from the ruptured inflator.
On February 3, 2025, a DTN60DB inflator manufactured in
June 2022 ruptured in a Model Year 2017 Hyundai Sonata during a crash
in Phoenix, AZ. The driver was killed by shrapnel expelled from the
ruptured inflator.
On July 30, 2025, a DTN60DB inflator manufactured in March
2022 ruptured in a Model Year 2019 Hyundai Sonata during a crash in
West Valley City, UT. The driver was killed by shrapnel expelled from
the ruptured inflator.
On September 26, 2025, a DTN60DB inflator manufactured in
November 2021 ruptured in a Model Year 2020 Chevrolet Malibu during a
crash in Hayward, CA. The driver was killed by shrapnel expelled from
the ruptured inflator.
On October 31, 2025, a DTN60DB inflator manufactured in
December 2021 ruptured in a Model Year 2018 Chevrolet Malibu during a
crash in Wichita, KS. The driver was killed by shrapnel expelled from
the ruptured inflator.
On December 16, 2025, a DTN60DB inflator manufactured in
December 2021 ruptured in a Model Year 2019 Chevrolet Malibu during a
crash in Toledo, OH. The driver was killed by shrapnel expelled from
the ruptured inflator.
On December 16, 2025, a DTN60DB inflator manufactured in
January 2022 ruptured in a Model Year 2018 Hyundai Sonata during a
crash in Austin, TX. The driver was killed by shrapnel expelled from
the ruptured inflator.
On February 16, 2026, a DTN60DB manufactured in June 2022
ruptured in a Model Year 2020 Chevrolet Malibu during a crash in
Clarksdale, MS. The driver was killed by shrapnel expelled from the
ruptured inflator.
Though NHTSA is only aware of ruptures involving subject inflators
installed as aftermarket equipment in Chevrolet Malibu or Hyundai
Sonata vehicles, there is no information indicating the problem is
limited to those vehicles.
C. Background Regarding Air Bags
Air bags are safety equipment designed to protect vehicle occupants
in the event of a crash. Air bags have been used in passenger vehicles
since the 1970s and were mandated by NHTSA in 1991. All new vehicles
have been required to have frontal air bags since September 1998.
Paired with seat belts, air bags forcibly deploy to control the
movement of the occupant's upper body and head during a moderate to
severe crash. Upon such an occurrence, a signal to the air bag system's
electronic control unit initiates the ignition of propellant housed
within an inflator to rapidly generate gas that will fill an air bag
cushion to deploy in a manner that limits forward movement by the
occupant.
The subject inflators are pyrotechnic gas-generators. In general,
an air bag inflator is a component part of an air bag module. An air
bag module typically consists of a mounting bracket, inflator (device
that generates gas), cushion (bag that fills with gas), cover
(decorative part that matches the vehicle interior), and connecting
wires.
Air bags, when properly deployed, provide significant safety
benefits. NHTSA estimates that frontal air bags have saved more than
fifty thousand lives over the past 30 years.\3\ The rupture of an air
bag inflator during deployment is rare and extremely dangerous. Instead
of remaining intact within the module and releasing gas into the
cushion, the metal inflator explodes--ejecting metal shrapnel from the
module in a manner likely to kill or severely injure any human with
which it makes direct contact.
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\3\ https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/air-bags.
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D. Legal Background on Safety Defects and Legal Consequences
The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Safety Act), as
amended, requires manufacturers (including importers) to conduct a
recall for safety defects in motor vehicles and motor vehicle
equipment. See 49 U.S.C. 30118-20; see also id. sec. 30102(a)(6).
Specifically, a manufacturer must notify NHTSA, owners, dealers, and
distributors of any ``defect . . . related to motor vehicle safety.''
49 U.S.C. 30118. The Safety Act defines ``defect'' as ``includ[ing] any
defect in performance, construction, a component, or material of a
motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment.'' 49 U.S.C. 30102(a)(3).
``Motor vehicle safety'' means ``the performance of a motor vehicle or
motor vehicle equipment in a way that protects the public against
unreasonable risk of accidents occurring because of the design,
construction, or performance of a motor vehicle, and against
unreasonable risk of death or injury in
[[Page 17330]]
an accident, and includes nonoperational safety of a motor vehicle.''
Id. sec. 30101(a)(8).
Identifying the root cause of a failure is not necessary to make a
safety defect determination. See United States v. Gen. Motors Corp.,
518 F.2d 420, 432 (D.C. Cir. 1975) (explaining that ``a determination
of `defect' does not require any predicate of a finding identifying
engineering, metallurgical, or manufacturing failures''). A defect that
leads to failure of a vital component, such as an air bag rupturing
rather than protecting the driver, presents an unreasonable risk to
safety. See United States v. General Motors Corp. 561 F.2d 923, 929
(D.C. Cir. 1977) (``Pitman Arms'').
Any safety defect determination on replacement equipment,\4\
whether made by NHTSA or by a manufacturer, results in a prohibition on
the sale of the equipment for installation in a motor vehicle. 49
U.S.C. 30120(j). In addition, if NHTSA issues a final decision that
there is a safety defect, no person may ``sell, offer for sale,
introduce or deliver for introduction in interstate commerce, or import
into the United States'' the equipment subject to the determination.
Id. sec. 30112(a)(3). In other words, if NHTSA issues a final decision
finding a safety defect, the sale by any person of either a subject
inflator or a module containing a subject inflator for installation in
a motor vehicle in the United States would be illegal.
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\4\ Replacement equipment is ``motor vehicle equipment . . .
that is not original equipment'' ``installed on a motor vehicle at
the time of delivery to the first purchaser.'' 49 U.S.C.
30102(b)(1)(C), (D). Under the Safety Act, an air bag inflator used
to replace a previously deployed air bag is replacement equipment.
See id. Sec. 30102(a)(8), (b)(1)(C), (D). An equipment
manufacturer, including an importer, is responsible under the Safety
Act for recalling replacement equipment. See id. Sec. Sec.
30102(a)(6), 30118(b).
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E. The Agency's Investigation
On October 21, 2025, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)
opened an Engineering Analysis (EA25005) to investigate allegations of
ruptures involving air bag inflators manufactured by DTN.
NHTSA's investigation was prompted by reports of eight vehicle
crashes in which a rupture of a DTN air bag inflator occurred during
the deployment of the driver side air bag.
On June 16, 2023, ODI received a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ
#11527380) alleging that the rupture of a driver side air bag inflator
caused fatal injuries to the driver of a MY 2020 Chevrolet Malibu.
ODI's assessment of the rupture indicated that the air bag inflator was
not original equipment and was instead manufactured by DTN.
From June 2023 to July 2024, ODI became aware of four additional
ruptures involving substandard air bag modules equipped on Chevrolet
Malibu vehicles. At the time, there was insufficient information to
determine who manufactured the ruptured inflators. In March 2025, NHTSA
learned of another rupture involving a suspected substandard,
aftermarket inflator that was equipped in a MY 2017 Hyundai Sonata. The
driver of this vehicle sustained fatal injuries that appeared related
to the rupture. In August 2025, NHTSA received a similar report of a
fatal air bag rupture in a MY 2019 Hyundai Sonata. In October 2025,
NHTSA learned of a fatal air bag rupture in a MY 2020 Chevrolet Malibu.
Photographs of the air bag components in these three crashes indicated
that DTN manufactured each ruptured inflator. Further investigation of
the inflator fragments in three of the prior incidents confirmed that
DTN also manufactured those ruptured inflators. Photographs of the
components involved in one of the other incidents also strongly
suggested that the ruptured inflator was manufactured by DTN.
After the investigation was opened, NHTSA learned of four
additional crashes involving ruptures of DTN inflators. One rupture
occurred in a crash in late October 2025, two additional ruptures
occurred in December 2025, and a fourth in February 2026. Each of these
inflator ruptures resulted in fatal injuries to the driver, for a total
of twelve crashes involving ten deaths and two severe injuries.
As part of its investigation, NHTSA sent an information request to
DTN on December 23, 2025 asking for information about the subject
components.\5\ DTN responded on February 3, 2026 with certain
production and component data.\6\ NHTSA sent DTN a supplemental
information request on March 6, 2026 seeking additional information.\7\
DTN failed to respond by the due date of March 23, 2023.
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\5\ https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2025/INIM-EA25005-34958.pdf.
\6\ See https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA25005.
\7\ Id.
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Because of the severe risk, lives lost, and serious injuries to
date, NHTSA is issuing this initial decision concluding that the
subject inflators contain a defect related to motor vehicle safety
posing an unreasonable risk of death or serious injury in the event of
a crash.\8\
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\8\ Although NHTSA has often issued a recall request letter in
advance of issuing an initial decision, that is not a required step.
In consideration of the circumstances here, NHTSA is proceeding with
the statutory process, which begins with issuance of an initial
decision. See 49 U.S.C. 30118(a).
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G. Additional Information on the Initial Decision of a Safety Defect
Based on its investigation, NHTSA has made an initial decision,
pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 30118(a) and 49 CFR 554.10, that the subject
inflators contain a safety-related defect. Ruptures of the subject
inflators during the deployment of the air bag in a crash have led to
ten fatalities from May 30, 2023 to present. Two additional ruptures of
the subject inflators during that time resulted in severe injuries. The
agency preliminarily finds that this number of performance failures of
air bag inflators is sufficient to establish a safety defect, since, in
addition to failing to protect vehicle occupants as they should, they
pose a direct risk of death or serious injury to vehicle occupants. Air
bags are essential, legally-required items of motor vehicle equipment.
See 49 CFR 571.208. Absent a defect, an air bag inflator inflates the
air bag, helping to minimize or avoid injury to occupants in a crash.
When the subject inflators malfunction, they not only fail to function
as a safety device, but instead actively threaten death or injury--even
in crashes where vehicle occupants would otherwise likely emerge
unharmed. The agency preliminarily finds that this defect poses an
unreasonable risk of death or injury from metal parts forcibly
propelled into the occupant compartment of a vehicle during a crash.
Pursuant to the Safety Act, NHTSA may make a final decision ``only
after giving the manufacturer an opportunity to present information,
views, and arguments showing that there is no defect or noncompliance
or that the defect does not affect motor vehicle safety. Any interested
person also shall be given an opportunity to present information,
views, and arguments.'' 49 U.S.C. 30118(b)(1).\9\ If NHTSA makes a
final decision that the subject inflators contain a safety defect,
NHTSA will issue an order requiring compliance with the Safety Act.\10\
See id.
[[Page 17331]]
Sec. 30118(b)(2); see also id. Sec. Sec. 30112(a)(3), 30120(j).
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\9\ Although NHTSA may hold a public hearing under 49 CFR
554.10, such a hearing is not required. See 49 U.S.C. 30118(a)-
(b);49 CFR 554.10(a). In consideration of the ten fatalities and two
severe injuries, NHTSA is forgoing a public hearing and will instead
seek written submissions. Given the risk of death or severe injury
from a ruptured inflator, NHTSA is limiting the comment period to 15
days. See 49 CFR 554.10(a).
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Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30118(a), (b); 49 CFR 554.10; delegations of
authority at 49 CFR 1.50(a) and 49 CFR 501.8.
Issued on: April 2, 2026.
Eileen Sullivan,
Associate Administrator for Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2026-06620 Filed 4-3-26; 8:45 am]
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