A banned Chinese-manufactured air bag inflator has now killed its 11th victim in the United States, with new fatalities reported in the Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata, NHTSA announced Sept. 3.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a consumer alert confirming the additional deaths, which significantly expand the number of vehicle models known to be affected by the defective component. The inflator had been previously banned after earlier fatalities, but its presence in additional models raises questions about supply chain oversight.
A death toll of 11 Americans from a single auto parts defect places the crisis among the most serious vehicle safety emergencies in recent years. The Chevrolet Equinox, Malibu and Sonata are high-volume vehicles with large populations on U.S. roads, meaning millions of drivers may need to verify whether their vehicles contain the banned component.
NHTSA urged owners of the affected vehicles to check the agency’s recall lookup tool using their Vehicle Identification Number to determine whether their car is subject to a recall or safety campaign.
The continued discovery of the banned inflator in additional vehicle models points to systemic failures in auto parts supply chain transparency. Air bag inflators are manufactured by suppliers and installed by automakers, making it possible for banned or defective components to enter vehicles without detection if supply chain controls are inadequate.
General Motors, which manufactures the Equinox and Malibu, and Hyundai, which manufactures the Sonata, are expected to coordinate with NHTSA on expanded recall actions for the newly identified models.
The crisis echoes the earlier Takata air bag inflator scandal, which resulted in the largest auto recall in U.S. history and was linked to dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries worldwide.
Consumers who believe they may have an affected vehicle should contact their dealership or visit NHTSA.gov for recall information.