The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a consumer alert after a banned Chinese-manufactured air bag inflator caused an 11th fatality in the United States on Sept. 3, urging owners of affected vehicles to stop driving them immediately.
Deaths have been recorded in Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata vehicles equipped with the defective inflators, according to NHTSA.
The inflator at issue is distinct from the Takata air bag recall, which affected tens of millions of vehicles, but represents a similar pattern of explosive metal fragmentation during deployment, the agency said. When the defective inflators activate, they can rupture and send metal fragments into the vehicle cabin.
NHTSA urged owners of affected vehicles to avoid driving them and to seek immediate repairs, according to the consumer alert.
The number of vehicles still on the road with the banned inflators was not specified in the agency’s announcement. The recall and consumer alert remain ongoing.
For American drivers, the alert represents an active public safety emergency. The Chinese origin of the defective component adds a supply-chain dimension that Congress and the administration have been increasingly focused on, as broader concerns about the safety and reliability of Chinese-manufactured automotive parts continue to grow.
The 11 deaths span multiple years and vehicle models, indicating the defective inflators have been present in the U.S. vehicle fleet for an extended period.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation is continuing to monitor the situation and has urged dealers and repair facilities to prioritize inflator replacements for affected vehicles.