Episode Overview

In this episode of Facts Matter (The Epoch Times), host Roman examines a deadly and alarming issue: illegal, made-in-China replacement airbags—specifically from Jilin Province D10NOA Automobile Safety System Co. Ltd. (DTN)—have been installed in U.S. vehicles. These substandard airbags have killed 8 Americans and seriously injured 2 others by deploying explosively, sending metal shrapnel at drivers and passengers. Roman reports on how these parts are entering the country, who’s responsible, what regulators are doing, and how listeners can check if their own cars are affected. The episode features government warnings, legal insights, survivor testimony, and actionable steps for car owners.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Scope of the Danger

• What Happened: At least 8 deaths and 2 severe injuries have been linked to illegal, counterfeit Chinese airbags that explode with shrapnel instead of cushioning the impact. ([00:00])
• Affected Cars: So far, all incidents involve used Chevy Malibus and Hyundai Sonatas that had their original airbags replaced after a crash.
• Scale: "The total amount of airbag inflators currently under investigation is roughly 10,000." ([05:49])

How Illegal Airbags Enter U.S. Cars

• Source: The airbags come from DTN, a Chinese company that explicitly states on its own website that its products are not for the U.S. market and fail to meet U.S. safety standards. ([02:12])
• Importation Path: These are "likely illegally imported into the United States and then illegally installed into U.S. Cars aftermarket after the original airbags were already at least once deployed." ([01:40])
• Industry Practice: Used and rental car companies, when repairing crashed vehicles, sometimes (knowingly or not) use these cheap, noncompliant airbags to lower costs and resell the vehicles. ([03:15])

Regulatory & Legal Response

• NHTSA Warning: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent warning to U.S. car buyers and owners about "substandard and dangerous Chinese replacement airbag inflators that are likely illegally imported.” ([00:50])
• Investigation: NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has opened a probe into these incidents. ([05:44])
• Legal Action: Victims' families, such as in the case of a Florida mother, are suing rental companies for installing these parts.
• Government Stance: Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy:

  “Whoever is bringing this faulty Chinese equipment into the country and installing them is putting American families in danger and committing a serious crime.” ([06:00])

First-Person Testimonies & Examples

• Fatal Example: Florida, June 2023 – A woman dies in a Chevy Malibu after her replacement airbag explodes with shrapnel. ([03:05])
• Survivor’s Account:

  “The airbag's balloon, like fabric material, did not deploy and a metal part even flew off the steering wheel and exploded, hitting me in the chin. So I lost about half of my lower jaw, most of my lower teeth, and some of my upper teeth. In the process, I underwent a total of three surgeries, emergency infection, and reconstruction surgery.” ([04:00])

  • Vehicle: 2020 Chevy Malibu

The Problem of Counterfeit Car Parts

• Trend: The spike in counterfeit parts sales (including airbags) has accelerated post-COVID, with many originating from Asia and sold online. ([06:21])
• Industry Expert: President, Automotive Anti Counterfeiting Council (A2C2):

  “Most of the counterfeits that we’re seeing are being facilitated through online sales. The original seller of the product usually originates from the Asia area, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, through third party facilitators.” ([06:26])

• Crash Test Results: Side-by-side tests show genuine airbags protect, while counterfeit ones catastrophically fail.
  “All of the counterfeits fail to deploy in a proper manner. This shows how ineffective these potentially life saving devices can be when counterfeited.” ([07:41])

What Car Owners Can Do

• Immediate Actions:
  1. Sign Up for NHTSA Email Alerts: Get notifications if your vehicle faces future recalls; repairs for recalls are always free, regardless of vehicle age or ownership. ([08:00])
  2. Check Vehicle History:
     • If you bought a used or rebuilt car, learn its crash history.
     • Inspect the airbag inflator—especially for salvage or rebuilt vehicles. ([09:05])
  3. Inspections:
     “If a vehicle has a salvage or rebuild title, it is especially urgent that it be inspected for one of these inflators.” ([09:31])
  4. If a DTN Inflator Is Found:
     • Do not drive the car until replaced.
     • Report to authorities: Contact Homeland Security Investigations or your local FBI field office. ([10:13])
• Practical Tip: Ask your mechanic to check if your airbag inflator is a genuine part during routine service. ([12:03])
• Resources: All relevant links and instructions are in the episode’s description box.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Horror of Counterfeit Airbags:

  “Instead of creating a nice soft pillow to cushion the impact, these made in China airbags acted more like grenades so far, killing eight drivers in what would have otherwise been survivable crashes...” (Host Roman, [00:16])

• Survivor’s Testimony:

  “I lost about half of my lower jaw, most of my lower teeth, and some of my upper teeth.” ([04:09])

• Legal Perspective:

  “Rental car companies reselling damaged vehicles and auto repair shops installing cheap non compliant parts from Chinese companies and cutting corners during the repair process to resell vehicles as quickly as possible.” (Victim’s attorney, [03:24])

• Blunt Message to Manufacturers:

  “If anyone from DTN happens to be watching this video, I don't know. Reconsider your life choices... you're manufacturing airbag inflators that explode into people's faces, sending shrapnel into their face, eyes, neck and chest, and killing them?... I would immediately stop it and fix that problem.” (Host Roman, [11:20])

Important Timestamps

• 00:00 – Summary of the problem; deaths and injuries; outline of the episode’s focus
• 00:50 – NHTSA urgent warning, how illegal airbags are installed
• 02:12 – Details about DTN (the Chinese manufacturer)
• 03:05 – Fatal incident example: Florida mother killed
• 04:00 – Survivor’s testimony
• 05:44 – Investigation scope (10,000 inflators)
• 06:21 – Fight against counterfeit auto parts—trends and e-commerce
• 06:58 – Video summary: Crash tests with counterfeit vs. genuine airbags
• 08:00 – Steps for car owners: signing up for NHTSA recall alerts
• 09:05 – Recommendations for used and rebuilt car buyers
• 10:13 – Reporting protocol if you discover a DTN airbag
• 11:20 – Host’s message to DTN and final safety tips

Conclusion

Roman’s investigation highlights a deadly example of the broader problem of counterfeit auto parts, revealing how easily safety can be compromised. The episode offers clear, practical steps to protect yourself and your family, while underscoring the urgent need for government and industry action. Car owners—especially those owning used Malibu or Sonata models with salvage or rebuilt titles—are urged to take the threat seriously, inspect your vehicles, sign up for safety alerts, and report suspicious parts.

Notable Resources:
For recall alerts, inspection guidance, and reporting instructions, listeners are directed to the episode description links.

Key Takeaway:
“Better to be safe than sorry. Again, all those links will be down there in the description box below for your convenience.” (Host Roman, [12:03])