A driver in Texas bought a used car from a dealership, trusting that the vehicle had been made roadworthy before the sale. When he was involved in a crash in 2023, the air bag deployed — and instead of protecting him, it exploded, sending metal fragments into his face. The replacement air bag inflator installed in his Chevrolet Malibu was counterfeit.

Aas reported by The Wall Street Journal, federal safety officials have since linked that same type of inflator to at least 10 deaths and three serious injuries across the United States since 2023. The incident that launched the investigation happened right here in Texas.

What Federal Regulators Have Found

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified a dangerous pattern: defective air bag inflators bearing markings associated with Chinese manufacturer DTN Airbag are entering the U.S. market and being installed in American vehicles. The company denies that it sold the parts in the U.S., claiming the components are themselves counterfeits produced by an unknown third party.

Whatever their true origin, the inflators are dangerous. Rather than cushioning occupants in a crash, they can rupture violently — turning what should be a life-saving device into a source of shrapnel.

In April 2025, NHTSA banned the sale and import of inflators marked with DTN part numbers and ordered recalls. But as The Wall Street Journal reported, the agency has acknowledged a sobering limitation: tracing and removing these parts is extraordinarily difficult.

Why This Problem Is So Hard to Contain

Unlike a traditional manufacturer recall — where a vehicle identification number links a specific car to a known defective component — this situation involves replacement parts that entered the country through what regulators describe as an opaque gray-market supply chain. In some cases, the inflators were concealed inside shipments of unrelated goods, making them difficult to intercept.

The practical consequence is significant: there is currently no reliable method to identify which vehicles contain these counterfeit inflators. Many owners may be driving with a potentially lethal component and have no way of knowing it. The parts were sold through online marketplaces, including eBay, and subsequently installed by repair shops and dealerships — often with no knowledge that the parts were counterfeit.

Who in Texas Should Be Concerned

Texas has one of the largest used vehicle markets in the country, and the gray-market supply chains that brought these inflators into circulation operated broadly across the U.S. Any Texas driver whose vehicle has had an air bag replaced — particularly through a used car purchase, an independent repair shop, or parts sourced online — may be at risk. This concern applies to:

• Buyers of used or pre-owned vehicles, especially those sold "as-is" or with recently replaced components
• Vehicles repaired after prior collisions where air bags deployed
• Cars that had service performed by shops sourcing parts from online suppliers or gray-market distributors

If you are uncertain whether your vehicle's air bag components are original manufacturer parts, a qualified mechanic can inspect them. Given the risk, that inspection is worth making.

Your Rights as an Injured Texan

When a defective component causes serious injury or death, Texas personal injury law provides meaningful avenues for holding responsible parties accountable — and that accountability can extend across the entire supply chain.

A personal injury claim arising from a counterfeit air bag inflator may be pursued against multiple parties depending on the specific circumstances:

• Importers and distributors who introduced the counterfeit parts into the U.S. supply chain
• Online marketplace sellers who sold the inflators to repair facilities
• Repair shops and dealerships that installed the components in customer vehicles
• Used car dealers who sold vehicles already containing the defective parts

In many of these cases, an injured person does not need to prove that a company intended to cause harm — only that the dangerous component caused their injuries and that a responsible party placed it in the chain of commerce. Texas law also provides recourse even when the original foreign manufacturer cannot be reached through U.S. courts, allowing claims to be brought against domestic sellers and distributors.

Compensation in a successful personal injury claim can cover medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and — in cases of wrongful death — the losses suffered by surviving family members.

Texas law generally allows two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury claim. For families who have lost someone, that window begins at the time of death. Acting promptly preserves evidence and protects your legal options.

If You or a Family Member Has Been Harmed

The deaths and injuries linked to these counterfeit inflators represent real Texans — and real families navigating profound losses. If you or someone you love was seriously injured in a crash where a counterfeit or defective air bag may have been involved, a personal injury attorney can help you understand your options and determine who may be held responsible.

Our firm represents injured Texans and the families of those who have been killed due to the negligence of others. If you are in need of a consultation, give our office a call at 940-761-2000.

Source: "Counterfeit Air-Bag Parts Are Killing U.S. Drivers," The Wall Street Journal.

This post is intended for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Personal injury claims involve complex legal and factual questions specific to each case. If you have questions about a particular situation, please contact our office directly.