Federal officials are issuing an urgent warning to used-car owners across the country after discovering potentially deadly replacement airbags installed in vehicles following previous crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says eight drivers were killed and two others serious ly injured because the airbags deployed improperly. Officials say the victims likely would have survived otherwise. The warning applies to people shopping for used cars and to anyone currently driving one, especially if it’s a vehicle previously involved in a crash. Federal investigators say the airbags are equipped with inflators that can violently rupture when deployed, sending metal fragments into the driver. “What’s happening, though, is that these are substandard inflators. And when they’re in a crash, even a minor crash, they’re deploying and over-pressuring and shooting shrapnel to the face and chest of consumers or the drivers,” said Jonathan Morrison, NHTSA administrator. The airbags have been linked to a Chinese manufacturer known as DTN. On its own website, DTN states its products are not permitted to be sold in the United States. Despite that, investigators say the illegal airbags are making their way into American vehicles, most often after a previous crash, when the original airbag is replaced with a cheaper, unauthorized part. “Somehow these inflators are being imported into the United States and they’re being attached to airbag modules, which are being sold, we think, through online marketplaces,” Morrison said. One of the biggest dangers, investigators say, is that drivers often have no way of knowing what type of airbag is installed in their car. “There’s nothing worse than a piece of equipment that’s designed to save your life in serious crashes, deploying and potentially killing you in minor crashes that you should walk away from,” Morrison said. NHTSA is urging anyone who owns a used vehicle that was previously in a crash — especially one with a salvage or rebuilt title — to have it inspected immediately. If a DTN airbag is found, officials say the car should not be driven until the airbag is replaced with one that meets U.S. safety standards. Drivers can report suspected illegal airbags directly to NHTSA. The agency also recommends getting a vehicle history report, such as through Carfax, before buying any used car. News 4 reached out to the Chinese company for comment and has not received a response. Federal officials stress this is an urgent vehicle-safety issue and say buyers should never skip a safety inspection when purchasing a used vehicle. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC New York. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC New York journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less