Counterfeit Airbags in Used Cars: What Florida Drivers and Crash Victims Need to Know

Quick Summary

Counterfeit airbag inflators installed during cheap repairs are exploding in otherwise survivable crashes and sending metal fragments into drivers. In September 2026, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed the 11th U.S. death linked to banned DTN60DB replacement inflators. A Broward County jury has already returned a $603 million verdict for the family of a young Florida mother killed by one. If you drive a used car that was ever in a crash where the airbags went off, or you were injured when an airbag failed, you need to know who can be held responsible and what evidence to protect right now.

→ Complete Florida Accident Guide

Key Takeaways

• The danger comes from replacement parts, not factory airbags. NHTSA's cases involve original driver airbag inflators that were replaced after an earlier crash with defective inflators marked DTN60DB.
• The death toll keeps rising. NHTSA confirmed an 11th U.S. death on August 27, 2026, in a Dallas crash the agency described as otherwise survivable. SOURCE: NHTSA September 2026.
• Used cars with prior airbag deployments carry the most risk. Nearly all documented ruptures involved used vehicles repaired outside dealerships after a prior deployment. SOURCE: NHTSA consumer warning, January 2026.
• Florida makes fake airbags a felony. Under Fla. Stat. § 860.146, knowingly selling or installing a fake, counterfeit, or nonfunctional airbag is a second-degree felony.
• Several parties may be responsible. The repair shop, the rebuilder, the seller, and the manufacturer can all face liability.
• The inflator is your most important evidence. If your car is totaled and sold at auction, that evidence can disappear.

What This Means for You

You did everything right. You bought a car that looked clean, drove carefully, and trusted the airbag in your steering wheel to protect you. What you couldn't see was that the part inside had been swapped out by someone cutting corners on a repair years before you ever owned the car.

That's what makes these cases so unfair, and so important to handle correctly. In my 15 years representing injured Floridians, product cases like this one are where early action matters most, because the most important evidence is sitting inside a damaged car that an insurance company may want to sell.

What's Happening With DTN Airbag Inflators

What NHTSA found

In April 2026, NHTSA issued an initial decision that certain frontal driver airbag inflators made by Jilin Province Detiannuo Safety Technology Co., Ltd. (DTN) contain a safety defect. The agency found the inflators were likely imported illegally by unknown importers and could rupture during deployment, forcing metal debris into the passenger compartment. SOURCE: NHTSA, Initial Decision That Certain Frontal Driver Air Bag Inflators Manufactured by DTN Contain a Safety Defect, Docket No. NHTSA-2026-0793.

At that point, NHTSA was aware of twelve ruptures in U.S. vehicles, causing ten deaths and two severe injuries. SOURCE: NHTSA Initial Decision, Docket No. NHTSA-2026-0793 The eleventh death followed on August 27, 2026, in a Chevrolet Equinox, the first fatality in a model outside the Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata.

NHTSA also banned the importation and sale of DTN60DB inflators this year, the first ban of its kind in more than two decades. SOURCE: NHTSA ban announcement

A Florida crash is part of the record

One of the earliest deaths NHTSA documented happened here. On June 11, 2023, a DTN60DB inflator ruptured in a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu during a crash in Sarasota, and the driver was killed by shrapnel. SOURCE: NHTSA Initial Decision, Docket No. NHTSA-2026-0793, listing of rupture incidents

In June 2026, a Broward County jury returned a $603 million verdict against DTN for the family of Destiny Byassee, a 22-year-old mother of two whose car had received the counterfeit airbag during repairs before she bought it. DTN filed a response denying the allegations but didn't attend the trial. SOURCE: Morgan & Morgan verdict release, June 12, 2026,

A large share of that verdict was reportedly punitive damages, which are meant to punish especially harmful conduct rather than compensate for losses.

→ Florida Supreme Court lowered the bar an injured person has to clear before pleading punitive damages

The marketplace is reacting

Online sellers are pulling back. eBay announced that airbags, airbag inflators, and steering wheel airbag covers can no longer be listed or sold on its marketplace starting September 24, 2026.

How a Counterfeit Airbag Ends Up in Your Car

The pattern is consistent. A car is in a crash, and its airbags deploy. Instead of a dealership replacing the airbag with genuine parts, the car is fixed cheaply, often after being declared a total loss and given a salvage or rebuilt title. A low-cost replacement inflator goes into the steering wheel. Then the car is resold, sometimes more than once, and the buyer has no way to see what's inside.

Florida law treats this seriously. Under Fla. Stat. § 860.146, it's unlawful to knowingly import, manufacture, purchase, sell, offer for sale, install, or reinstall a fake airbag, including a counterfeit or nonfunctional one. A violation is a second-degree felony. SOURCE: Fla. Stat. § 860.146.

A criminal statute doesn't pay your medical bills by itself. But it can be powerful evidence that a seller or installer broke the law, and it helps shape the civil claim.

Who Can Be Held Responsible

The repair shop or installer

The shop that put the part in the car is often the most direct responsible party. Shops have a duty to use proper safety components, and knowingly installing a fake airbag is a felony in Florida.

The rebuilder and the seller

A rebuilder who repaired a salvage vehicle, and a dealer who sold it, may be liable for what they knew or should have known about the car's history and repairs. Florida's title laws require rebuilt vehicles to be branded, and a hidden or missing disclosure can matter a great deal. SOURCE: Fla. Stat. § 319.14

The parts seller and manufacturer

Under Florida product liability law, the companies that make and distribute a defective product can be held responsible for injuries it causes. The problem with an overseas manufacturer is practical: a company that doesn't show up to trial may be very hard to collect from. That's why identifying every responsible party in the chain matters.

Your own insurance

Your PIP coverage and, depending on the facts, your uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may apply to injuries from the underlying crash. These claims can run alongside a product claim.

What to Do Now

Step 1: Find out if your car has had a prior airbag deployment

Run a vehicle history report using your VIN. Look for prior crashes, salvage or rebuilt titles, and repairs done outside a dealership.

Step 2: Have the airbags inspected by a dealer

If your car was in a crash with airbag deployment and you don't know who repaired it, ask a franchised dealer to inspect the airbag system. Don't try to open the steering wheel yourself. NHTSA warns that live airbag wiring can cause a dangerous deployment during a do-it-yourself inspection. SOURCE: NHTSA DTN consumer guidance.

Step 3: Check for open recalls

Enter your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup to check for factory recalls such as Takata. Keep in mind that aftermarket counterfeit parts won't show up there, which is why the inspection in Step 2 matters. SOURCE: NHTSA recall lookup

Step 4: If an airbag injured you, protect the car

Tell your insurance company in writing that the vehicle must be preserved as evidence. Don't let it be sent to salvage auction, crushed, or repaired. The inflator and its markings may be the most important evidence in your case.

Step 5: Save your purchase and repair records

Gather the bill of sale, title, window sticker, repair invoices, and any ads or messages from the seller.

Step 6: Get medical care within 14 days and document your injuries

Shrapnel injuries can seem minor at first and turn serious. Get treatment within 14 days to protect your PIP benefits and keep every record.

→ The 14-Day Rule in Florida: Why Waiting Could Destroy Your Injury Claim

Step 7: Call a lawyer before anything leaves your control

Product cases depend on physical evidence and expert inspection. The sooner an attorney sends preservation letters, the better your chances.

A Case That Shows Why Evidence Matters

A man in Broward County came to me after a low-speed collision left him with deep cuts to his face and neck. The emergency room doctor told him he was lucky; the fragments had just missed a major artery. His insurer had already declared the car a total loss and scheduled it for pickup.

We sent a preservation demand that same afternoon and had the car moved to a secure facility. An engineering inspection found an aftermarket inflator in the steering wheel, and the title history showed a salvage rebuild two owners earlier. That evidence opened claims he never would have known he had.

If you or someone you love was hurt by an airbag that should have protected you, don't let the evidence disappear. Call Kris Torres Injury Law for a free case review. Your consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we win your case.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a DTN60DB airbag inflator?It's a replacement driver airbag inflator made by the Chinese company DTN and marked with the code DTN60DB. NHTSA has found these inflators can rupture during deployment and has banned their import and sale.

How many deaths have been linked to counterfeit DTN airbags?NHTSA confirmed the 11th U.S. death on August 27, 2026. Earlier deaths occurred in Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata vehicles, including a 2023 fatal crash in Sarasota, Florida.

How do I know if my used car has a counterfeit airbag?You can't tell by looking at the steering wheel. Check the vehicle history for prior airbag deployments and salvage or rebuilt titles, and have a franchised dealer inspect the airbag system.

Is it illegal to sell or install a fake airbag in Florida?Yes. Under Fla. Stat. § 860.146, knowingly importing, selling, installing, or reinstalling a fake, counterfeit, or nonfunctional airbag is a second-degree felony.

Who can I sue if a counterfeit airbag injured me?Potentially responsible parties include the shop that installed the part, the rebuilder, the dealer or seller, the parts distributor, and the manufacturer. The right defendants depend on the vehicle's history.

What was the Broward County counterfeit airbag verdict?In June 2026, a Broward County jury returned a $603 million verdict against DTN for the family of Destiny Byassee, a 22-year-old mother killed when a counterfeit airbag exploded in a minor crash.

What should I do with my car after an airbag injury?Preserve it. Notify your insurer in writing not to sell, salvage, or repair the vehicle, and speak with an attorney about arranging a secure inspection.

Does Florida's PIP coverage apply to airbag injuries?PIP generally applies to injuries arising from a motor vehicle crash, including airbag injuries, subject to your policy limits and the 14-day treatment requirement.

How long do I have to file a claim?Most Florida negligence claims must be filed within two years under Fla. Stat. § 95.11. Product liability and wrongful death claims have their own deadlines, so get advice early.

Final Thoughts

What makes counterfeit airbags so dangerous is that the risk travels with the car, not the owner. The person who cut corners on the repair is long gone by the time the next buyer gets behind the wheel. South Florida's busy used car market, with plenty of rebuilt and auction vehicles changing hands, means some of these parts are almost certainly still on our roads.

The good news is that the tools to fight back are stronger than ever. Federal regulators have named the part, Florida law makes installing it a felony, and a Broward jury has shown how seriously our community takes it. The key is making sure the evidence survives long enough to use them.

→ Wrongful Death Claims in Florida: What Families Need to Know

Get Help Now

If an airbag failed you or someone you love, you deserve answers about how that part got into the car and who's responsible. I've spent 15 years representing injured people across Florida and have recovered more than $100 million for my clients. I'll move fast to preserve the evidence and identify every party in the chain.

Kris Torres Injury Law serves clients throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties from our offices in Miami and Jupiter. Call now for a free case review. Your consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we win your case.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this content does not create an attorney-client relationship. Results vary by case.

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