ASE Recommends Auto Repair Shops Conduct Air Bag Inspections

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence wants automotive repair shops to conduct air bag inspections due to a recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recent findings from NHTSA highlight the importance of air bag awareness. The agency found that certain airbags manufactured by DTN contain a defect related to motor vehicle safety and identified dangerous, non-OEM replacement airbag inflators that may have been illegally imported into the United States. These defective inflators have been linked to 10 fatalities and two serious injuries after rupturing during deployment.

NHTSA has provided recommended guidance for automotive service professionals to manage DTN-equipped airbags. ASE encourages all technicians to review this information before performing any service or repair of these airbags.

"Airbag systems are complex safety components that should only be inspected or serviced by trained professionals," said Dave Johnson, president and CEO of ASE. "When it comes to this type of safety-critical system, experience and expertise matter. ASE certified professionals have passed stringent certification tests demonstrating their technical knowledge is consistent with the highest professional standards in the transportation industry."