Stellantis and its Citroën brand haven’t finished dealing with the severe issues identified with Takata airbags. Indeed, the recall of Citroën C3 and DS3 (DS Automobiles) affected by these defective airbags will be extended across Europe. Northern France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Ukraine, and Moldova are also included by Stellantis. In total, 869,000 vehicles, including 400,000 registered in France, will be recalled.
According to data provided by Stellantis and Citroën, about 102,000 Citroën C3 and DS3 have already been repaired in Southern Europe, including France, as well as Italy, Spain, and Portugal. The models being recalled by Stellantis to address the defective Takata airbags are the Citroën C3 and DS Automobiles DS 3 assembled between 2009 and 2019. Other brands such as BMW, Ford, and Mazda have also launched their recall campaigns.
Initially, to allow the Stellantis network of dealers and partners in Europe to handle the workload related to this “extended” recall campaign, only the 2009 and 2010 Citroën C3 and DS Automobiles DS 3 models will be recalled, as explained by Stellantis in its statement: “Stellantis prioritizes the older vehicles located in the northern region, as the available data indicates that these vehicles need to be addressed first due to the behavior of the chemical components over time.” The same statement also notes that the European recall is organized “based on long-term climate criteria of heat and humidity.” According to Stellantis, for “more than 94% of the registered customers in Southern Europe,” the defective Takata airbags have been addressed. It’s worth recalling that the Japanese automotive supplier, Takata Corporation, went bankrupt in 2017 due to the tragic scandal of its defective airbags that, unfortunately, caused the deaths of several motorists.
Lastly, and it’s far from being a minor detail, in France, the consumer protection association UFC-Que Choisir has filed a lawsuit against Citroën, a brand of the Stellantis group, for “misleading commercial practices, aggravated fraud, and deliberate endangerment of life”. UFC-Que Choisir is also urging the French government to establish a parliamentary inquiry commission.
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