7:57 am, August 8, 2025
Stellantis has come under fire from consumer champion Which? for its ‘chaotic’ handling of the Citroen airbag crisis.
Car Dealer has reported extensively on the rare ‘stop drive’ order which has left up to 120,000 customers unable to drive their cars.
The crisis relates to C3 and DS3 models which have been fitted with Takata airbags, which could rupture, causing serious injury.
Used car dealers have even been warned not to sell the models by experts and it was recently announced that Peugeot’s retail network was being mobilised in an attempt to get through repairs.
Lawyers have also said that customers could be entitled to hefty compensation and Which? has now stepped in to criticise a lack of clarity over available remunerations.
The group said the situation is causing ‘major upheaval’ for owners who rely on their cars and have no alternative options.
It has heard from ‘many distressed drivers’, including the mother of a premature baby who needed regular hospital visits, and a woman caring for her terminally ill husband who needed to get to life-extending hospital appointments and were incurring significant expenses for hire cars, taxis or insurance fees.
Others told Which? they have had no choice but to keep on driving despite the risks.
Several have driven their car to garages to be fixed, with some getting confusing advice from their insurers telling them they were covered to drive despite the manufacturer’s advice.
Stellantis has stated it will arrange alternative transport ‘on a case-by-case basis’ while prioritising those with the greatest need.
Some owners reported being told they would receive a maximum of £22.50 in compensation per day, which the watchdog said was far below the cost of car hire in most regions.
Which? is now calling for Citroen and its parent company Stellantis to immediately address helpline issues, confirm a formal compensation scheme and provide practical solutions including courtesy cars, at-home repairs or collection options, so that unsafe cars can be fixed without the risk of being driven.
Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, said: ‘From people left stranded with no means of transport, to those paying out a fortune to hire cars and taxis, the emotional and financial burden of this recall has fallen squarely on those least able to absorb it.
‘Stellantis must urgently confirm it will pay compensation for alternative transport as well as offer practical solutions such as offering at-home repairs or towing affected cars to garages.
‘If not, many people will see no alternative but to continue driving cars that are potentially very dangerous.
‘The Government needs to step in and hold them to account to ensure UK consumers have much greater clarity of what they need to do and what they are entitled to – and are never left in this position again.’
Citroen said it expected all airbags to have been replaced by the end of next month, despite previous concerns that work could drag into 2026.
A spokesman for the French brand said: ‘The company’s focus remains on completing the replacement of airbags in affected vehicles as swiftly as possible.
‘Our Citroen network is fully engaged in maximising the number of cars that can be completed every day and, to increase our repair capacity even further and minimise as much as possible the impact on customers, our Peugeot network is now authorised to replace airbags on these cars in addition to at-home options.
‘It is inevitable, with such a large number of vehicles affected, that customers could be inconvenienced in the short term.
‘For each and every customer, we discuss options to support mobility, recognising that every driver has specific requirements. These options include replacement airbags at a dealership or at home, courtesy car, support for other mobility options and recovery.
‘We give priority to those with the most urgent needs.’
Anyone who thinks their vehicle may be affected by the stop drive notice should enter their VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) into Citroen’s checker tool.
If affected, drivers should register their vehicle to enable the processing of their repair as soon as possible.
A Department for Transport spokesperson added: ;We understand how frustrating these recalls are for those affected.
‘The safety of those drivers and their families remains the Transport Secretary’s top priority.
‘She and the Future of Roads Minister are actively engaging with manufacturers and industry leaders to ensure any disruption is kept to an absolute minimum.’
