This week it’s been announced that thousands of Citroën vehicles are to be recalled due to a problem with a faulty airbag – consumer rights expert Martyn James explains what you need to know
Every year, hundreds of products in the UK are recalled. In fact, in 2024, 424 items were recalled for various reasons – mostly safety related.
Product recalls are expensive for businesses so as a consequence they are not entered in to lightly. However, various laws and regulations ensure that the products and services we purchase are safe to use – and anything that doesn’t meet the appropriate standards must be recalled as soon as a problem becomes apparent.
This week it’s been announced that thousands of Citroën vehicles are to be recalled due to a problem with a faulty airbag. Owners have been told not to drive them while the recall is in place.
Citroëns are very popular vehicles in the UK, which means many people are affected and don’t know where to turn. So what’s going on, what are your rights and what if it takes too long to correct the problem? Here’s my guide.
What’s happening with Citroën?
Citroën has issued a ‘stop drive’ recall for C3 and DS3 vehicles due to concerns over a faulty airbag system that has the potential to cause serious harm – even fatalities. Reports from France have suggested that the fault with the airbag has led to upwards of 18 deaths alone.
A ‘stop drive’ warning means exactly that. The company is stating it is not safe to drive your vehicle. This is notable as this kind of recall and warning is extremely rare. The affected vehicles are:
- Citroën C3 manufactured between 2009 and 2019
- Citroën DS 3 manufactured between 2009 and 2016
- DS Automobiles DS 3 manufactured between 2016 and 2019
The recall notice affects approximately 120,000 cars in the UK. But because it’s some but not all Citroëns, it’s not always easy to know if your car is affected.
Citroën’s parent company, Stellantis, has more information on its website, along with a checker. Just enter in you VIN (vehicle identification number) in to the search box and you will be able to confirm if your car is affected by the recall. However, the company should be contacting you directly, so make sure that you have your address updated on the DVLA website.
You can also find out more on the GOV.UK. Your vehicle will be repaired for free, as you would expect. But here’s the kicker: you could be left without a vehicle for months due to the sheer volume of people affected.
What’s the problem with the airbag?
The Takata Corporation was one of the world ’s leading manufacturers of airbags. But back in 2013, it became apparent that defective airbags had led to a number of injuries and deaths. This first recall affected 3.6 million people worldwide.
Yet problems continued to be reported. Ultimately, 67 million airbags have been recalled – with 42 million vehicles in the USA alone being affected, the largest vehicle recall in the history of the US. In 2017 the company went bankrupt, but countless vehicles still had the defective airbags installed.
So what went so terribly wrong? It turns out that the airbag inflators could explode with so much force, they could send fragments of metal shrapnel into the vehicle.
This is all down to the use of ammonium nitrate (yes, the fertilizer one) as a propellant, which can become unstable and degrade as time passes, especially in hot or humid conditions (where many of the French deaths occurred). The degraded propellant can cause the inflator to rupture, leading to serious injury or death.
This is so serious, the ‘stop drive’ notice has to be issued by the company.
What are my rights if I’m affected?
I’ve heard from many readers who are concerned about the lack of information about what happens next. First things first: tempting as it may be to drive your car, don’t. The risks posed by the faulty airbags are very real and you may be in danger if you do so.
f an accident does occur – and you were aware of the recall – you could not only invalidate your insurance, you could also be breaking the law and end up with points or even a full driving ban.
Having said that, your insurance company may be able to advise you about options and what you are covered for with your policy. They should also be able to let you know if they will cover the costs of a courtesy car while you wait for a repair.
Speaking of courtesy cars, MoneySavingExpert reports that you can request a courtesy car from Stellantis by contacting its helpline on 0800 093 9393. Note that word ‘request’. Because of the sheer volume of requests for replacements, you can expect quite a wait unless you have a severe need for a vehicle.
Be prepared to explain your personal circumstances – particularly if you are reliant on your vehicle. The business has stated that it will prioritise repairs and courtesy cars based on need. So make it clear why you need your car and the impact on you because you can’t drive your Citroën.
There is the distinct possibility that the business may not give you a vehicle while you await a repair. While you can hire your own replacement and pursue the company for compensation after the repair, you’ll still need to demonstrate that you chose a reasonable, comparable vehicle and that you have notified the company of what you are doing and that you’ll be seeking compensation.
This kind of reimbursement isn’t guaranteed, but if you keep all of your paperwork then you’ll be able to make a claim much more effectively. If the business doesn’t play ball, you can threaten them with the small claims court.
How do I find out about other product recalls?
I wrote all about vehicle recalls in my Mirror column just last month. Here’s a quick recap of how recalls work. If you want to find out what products have been recalled, start with the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) who have product recalls on their website.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is the UK’s national product regulator and is part of the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The OPSS has guidance for consumers on its website and a list of the latest product recalls.
The Gov.uk product recalls website gives advice on the three different types of product recall:
- For specific products that have been sold in the UK and may require you to act to receive a free replacement, repair or refund from the manufacturer or a retailer.
- Product safety reports – These are for specific products found in the UK where corrective measures other than a recall have either been ordered by an authority or are being undertaken by a business.
- Product safety alerts – These highlight product categories or sectors in the UK with risks of serious injury or fatality and where immediate steps are requested by OPSS from businesses, authorities and possibly consumers.
However, this is where things get complicated. Because of the sheer range of products that are sold, from cars to cauliflower cheese, there are a range of other agencies, regulators and official organisations that set rules around product safety and recalls.
As a consequence, you may find more information about specific recalls on the website of one of these organisations, like the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) for problems with motor vehicles.
- Martyn James is a leading consumer rights campaigner, TV and radio broadcaster and journalist