Stellantis issued a “stop drive” recall for 82,000 Citroën C3 and DS3 vehicles in France that have Takata airbags which could be fatal because a woman died from an airbag malfunction in Reims.
The recall includes vehicles produced between 2014 and 2019. The recall happened after French transport authorities required all affected vehicles to be removed from circulation. Stellantis announced that among the 690,000 vehicles in France which need repair approximately 481,000 have already received necessary fixes.
The Takata airbag crisis has triggered extensive global vehicle recall campaigns throughout the last decade because of its status as one of the biggest automotive safety recalls. The faulty inflators produce excessive force during deployment which causes metal fragments to enter the cabin.
The authorities warn owners of affected vehicles to avoid driving their cars until the necessary repairs are finished. Stellantis will reach out to owners through direct communication to speed up the repair process.
The incident demonstrates the persistent safety issues related to aging Takata components which have caused numerous worldwide fatalities. European regulators keep close watch on this situation to guarantee prompt action against similar risks.
