HAVING recalled some 120,000 vehicles last week, a major car brand’s dealer network is now feeling the squeeze – having told drivers to stop using their vehicles immediately.
Several models are involved in the recall, which is related to faulty airbags that could prove lethal when deployed.
This has meant chaos for the brand’s dealer network, who have become overwhelmed by the scale of the recall[/caption]
Some customers are being told to wait as long as January for a repair slot[/caption]
The chaos involves Citroen models, including the second-gen Citroen C3 supermini and Citroen DS3 – both sold between 2009 and 2016.
The more recently DS 3, sold between 2016 and 2019, is also flagged for a recall.
However, the sheer volume of vehicles being recalled has left many owners facing difficulties in getting their cars repaired, as the magnitude of the recall is placing significant strain on the Citroen dealer network.
According to the BBC, one DS3 owner said she’s “tried to get the car fixed, but as I didn’t get to know about the recall soon enough, the earliest it can be done is the end of July”.
Worse still, another revealed the soonest they’ve been able to secure a slot is January next year.
The sudden recall follows a fatal accident in Reims, France, last month, when a 37 year-old mother driving a Citroen C3 was struck in the head by pieces of flying metal after a minor collision.
The airbag, which relies on ammonium nitrate gas for rapid inflation, can degrade in hot and humid conditions, potentially causing violent explosions that propel shrapnel towards the driver.
This is part of a two-decade-long scandal involving the now-defunct Japanese manufacturer Takata, whose airbags were fitted by nearly all major car manufacturers worldwide.
It saw the French Transport Ministry order the manufacturer to conduct a recall, with Stellantis deciding to issue a stop-drive order in the UK too, to avoid any safety concerns.
The French Transport Ministry has also issued warnings for owners of Audis, BMWs, Fords, Nissans, Peugeots and even Ferraris – all due to fears over Takata airbags.
Citroen customers affected by the recall are due to receive a letter in the post outlining the next steps.
Stellantis have also listed which cars are affected, and also have a recall helpline (0800 917 9285) set up.
Naturally, the cost of any recall-related work will be covered by Stellantis.
Autoexpress believe the repair work should only take around two hours to complete – although it does mean trying to find a slot at one of dozens of authorised Citroen garages across the country.
