UK group action looms as Citroën airbag recall leaves drivers stranded

UK drivers left unable to drive their Citroën cars due to their recent airbag recall could be entitled to compensation - amid talk of potential group action. That is according to group litigation specialists Bond Turner, which says motorists may also qualify for complementary hire cars while their own vehicles are off the road.

Around 120,000 UK motorists have been left unable to drive their cars after car giant Stellantis, who own Citroën, recently issued 'Stop Drive' instructions, over potentially lethal airbags. Stellantis said people should stop using versions of the popular Citroën C3 and the related DS3 altogether until they are fixed.

Now group litigation specialists Bond Turner, representing thousands of drivers in claims against car manufacturers over emission cheating, say Citroën owners could face months without access to a vehicle while they wait for dealers to replace their faulty airbags.

This is leaving hundreds of people stranded and unable to go about their daily lives as well as potentially invalidating drivers' insurance policies.

Now Bond Turner director and group claim expert Rachael Wong has said motorists have been severely inconvenienced by the sudden Stop Drive instructions and claim the manufacturers have failed to act reasonably despite knowing of issues with the now defunct airbag manufacturer Takata for years.

She said: "A vehicle is an essential tool to many in their daily home and/or working life, and the practical reality is that; without a vehicle people cannot continue their daily lives as normal or at the very least, are caused intolerable inconvenience.

"Citroen and Stellantis have known about the problems around these airbags for many of years - and knew or ought to have known that they would have to recall these vehicles and replace the airbags.

"They have failed to plan for this eventuality and therefore drivers have now been left without a vehicle, and not knowing when they might be able to drive them again.

"At the very least the manufacturers involved need to compensate owners for the inconvenience and out of pocket expenses incurred as a result of being restricted from using their cars.

"We have been approached by drivers who have been told their insurance is no longer valid to drive their vehicles - and they could even be unable to drive the car to their dealership to get a repair. Or, alternatively, are being charged by the dealer to collect the car.

"Others have said they have been told by the garage that there is shortage of the replacement airbags and so garages are not able to offer a reasonable timeframe for the recall to be dealt with.

"It is simply unacceptable that the manufacturers of vehicles that contain these airbags have known about these problems for a number of years, but have failed to replace them or arrange non-urgent recalls in the UK before now."

Citroën C3 and DS3 models fitted with controversial Takata airbags are deemed as a safety risk after reports emerged of explosive chemicals used to inflate the airbag system becoming unstable over time and potentially triggering them to excessively or spontaneously explode.

The UK recall of these vehicles comes after worldwide reporting of injuries and deaths having been caused by these products. Just last month a motorist was killed in Northern France, reportedly due to flying shrapnel from a faulty airbag.

Stellantis have now urged drivers to ensure their cars are not driven until the airbags can be repaired, leaving them without a car and facing long delays.

A statement from Stellantis read: "Stellantis UK announces an immediate stop-drive action for all Citroën C3 (second generation) and DS 3 (first generation) vehicles manufactured between 2009 and 2019 equipped with Takata airbags.

"Owners of such vehicles should immediately cease using their vehicle when safe to do so.

"Vehicles included in this new stop-drive action in the UK, were already part of an ongoing comprehensive recall campaign that started over one year ago, first in Southern Europe and then expanded northwards.

"Recall decisions, especially stop-drive actions, are based on multiple factors, including airbag specifications, vehicle age and usage, climate conditions, and notifications from regulatory authorities."

Stellantis stressed that all affected customers will be notified by post, while road users can also check whether they are affected by looking up their VIN (Vehicle Identification Number).

At present, only Citroën C3 and DS3 vehicles have been recalled however, Bond Turner warn these airbags, manufactured by Takata, were not limited to Citroën /DS and so more recalls could be imminent.

* Anyone affected by the recall is urged to contact Bond Turner, who can arrange a replacement hire vehicle and are investigating legal action. https://www.bondturner.com/citroen-airbags-recall/