Citroen and its parent company Stellantis faces mounting pressure and criticism from a consumer group for failing owners of cars embroiled in a nationwide ‘stop-drive’ safety recall.
Some 96,000 UK owners of Citroen C3 and DS3 models produced between 2009 and 2019 were informed at the end of June that their vehicles are unsafe due to faulty airbags that recently caused the death of a driver in France.
On 20 June, Stellantis UK issued an urgent stop-drive order for these models, telling owners to park them up until the lethal parts could be replaced – and to seek alternative transport in the meantime.
However, having already been without their cars for seven weeks, thousands of motorists are still in the dark about when their vehicles will be fixed and back on the road.
With the company only providing courtesy cars to those with the ‘most urgent needs’, customers being refused or offered limited compensation towards alternative travel costs, and many given false information about the recall process – including having to personally arrange delivery of their cars to dealers for repair – Which? has said it’s now time for the Government to get involved to resolve Stellantis’ ‘chaotic handling’ of the situation.
It comes just weeks after the we revealed the extraordinary lengths some drivers have gone to so that they can continue to get to work and carry out day-to-day tasks while their cars are deemed unroadworthy.
Citroen and parent company Stellantis have been condemned by Which? for its ‘chaotic’ handling of the stop-drive recall of faulty C3 and DS3 models, which has left thousands of drivers stranded and facing huge additional travel bills just to get to work or to go shopping
Some have forked out for a cheap second vehicle to run until their Citroen is fixed, while others have resorted to reducing their working hours and even staying with friends who live closer to their jobs.
Which? said the ’emotional and financial burden of the recall has fallen squarely on those least able to absorb it’ and it’s time for the government to ‘step in and hold Stellantis to account’.
The watchdog has blasted Stellantis’ process so far for replacing faulty Takata airbags in cars and offering motorists appropriate compensation.
It accused it of providing a ‘seemingly deliberate lack of public clarity’ over available recompense for customers who are paying through the nose for alternative transport options, including taxis, hire cars, train fares, bus tickets and begging lifts from friends, family and colleagues simply to get to work and back.
The manufacturer last month told affected drivers to immediately stop driving their cars due to the risk of airbags rupturing in a collision and potentially firing mental shards and shrapnel into the bodies of drivers and passengers and has causes several deaths worldwide.
Owners were urged to contact their dealer – or Stellantis’ recall helpline – to arrange a free airbag replacement.
However, customer support lines have been clogged-up by the near-100,000 motorists affected by the stop-drive notice, and the Daily Mail has seen evidence of dealers giving misinformation to owners about getting their motors repaired.
Which?, like the Daily Mail, has heard from many distressed drivers over recent weeks.
It has been contacted by the mum of a premature baby who needs regular hospital visits and a woman caring for her terminally ill husband who needs to get to life-extending hospital appointments but have faced weeks – and possibly months – without transport.
Both are incurring significant expenses for hire cars, taxis, or insurance fees.
‘These car owners have been given no clear timeline on when – or how – their original cars will be made safe,’ Which? said.
On 20 June, Stellantis UK announces an immediate stop-drive action for all second-generation Citroen C3s built between 2009 and 2019
The first-generation DS3 – produced between 2009 and 2019 under Citroen and DS branding – is also impacted by the stop-drive order
Drivers given dangerous mis-information about recalls
When the Daily Mail raised various cases of owners facing significant hardship without access to their cars last month, Stellantis apologised for the inconvenience caused and assured us that all recalled models would be repaired by the end of September at the very latest.
However, we have been contacted by owners this week who have told us their cars are not booked in with dealers until October.
Most worrying of all is that some customers have told Which? they have continued driving their cars despite the safety risks – and the fact it is illegal to do so.
Like Which?, the Daily Mail has spoken to tens of customers impacted by the safety recall. Tony and Linda Cutis (pictured) from Stourbridge were left no option but to buy a £3k Ford runaround having been ordered not to drive their Citroen DS3 and given no repair date
Jackie Senior (left) and her daughter Claudia both have DS3 models that are subject to the stop-drive order. Not being able to use their vehicles has forced Jackie to reduce her hours at a local care home while Claudia is staying with friends to ensure she can get to work on time
According to information given to the Daily Mail by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), ignoring a stop-drive order or any safety recall could result in legal repercussions. If involved in an accident, drivers could also face prosecution, fine, penalty points or a driving ban.
Insurers could also refuse claims on the grounds that drivers are responsible for roadworthiness of their vehicles.
Yet several customers have told Which? that they have told by garages to drive their cars to their location to be fixed, despite clear instruction from Stellantis not to do so.
Martin Bradley from East Yorkshire told us weeks ago that he had originally been quoted a recall date of January 2026 by Evan Halshaw Citroen in Hull, though this was fast-tracked to 4 August, granted he would need to drive his DS3 to the dealer, they told him.
He told us that he had planned to drop the car off at the dealership on 1 August before departing on holiday for a fortnight, but received a call that morning telling him the repair could not be completed because the dealer ‘had no parts’. He was also told he could not leave his car there as they had no space.
Calling it a ‘shambles’, he told the Daily Mail: ‘I’m going to have to drive the car when I get home from holiday because I have no other means to get to and from work.’
Dealers have also instructed some customers to arrange transport of their cars to their garages for repair.
Julian Anderson, 70, from Kinross, Scotland, emailed us this week to say that an Arnold Clark dealership has refused to arrange collection of his Citroen C3. Instead, it told the pensioner to source, book, and pay for a vehicle transport agency himself, then reclaim a base fee of £50 plus £1 per mile from Citroen UK.
Stellantis vehemently told us that this should not be the case and that all impacted Citroen models should be collected on the back of transporters or truck arranged by dealerships, or that mechanics visit owners’ homes to carry out airbag replacements.
It also informed the Daily Mail that Peugeot garages are now repairing recalled Citroens to accelerate the process, while the RAC – its official breakdown partner – is providing at-home airbag replacements, too.
Julian Anderson’s Citroen C3 has been ‘gathering leaves’ having been parked up for the last seven weeks. The 70-year-old from Scotland has been told by an Arnold Clark dealer that he needs to arrange delivery of his unroadworthy car to the garage. Stellantis vehemently told us this is not the case
Drivers given ‘vague promise’ – and no compensation
With tens of thousands of drivers forced to seek alternative transport arrangements, Which? blasted Stellantis for owners being given ‘vague promises or modest travel reimbursements’.
Some owners who have been told they are not eligible for any compensation whatsoever, while others have been informed that they can receive remuneration of a maximum £22.50 per day – a figure far below the cost of car hire in most regions.
Which? has also condemned the DVSA – which is responsible for overseeing safety recalls in Britain – for failing to provide clear guidance to help impacted drivers.
That’s despite its own code of conduct stating among other things that it will ‘continually aim to raise the profile of and improve information available to consumers to ensure that it provides clear information in the best ways’.
While it accepted that a ‘stop-drive’ recall of this scale is unprecedented, it said the DVSA – as the national regulator – should be doing more to ensure customers are not being left high and dry.
Which? is warning that this lack of clarity is ‘endangering people’, forcing them to either feel they have no option but to drive a potentially dangerous car or going into debt to ensure they can afford to get around.
Stop drive: Since June 20, 96,000 UK motorists have been ordered to park up their cars indefinitely until the faulty airbag devices (similar to the one pictured) can be replaced
Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at the watchdog, 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.’
The consumer group has called on Stellantis to immediately address its 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.
It has also written to the DVSA and the Department for Transport (DFT) to outline its concerns and request they step in to provide greater oversight of Stellantis’ handling of the situation.
A Stellantis spokesperson 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.
‘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.’
A DVSA spokesperson also commented: ‘We are working with Citroen to make sure that everyone with these vehicles knows that they can’t use this model of car until the necessary repair work has been carried out.’
Your rights if your car is subject to a recall
Consumer lawyer Dean Dunham explains your consumer rights if your car’s recalled
Consumer lawyer Dean Dunham says: ‘Under the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) goods, including cars, must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described.
‘When a car manufacturer issues a recall or safety notice, it is in effect admitting that the car breaches these obligations and you are entitled to a free remedy.
‘If you purchased the car within the last 30 days, you can exercise what is known as the short-term right to reject under the CRA and hand back the car, but if you purchased it more than 30 days ago, you must give the dealership/manufacturer the opportunity to repair the issue.
‘Consumers also have rights in relation to the amount of time a trader takes to repair or implement any other remedies. The CRA, therefore, provides that repairs/remedies must be made within a ‘reasonable amount of time’ and without significant inconvenience to the consumer.
‘Here, the dealerships/manufacturer will get away with the time element (as they will argue this is simply how long it takes) but, in my view, will fall foul of the inconvenience element if the repair time creeps into several weeks.
‘This could give rise to a valid claim for: i) compensation to cover the inconvenience; ii) a demand for a courtesy car; or even iii) a full refund, as section 24(5)(C) of the CRA provides that you can hand goods back and ask for a refund if a repair is not carried out within a reasonable time and/or you suffer significant inconvenience.
‘However, the trader can make a deduction for the use of the car you’ve already enjoyed, and this can be a significant sum. The manufacturer will carry out the necessary repair regardless of when you purchased the vehicle.
‘Finally, I’ve seen lots of people claiming that you will have no rights if you purchased the vehicle 6 or more years ago, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or five years in Scotland. This is not entirely correct.
‘The manufacturer will carry out the necessary repair regardless of when you purchased the vehicle.
‘It is therefore only if you want to bring court proceedings (for the likes of an injury caused linked to the faulty car or for an inconvenience claim) when the timing of your purchase matters and even then, there’s a fall-back limitation period of three years from the date you found out that the goods were faulty (which here will be the date of the safety recall notice).
‘So if the car was bought more than six years ago, but the you only became aware of the issue in the last three years, you may still be able to bring a claim.’
