French car manufacturer Citroën has called for the immediate immobilisation of all C3 and DS3 models still fitted with Takata airbags across Europe, regardless of their production year, following a new fatality in France linked to the defective devices.
Citroën’s new director, Xavier Chardon, told French news agency AFP on Tuesday that, given the situation, the company has decided to place the vehicles under a ‘stop drive’ condition to expedite their handling and repair, meaning immediate grounding and repair of the affected vehicles.
In Europe, a total of 441,000 Citroën C3 and DS3 cars with faulty Takata airbags are concerned, including 82,000 in France, in addition to those already grounded.
Citroën initiated the immobilisation of around 236,900 C3 and DS3 models in the north of France in early 2025, following an earlier campaign in Spring 2024 in southern Europe for selected models.
The industrial scandal involving thedefective airbags from Japanese brand Takata has shaken the global automotive sector since 2014, causing several fatalities. Due to gas that deteriorates with age, these safety devices, intended to protect passengers in collisions, can explode, particularly in hot, humid climates, projecting metal fragments at drivers.
Automakers including Citroen-owner Stellantis, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, Nissan, Tesla, Ford, BMW, and Ferrari have recalled millions of vehicles worldwide to replace defective airbags.
These recall campaigns are still ongoing today.
