Gwent woman left without a car after Citroen recall

Yahoo

12 hours ago

A Gwent woman says she has been left without a car after her vehicle was recalled for safety reasons.
Suzanne Bevington from Abertillery has been left without a car, without clear answers, and without any practical help.
She owns a 2016 Citroën DS3, one of the models caught up in the Takata airbag recall crisis. Since being told on June 30 not to drive her car, she's faced confusion, delays, and a complete lack of support.
'We've all been left in the dark," she said. "You can't get information and appointments to do the repair are just cancelled. We're all told contradictory things.
'It would be nice to know why the recall happened. I have asked and had no reply. Was it caused by an accident or are airbags just exploding as the car is being driven? It's vital that we know the answer to these questions.'
Her recent appointment at Newport's Spellantis Garage was cancelled, and the garage refused to fit a Citroën C1 airbag to her DS3, despite two other dealers confirming this is possible, Suzanne said.
With no courtesy car, no recovery van, Suzanne can't get to work and wonders how she will get her car to the garage.
Police have begun actively checking drivers of certain Citroën and DS vehicles affected by the Takata airbag recall. Around 120,000 cars are affected.
Parkers has reported the recall was triggered by a fatal accident in France involving a 2014 Citroën C3, where the airbag exploded, firing metal fragments into the cabin. Takata airbags are known to degrade over time, especially in humid or hot conditions.
Parkers, one of the UK's leading automotive websites, has experienced difficulty in contacting Stellantis' recall line. They further report that one dealer never answered, while another offered a cancellation slot in mid-August. Regular bookings are now stretching into October and beyond.
Suzanne has said people in Gwent are chattering about slots in January. Stellantis has now authorised Peugeot dealers to carry out repairs to help ease the backlog.
One dealer mentioned that the RAC is offering mobile repairs via citroenrecall.rac.co.uk, though availability continues to remain unclear.
If you own one of the affected Citroën or DS models, do not drive the car if advised not to. Risk of injury or death from a faulty airbag is real.
Suzanne, who works as a carer, said: 'I want my car and clear answers. I can't afford a hire car and I can't get to work. I'm eft in the dark and no one will speak about what's going on. They've got to sort this out.'
Parkers advise staying persistent with dealers or Stellantis customer service. Clarify your insurance status if you've received a stop-drive notice and never assume you are covered.
Stellantis says dealers are under pressure, with repairs delayed until 2026 due to limited airbag supply and high demand. They say they are prioritising vehicles based on risk factors and expanding operations across their network: 'Stellantis remains fully committed to acting swiftly, transparently, and responsibly.'
Meanwhile, Citroën urges drivers of affected vehicles to stop driving and check details at VIN at citroen.co.uk.