Man stuck with car he can't drive as Citroen issue 'do not drive' order to thousands
A man has criticised car manufacturer Citroen saying that his vehicle is a 'death trap' after potentially serious faults were found with airbags in some models.
Peter Bailey, 71, from Flintshire, has been told not to drive his Citroen C3 after a potentially dangerous airbag fault. He is one of tens of thousands of customers in the UK understood to be potentially affected by the fault.
Mr Bailey who suffers with C0PD and Type 2 diabetes says he is facing a two month wait to get his car repaired and is struggling to get to medical appointments.
"I've been driving around in a death trap. It's ridiculous, you don't expect this from Citroen, or any other car manufacturer."
"I was driving at risk, I take my grandchildren in this. If we had an accident and the airbag went off and killed my grandchild it would break my heart, it would kill me."
Mr Bailey said he had no idea about the fault with the airbags until he received a letter telling him not to drive his vehicle.
The vehicles affected are second-generation Citroen C3s produced from 2009 to 2016 and first-generation DS3s manufactured from 2016 to 2019.
The French firm has issued a 'Stop-Drive' order after a recent report stated that a woman sustained fatal injuries caused by an airbag in a 2014 Citroen C3 in Reims, France, last year.
As a result, around 82,000 C3 and DS3 models have been removed from the road across France. The fault is understood to mean that the airbags can explode uncontrollably causing injuries.
The vehicles use Takata airbag systems, which could be faulty. However, airbag manufacturers Stellantis UK said that there were no reported incidents of faults in the UK, but it has decided to take action regardless.
They said: 'Stellantis UK is mobilising its full network of suppliers, retailers and manufacturing plant to support this action to ensure the fastest, safest and most convenient solution for each customer. Stellantis remains fully committed to acting swiftly, transparently, and responsibly in addressing this issue.'
In a letter sent to affected customers, Citroen said: "As you might have heard from the media, Takata airbag inflators are being recalled globally due to a serious safety risk. These inflators can degrade over time and, in the event of an accident, may rupture with excessive force. This can cause severe injuries or even death."
The letter went on to add: "Due to the serious safety risk involved, we are now taking stronger measures and urgently ask you to STOP DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY until the airbags have been replaced. This replacement takes 2 hours and is free of charge."
However Mr Bailey says other than the letter he has had no other communication from Citroen and cannot get his vehicle repaired until September and that will be at a garage in Prestatyn - over 20 miles from his home.
"How do I get it there? I'm on a pension I can't afford a tow-truck to take it there so I've got to take a chance and drive it there," he said.
"I've got a car here I can't drive. I'm paying insurance, paying tax on it, and it's stuck here and nobody seems to want to do anything about it. If I could go back in time I wouldn't even buy the car."
While he waits to get his car returned he says he is relying on his son to take him to medical appointments or has to use his family's vehicles.
"It's not just inconveniencing me it's inconveniencing him [his son]. It's disgusting. The least they could do is get the garage to give us a courtesy car."
In a statement, Stellantis – the parent company of Citroen - said: "The Company's focus is on completing the replacement of airbags in affected vehicles as swiftly as possible. Working hand in hand with our Citroën Retailer Network, we are working to maximise the number of vehicles we can repair every day.
"To increase our repair capacity further, work is ongoing to introduce additional airbag replacement sites at convenient locations as well as repair-at-home options. It is inevitable, with such a large number of vehicles affected, that customers will be inconvenienced in the short term.
"However, we are deploying a variety of options to support mobility, recognising that every driver will have individual requirements, and that priority needs to be given to customers with the most urgent needs."
Which models are affected?
The affected models are:
Citroën C3 second generation (from 24.09.2008 to 21.02.2017)
Citroën C4 (from 02.02.2010 to 20.05.2018)
DS3 first generation (from 2009 - 2019)
DS4 (from 05.05.2010 to 03.02.2017)
DS5 (from 30.06.2010 to 09.02.2018)
What should you do if your vehicle is affected?
Consumer advice website Which has advised customers of what to do if they own a car from the model years impacted by the fault.
Firsty, if you own a car from those model years, the advice is: do not drive it.
Use the Stellantis recall checker and enter your car's VIN (vehicle identification number). You can find the VIN on your V5C certificate from when you bought the car and on the inside of the doors or under the bonnet. Stellantis' page has specific instructions on what to look for to tell if your car is subject to the 'stop-drive' recall or a less serious recall.
While you are unable to drive your car, keep a record of any travel expenses you incur as a result. This includes train tickets or having to rent a car (if your dealer can't provide you with a courtesy car).
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