Latest news with #DS3s
Western Telegraph
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- Western Telegraph
Which? slam recall of Citroen car models amid rare warning
Stellantis announced an immediate and rare 'stop-drive' order on June 20 relating to certain models which are equipped with Takata airbags. No incidents have been reported in the UK. Stellantis has said affected vehicles will be repaired free of charge although waiting times vary. Stellantis UK announces an immediate stop-drive action for all Citroën C3 (second generation) manufactured between 2009 and 2019 equipped with Takata airbags. Owners of such vehicles should immediately stop driving their vehicle. — Citroën UK (@CitroenUK) June 20, 2025 The recall has left 120,000 customers unable to drive their cars, and Which? warned that many had no alternative mode of transport. Car dealers were also told to halt sales of second-hand Citroens amid the issues in recent weeks. What Citroens are being recalled? The vehicles affected are second-generation Citroen C3s produced from 2009 to 2016 and first-generation DS3s manufactured from 2016 to 2019. As a result, around 82,000 C3 and DS3 models have been removed from the road across France. Which? said it was concerned by a lack of clarity over available compensation which was causing 'major upheaval' for owners who relied on their cars and had no alternative options. Some owners reported being told they would receive a maximum of £22.50 in compensation per day, which the watchdog said was far below the cost of car hire in most regions. Which? is calling for Citroen and its parent company Stellantis to immediately address 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. 5 tips to help your car fuel last longer Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, said: '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.' Citroen said it expected all airbags to have been replaced by the end of next month, adding: 'The company's focus remains on completing the replacement of airbags in affected vehicles as swiftly as possible. '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.' How do I check my Citroen recall? If you already own an affected Citroen, you should be contacted by letter, or you can check whether your car is affected by using the VIN check tool on Citroen's website. Recommended Reading: You will need the vehicle identification number (VIN). You can find this: at point 1 on your MOT certificate in part 4 (vehicle details) at point E in the vehicle's log book (V5C) Owners can contact the recall helpline on 0800 917 9285, Citroen Customer Care on 0800 093 9393 or via Citroen's website.
Daily Mirror
20 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Brits buying second-hand car on major sites issued 'danger' warning
To avoid any nasty surprises, anyone buying a used car should check the UK government's MOT checker service by entering the number plate of the vehicle they are interested in British motorists have been cautioned after a number of potentially dangerous used cars were found listed on major marketplaces without warning buyers about unresolved safety recalls. An investigation by Which? has found that some online car retailers are not flagging vehicles that carry serious safety defects. Despite laws banning the sale of cars with unresolved recalls, when Which? contacted car dealers directly, all of them but one incorrectly declared the cars had no outstanding recalls. Vehicle check services provided by car-listing websites were also found to be unreliable, with some stating the cars were "all clear" and others misclassifying serious recalls as "minor" — some erroneously even claiming the recalls applied only to vehicles in the European Union. It comes after news anyone buying fuel next week given '£15 charge' warning by The AA. This ongoing issue means buyers could unknowingly purchase a recalled car without realising the risk until its next MOT. The rare and urgent 'stop-drive' recall issued in June for tens of thousands of cars — Citroën C3s manufactured from 2009 to 2019, Citroën DS3s manufactured from 2009 to 2016, and DS Automobiles DS3s manufactured from 2016 to 2019 — highlighted the problem. The recall was initiated by Stellantis, the parent company of Citroen, after it was found that affected airbags could, under certain circumstances, explode — posing a severe risk of injury or death to any occupants. Owners of these cars have been instructed not to drive their them for any reason at all until the defect is repaired. In the last week of June, Which? examined 16 Citroën C3 models from 2009-2016 listed by car dealers — not individuals — on Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) data showed 12 of these had unresolved recalls. When Which? messaged the dozen dealers, only seven of them responded, with just one giving the correct recall information. None of the listings for these cars warned of their recall status, and at least one was sold while still under a recall notice. Carwow was also found to have cars with recalls for sale without any warnings. Which? contacted three dealers advertising on the platform, none of whom replied to their initial request for information. On July 23, Carwow responded to Which? saying: "When we became aware of impacted Citroën models appearing on our marketplace, those affected car listings were removed. "We've published guidance on our editorial pages, based on Citroën's advice, to inform owners about the stop-drive notice and are working with Citroën to support any further necessary steps." After receiving contact from Which?, Autotrader added visible recall warnings to all relevant Citroën C3s and contacted their sellers advising them to check the cars' recall status. Autotrader said: "It's important to us to maintain a trusted and transparent marketplace, so once we were made aware of the serious nature of this recall, we took swift action. "We have added information about the recall on our relevant product pages, and within our Security Advice Centre so consumers are aware of the current issue. "We have also communicated the information Citroën had shared with its customers to our retailer customers and to consumers who were selling a potentially affected vehicle, so they in turn could take the appropriate action." Selling a car with an unresolved recall violates the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. The DVSA says "a product with an outstanding safety recall should not be passed to a consumer". Buyers also have rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to reject, or request a repair or refund, for affected vehicles. So to avoid any nasty surprises, anyone buying a used car should check the UK government's MOT checker service by entering the number plate of the vehicle they are interested in.
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Automotive
- South Wales Argus
Which? slam recall of Citroen car models amid rare warning
Stellantis announced an immediate and rare 'stop-drive' order on June 20 relating to certain models which are equipped with Takata airbags. No incidents have been reported in the UK. Stellantis has said affected vehicles will be repaired free of charge although waiting times vary. Stellantis UK announces an immediate stop-drive action for all Citroën C3 (second generation) manufactured between 2009 and 2019 equipped with Takata airbags. Owners of such vehicles should immediately stop driving their vehicle. — Citroën UK (@CitroenUK) June 20, 2025 The recall has left 120,000 customers unable to drive their cars, and Which? warned that many had no alternative mode of transport. Car dealers were also told to halt sales of second-hand Citroens amid the issues in recent weeks. What Citroens are being recalled? The vehicles affected are second-generation Citroen C3s produced from 2009 to 2016 and first-generation DS3s manufactured from 2016 to 2019. As a result, around 82,000 C3 and DS3 models have been removed from the road across France. Which? said it was concerned by a lack of clarity over available compensation which was causing 'major upheaval' for owners who relied on their cars and had no alternative options. Some owners reported being told they would receive a maximum of £22.50 in compensation per day, which the watchdog said was far below the cost of car hire in most regions. Which? is calling for Citroen and its parent company Stellantis to immediately address 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. 5 tips to help your car fuel last longer Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, said: '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.' Citroen said it expected all airbags to have been replaced by the end of next month, adding: 'The company's focus remains on completing the replacement of airbags in affected vehicles as swiftly as possible. '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.' How do I check my Citroen recall? If you already own an affected Citroen, you should be contacted by letter, or you can check whether your car is affected by using the VIN check tool on Citroen's website. Recommended Reading: You will need the vehicle identification number (VIN). You can find this: at point 1 on your MOT certificate in part 4 (vehicle details) at point E in the vehicle's log book (V5C) Owners can contact the recall helpline on 0800 917 9285, Citroen Customer Care on 0800 093 9393 or via Citroen's website.
North Wales Chronicle
4 days ago
- Automotive
- North Wales Chronicle
Which? slam recall of Citroen car models amid rare warning
Stellantis announced an immediate and rare 'stop-drive' order on June 20 relating to certain models which are equipped with Takata airbags. No incidents have been reported in the UK. Stellantis has said affected vehicles will be repaired free of charge although waiting times vary. Stellantis UK announces an immediate stop-drive action for all Citroën C3 (second generation) manufactured between 2009 and 2019 equipped with Takata airbags. Owners of such vehicles should immediately stop driving their vehicle. The recall has left 120,000 customers unable to drive their cars, and Which? warned that many had no alternative mode of transport. Car dealers were also told to halt sales of second-hand Citroens amid the issues in recent weeks. The vehicles affected are second-generation Citroen C3s produced from 2009 to 2016 and first-generation DS3s manufactured from 2016 to 2019. As a result, around 82,000 C3 and DS3 models have been removed from the road across France. Which? said it was concerned by a lack of clarity over available compensation which was causing 'major upheaval' for owners who relied on their cars and had no alternative options. Some owners reported being told they would receive a maximum of £22.50 in compensation per day, which the watchdog said was far below the cost of car hire in most regions. Which? is calling for Citroen and its parent company Stellantis to immediately address 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. Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, said: '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.' Citroen said it expected all airbags to have been replaced by the end of next month, adding: 'The company's focus remains on completing the replacement of airbags in affected vehicles as swiftly as possible. '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.' If you already own an affected Citroen, you should be contacted by letter, or you can check whether your car is affected by using the VIN check tool on Citroen's website. Recommended Reading: Citroen C3 drivers told 'stop driving' due to airbag fault How you could get a roadside fine amid new DVSA changes DVLA issues warning to anyone who passed their driving test before 2015 You will need the vehicle identification number (VIN). You can find this: at point 1 on your MOT certificate in part 4 (vehicle details) at point E in the vehicle's log book (V5C) Owners can contact the recall helpline on 0800 917 9285, Citroen Customer Care on 0800 093 9393 or via Citroen's website.
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Wales Online
'Chaotic' recall leaves 120,000 people in UK unable to drive their cars
'Chaotic' recall leaves 120,000 people in UK unable to drive their cars One woman from Cardiff said she was left with no option but to buy a new car for £10,000 The models affected are C3s built between 2009 and 2016 and DS3s built between 2016 and 2019 (Image: Citroen/PA) Consumber champion Which? has called on Citroen parent firm Stellantis to urgently improve its 'chaotic' handling of a recall due to a potentially fatal airbag safety fault. Stellantis announced an immediate and rare 'stop-drive' order on June 20 relating to certain models which are equipped with Takata airbags. The airbag inflators are being recalled globally due to chemicals in them that may deteriorate over time, which could cause the bag to rupture and lead to serious injury. No incidents have been reported in the UK. Stellantis has said affected vehicles will be repaired free of charge, although waiting times vary. The recall has left 120,000 customers unable to drive their cars, and Which? warned that many had no alternative mode of transport. Eva Lauren Kelly, a software engineer from Cardiff, planned to drive to the Netherlands for a camping trip in mid-August, with non-refundable ferry and Eurotunnel shuttle bookings. With her DS3 car no longer driveable, Eva was forced to consider alternative options or be left considerably out of pocket for close to £1,000. Even more worryingly, Eva was given a repair date, but it was due to clash with a major surgery she was having in London. Rather than face potential delays to the repair, getting the train to pre-op appointments and risk losing the cost of her trip, Eva ended up buying a new car for £10,000. She said: "This has been a gigantic headache and Stellantis has been resoundingly unhelpful throughout!" Paul Baker, a printer engineer from Derby, bought a new DS3 car at the beginning of June for his wife to get to work and found out about a month later that the car had a stop-drive recall on it from reading about the story in the news. Paul said he heard nothing from the DVSA about the recall, but when he registered the car for repair with Citroën, he was given an appointment for November. His insurer has also written to him saying that he would still be covered if he chooses to drive the car. Paul said he'd received 'a complete lack of support.' The consumer group said it was concerned by a lack of clarity over available compensation which was causing 'major upheaval' for owners who relied on their cars and had no alternative options. It has heard from 'many distressed drivers', including the mother of a premature baby who needed regular hospital visits and a woman caring for her terminally ill husband who needed to get to life-extending hospital appointments and were incurring significant expenses for hire cars, taxis or insurance fees. Others told Which? they have had no choice but to keep on driving despite the risks. Several have driven their car to garages to be fixed, with some getting confusing advice from their insurers telling them they were covered to drive despite the manufacturer's advice. Stellantis has stated it will arrange alternative transport 'on a case-by-case basis' while prioritising those with the greatest need. Some owners reported being told they would receive a maximum of £22.50 in compensation per day, which the watchdog said was far below the cost of car hire in most regions. Which? is calling for Citroen and its parent company Stellantis to immediately address 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. Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, 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.' Citroen said it expected all airbags to have been replaced by the end of next month, adding: '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. 'It is inevitable, with such a large number of vehicles affected, that customers could be inconvenienced in the short term. 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.' Citroen advised customers to check if their vehicle is affected and what actions are advised by using the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) check tool on the Citroen UK website. If affected, they should register their vehicle to enable the processing of their repair as soon as possible. Owners can contact the recall helpline on 0800 917 9285, Citroen Customer Care on 0800 093 9393 or via Citroen's website. A DVSA spokesperson said: 'DVSA is supporting Citroën's decision to issue an immediate 'stop-drive' recall of (certain models of) the C3 and DS3 and will assist them where needed. We are working with Citroën 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. To check if your vehicle is affected, car owners can use the checker on Citroën's website.' Article continues below A Department for Transport spokesperson said: 'We understand how frustrating these recalls are for those affected. The safety of those drivers and their families remains the Transport Secretary's top priority. She and the Future of Roads Minister are actively engaging with manufacturers and industry leaders to ensure any disruption is kept to an absolute minimum.'
