This Wednesday, December 3, the French National Association of Consumers and Users (CLCV) denounced the automotive company Stellantis, owner of brands such as Citroën or Peugeot, for manufacturing and marketing models with defective airbags.
The manufacturing error of models with Takata airbags resulted from the use of a particularly perishable component in hot and humid climates, affecting several brands manufactured by Stellantis, mainly Peugeot, Citroën, DS Automobiles, FIAT, Opel, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Lancia.
CLCV announced its complaint in a statement in which it stated that it would seek legal action for material damages resulting from “prolonged immobilization, the absence of a replacement vehicle” and the subsequent expenses caused to its users, as well as for moral damages due to the manufacturer’s inaction.
In June, the French Government demanded the “immediate immobilization” of all affected vehicles, “regardless of their age”, which brought the total number of immobilized vehicles to 1.7 million.
In May, Stellantis asked “owners of Citroën C3 models and DS 3 cars manufactured between 2009 and 2019” to “immediately stop driving their vehicles”, particularly those in “certain European Mediterranean areas”, such as “the south of France”.
“Certain chemicals in Takata airbags can deteriorate over time, particularly when exposed to hot, humid climates. In the event of an accident that activates the airbag, its inflator could break with excessive force and cause serious injury or even death, in the worst case scenario,” Stellantis then explained.
In the same statement, the company urged victims to fill out a form to “gather information” so that they could later take their vehicle to a repair center.
The CLCV classified this alert as “a late, partial and disorganized warning campaign”, which caused “damage to several owners” and resulted in at least 18 deaths and 25 injuries in France.
The car manufacturing company Stellantis was born in 2021 from the merger of the Italian-American group Fiat Chrysler — manufacturer of car brands such as FIAT, Alfa Romeo, Jeep or Lancia — with the French group PSA — manufacturer of Peugeot, Citroën and Opel vehicles, among others.