ORDER to ALL.....STOP driving 2009-2019 Citroën C3 and DS 3

[mickthemaverick]

I understand that the vast majority of dealers would not have the necessary stock to provide courtesy cars, so I would think Stellantis should do an immediate deal with Avis or Hertz or Enterprise, other companies are available, to allow the victims to have a hire car immediately until their own cars are made roadworthy again!! Oh sorry - gotta go, I just saw Pinky and Perky fly by!!

[the-termin8r]

I think I might have just achieved peak irony. My C5 is in to get its thermostat housing and oil cooler replaced... I've been given a Mk2 C3 as a courtesy car. Though to be honest, in a crash, the airbag is the least of my worries given that it's a beer can on wheels. LMAO

[ne8ryan]

The letter was sent 11th June, recieved it 22nd June. Local dealership says more than two week wait for the parts, no offer a courtesy car - will call Citroen themselves and request one.
I don't think I want to go through my insurance for a cock up from Citroen.

[froggybrolly]

The letter was sent 11th June, recieved it 22nd June. Local dealership says more than two week wait for the parts, no offer a courtesy car - will call Citroen themselves and request one.
I don't think I want to go through my insurance for a cock up from Citroen.

No letter for my partner and I and our (June) 2016 DS-brand DS3, only found out late Friday evening when the DVSA sent round an email offering driving test refunds for anyone with an unfixed C3 or DS3 ... but similar story from our local dealer.

Saturday morning - phoned the Stellantis recall hotline, they said they're arranging with dealers to provide courtesy cars or other alternatives; also advised me to keep my last minute train tickets for a journey I had to make that evening, and they'll look at reimbursing them... phoned the dealer, rang through for an hour...

Monday afternoon - phoned our local dealer (an Evans Halshaw) again, this time got through quickly but repair booked in for early September(!).

The guy I spoke to seemed rather pissed off with Stellantis who've apparently been palming everyone off to dealers, promising dealers would sort out courtesy cars, etc. whilst his chain has a prepared statement that Stellantis haven't said a word to them about any of this, much less arranged anything ... said to try to chase Stellantis again about alternative transport in the meantime

We've got ferries and all booked for a camping trip to the continent in August, so seems like this is going to be a long haul!

[ne8ryan]

The letter was sent 11th June, recieved it 22nd June. Local dealership says more than two week wait for the parts, no offer a courtesy car - will call Citroen themselves and request one.
I don't think I want to go through my insurance for a cock up from Citroen.

No letter for my partner and I and our (June) 2016 DS-brand DS3, only found out late Friday evening when the DVSA sent round an email offering driving test refunds for anyone with an unfixed C3 or DS3 ... but similar story from our local dealer.

Saturday morning - phoned the Stellantis recall hotline, they said they're arranging with dealers to provide courtesy cars or other alternatives; also advised me to keep my last minute train tickets for a journey I had to make that evening, and they'll look at reimbursing them... phoned the dealer, rang through for an hour...

Monday afternoon - phoned our local dealer (an Evans Halshaw) again, this time got through quickly but repair booked in for early September(!).

The guy I spoke to seemed rather pissed off with Stellantis who've apparently been palming everyone off to dealers, promising dealers would sort out courtesy cars, etc. whilst his chain has a prepared statement that Stellantis haven't said a word to them about any of this, much less arranged anything ... said to try to chase Stellantis again about alternative transport in the meantime

We've got ferries and all booked for a camping trip to the continent in August, so seems like this is going to be a long haul!

When I was looking at getting my EULOYS fluid replaced from a dealer it was notified to me that the vehicle had a recall and I said that's fine, but they would have to fix the recall before any other repairs and got quoted November as they were backlogged, local dealer says two weeks for parts, I asked how I was getting it there if I can't drive it, even if it is a mile away, they said not sure, contact Stellantis to arrange a collection and a courtesy car, was on hold/waiting in queue for 35 minutes before hanging up as I didn't have the time to wait - they've cocked up massively here.

Yeah, seems as though Stellantis is trying to push the blame to dealerships - sent back & forth. Can't wait for the phonecall tomorrow.

[PaulC5]

The BBC has shown an interest in this now https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly24w3z6p7o

[myglaren]

BBC news article on this

[the-termin8r]

Got my C5 back today, but yesterday I ran the VIN of that C3 I had through Citroen's checker and it came up clean. Not sure how much I trust that checker to be honest.

[PaulC5]

This story was on our local BBC Look North news at 6.30 pm for the East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire areas. One lady I think who might have been in Hull, was told by her dealer it would be January 2026 before they could fit her C3 in for repair. They were filming outside an Evans Halshaw branch who would be the Citroen dealer in Hull so might have been there. A solicitor said if you carry a passenger and they are injured you would be liable. No mention of insurance though.

[mickthemaverick]

That is truly outrageous!! Question is : Is it down to parts supply or simply the slots are fully booked already?

[PaulC5]

They did not say but I bet it is a lack of parts since fitting a car in for an hour or so of work should be possible any time, especially for something life threatening. I think they said so far 35 people have been killed but none in the UK.

[myglaren]

Begs the question; is it safer to disable the airbags?

Damned if you do, damned if you don't, should anything untoward happen.

[bobins]

To put it in to context - Stellantis will be needing many many thousands of replacement airbags, not just in the UK, but all over the place. They do not have thousands sitting on the shelf waiting to be fitted so will need to order them from the airbag manufacturers who will need to make sure they are manufactured to spec and meet standards for the car* (they can't just pull any old airbag off the shelf and say 'Yeah, that'll fit'), there'll need to be capacity on the production line for them - Toyota / Ford / Hyundai won't be too pleased if their run of airbags is held up whilst Stellantis get theirs made. Once you've got that side of things sorted then you've got to find capacity at the dealers to have them fitted. I doubt the dealers will have 'technicians' (Ha!) sitting around idle waiting for the next job, so there'll be a bit of overtime to be done and some re-prioritising of the servicing of fleet and public vehicles.
I can well see it being many months until this is all resolved.
It is a bit odd, though. This Takata airbag issue has be known about for a very long time - well over a decade ?? Most manufacturers have been busy recalling affected vehicles for a long time now - my Mazda pickup truck was recalled over 5 years ago to have its airbag replaced. Seems odd that Stellantis have only just realised it's an important issue

As for the issue regarding liability if an airbag inflates incorrectly - yes, but.......
First you need to have an accident - statistically unlikely.
Then the airbag needs to deploy incorrectly and cause injury - statistically very unlikely.
Then there needs to be a (civil) court case - which could happen.
Then your arguments about 'reasonably practible, etc' and many other finer points of the law would need to fail - that would be in the hands of the court, but don't take it as read that a conviction / guilty would follow.


*- Almost certainly that stage will have been done by now.

[mickthemaverick]

I agree completely bobins, but the fact that they have ordered the cars off the road has to place responsibility on them to restore transport to the owners in the meantime. Hence my earlier comment about them making deals with hire companies to cover the interim period!

[bobins]

Well in my experience......... good customer service has never been Citroen's / PSA's / Stellantis' strong point
Undoubtedly they would cover for replacement vehicles, but only if you're a PITA to them or jump up and down. I don't think they'll want to publicise the replacement car option at this stage - it'd cost them one hell of a lot and I'd reckon it could actually put a bit of a strain on the rental market. Perhaps some of the cars we see stacked up on disused runways and backyards could be pressed into service ?