Citroen extends stop-drive order to another 10,000 UK cars - do you own one of the three models dragged...
- Are you among the 10k new owners impacted or enduring hardship due to the ongoing Citroen stop-drive recall? Email: rob.hull@thisismoney.co.uk
Another 10,000 UK motorists are due to be told that they cannot use their cars for weeks as Citroen extends its 'stop-drive' notice to three additional models.
On 20 June, the French manufacturer ordered 96,000 Britons to park up their C3 and DS3 models produced between 2009 and 2019 because they were deemed unfit for the road due to faulty airbags.
The order, the highest-level 'code red' recall for vehicles that's very rarely issued in the UK, was instructed after a French driver was killed earlier in June when during a minor collision her C3's Takata airbag deployed and sent shrapnel into her head and body, causing fatal injuries.
The stop-drive order has already left tens of thousands of Britons without use of their cars for almost two months, with some facing seven weeks and potentially longer without them as Citroen and parent company Stellantis have been accused by of 'chaotic' handling of the recall.
We have spoken to tens of affected owners who have blasted the company for failing to resolve the issue sooner, not provided courtesy cars or compensation towards additional travel costs, refusing to provide clear communication, and essentially leaving them stranded with no essential transport to get to work and hospital appointments until repairs can be carried out.
Even this week, we've heard from impacted customers who've had recall bookings with garages cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice, which has been blamed on a lack of available parts to complete repairs.
While the Daily Mail has been assured by Stellantis that all C3 and DS3 models will be rectified by the 'end of September', another 9,968 UK drivers will not be so lucky. These are the owners of C4, DS4 and DS5 models built between 2010 and 2019 that have officially been added to the stop-drive recall this week.
The Daily Mail reveals that red-bordered stop-drive notice letters were sent out in the post to registered keepers of these cars yesterday (12 August) by the under-fire car maker.
Stellantis has confirmed that the Citroen C4 (2010-2011), DS4 (2010-2011), and DS5 (2010-2013) have now been added to the code red recall with immediate effect.
It told the Daily Mail that it has 'proactively decided to expand the stop-drive action' to these vehicles, suggesting this was not ordered by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVSA), which oversees all vehicle safety recall in Britain.
According to the manufacturer, there are 9,968 of these vehicles currently on the road.
A Stellantis spokesman told us: 'The company’s focus remains on completing the replacement of airbags in affected vehicles as swiftly as possible.
'The 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, the Peugeot network is now authorised to replace airbags on these cars in addition to at-home options.'
With the additional models now added, the total number of Citroens impacted is 106,000.
To date, Stellantis claims that 'more than 66,000' C3 and DS3 models have had their replacement airbags fitted.
This suggests that more than two thirds of C3 and DS3 models are now roadworthy and legal to drive on the road.
However, the Daily Mail is still receiving a high volume of emails from readers who say they are still waiting for their vehicles to be fixed.
Some have yet to be given a repair date at all.
Cathy Edwards, 49, a deputy head teacher in a special school from Ledbury, Hertfordshire, told us she has tried to call Citroen's dedicated helpline to arrange for her DS3 to be repaired but gave up having spent hours on the phone without getting through to a handler.
She says she reverted to contacting a local dealer on 20 July but still hasn't been given an appointment by the garage.
She shares the car with her 19-year-old son, Tom. He uses the DS3 during the week to get to work 17 miles away in Ross-on-Wye while she drives it on weekends to care for her 80-year-old mother 100 miles away in Aberystwyth.
'The recall has left me and my son stuck,' she told us.
'Tom does not have the money to spend on a new car, he can't miss work as he has only started three weeks ago, and we are paying for insurance but cannot drive the vehicle - and have no date confirmed for the airbag replacement.'
Concerningly, the Daily Mail has been contacted by a number of customers who have been told they can drive these cars to dealers for repairs.
Stellantis has refuted this suggestion, saying owners have a legal requirement to not take cars subject to stop-drive orders on the road.
The DVSA states that ignoring a stop-drive order or any safety recall could result in legal repercussions. If involved in an accident, drivers could also face prosecution, fine, penalty points or a driving ban.
Insurers could also refuse claims on the grounds that drivers are responsible for roadworthiness of their vehicles.
Sherika Douglas contacted us to say she has been left 'frustrated and upset' by the 'false promises' given to her regarding when her Citroen will be fixed.
The community carer, who is also a single mum, said she is 'entirely reliant' on her car and has faced incredible hardship without it for two months.
Having eventually secured a repair booking for 8 August, she was delivered a fresh blow less than 24 hours earlier when the dealer informed her the appointment had been cancelled due to 'unavailability of parts'.
She is now having to pay additional costs to travel to work and hasn't received a new repair date.
'I can't afford a rental vehicle and I have no one to turn to. This has affected my life completely,' she told the Daily Mail.
'If I leave it up to Citroen to resolve, I will be in debt.
I've called Citroen so many times. They promise to contact me in regard to a substitute car until mine is sorted, but it's just false promises.
'I called the garage that is due to replace the airbag to ask when it will be done. They haven't rebooked me a slot and tell me they don't know when it will be fixed.
'I don't really know what to do or where to turn.'
Martin Bradley from East Yorkshire told us weeks ago that he had originally been quoted a booking date of January 2026 by Evan Halshaw Citroen in Hull, though this was fast-tracked to 4 August.
He then received a call from the dealership on 1 August telling him the repair could not be completed because the dealer 'had no parts'.
He's since been told this week that he can have his DS3 fixed sooner if he agrees to have an airbag unit fitted with a Citroen logo rather than the DS emblem that should appear on the steering wheel of his specific model.
Stellantis told the Daily Mail: '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, a courtesy car, support for other mobility options and recovery. We give priority to those with the most urgent needs.'
The spokesman said that while the 96,000 C3 and DS3 cars are forecast to have their new replacement airbags fitted by the end of September, the additional 10,000 drivers of C4, DS4 and DS5 models will be 'handled as swiftly as possible within the coming weeks.'
They added: 'We remain fully mobilised to support our customers, and their safety remains our highest priority.'
The Takata airbag recall is the world’s largest automotive recall.
Around 67 million airbags being recalled globally among many brands, including Stellantis.
When we contacted the DVSA about the handling of the stop-drive recall, a spokesperson said: 'We are working with Citroen 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.'
A Department for Transport spokesperson also added: '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.'
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