The recall concerns vehicles of the group equipped withairbags from the Japanese brand “Takata”, which, in the event of a defect could cause injuriessometimes fatal, to users, according to Catherine Biethresponsible for SSMVMcited by local media.
Stellantisfounded in 2021 after the merger of Groupe PSA and Fiat Chrysler Automobileshad indicated a few days earlier, through a press release, that the current recall campaign “stop drive” (which asks drivers to immediately stop using the vehicles concerned) only concerned 530,000 vehicles DS3 And C3 manufactured between 2009 and 2019 and equipped with a specific reference of “Takata” airbags for which a “risk has been identified”.
No risk has been identified for other models equipped with other components, specifies the Car manufactureradding that “risks associated with Takata airbags are continually monitored and managed through routine recalls.”
But according to the head of the SSMVM, nearly 6 million vehicles of the brand Opeland just over 2.3 million brands Citroën And DS Automobilesare affected (1.4 million vehicles in total for these three brands in France).
The manufacturing dates of the vehicles affected by this recall campaign can go back as far as 2008 for Citroën and 2005 for Opel, the media specify.
Shortly before the launch of the recall procedure in Metropolitan Francea man was killed at the wheel of his car “equipped with a Takata airbag which is linked to the accident” in the Hautes-Pyrénéesaccording to the public prosecutor of Tarbeswhich plans to “open a judicial investigation given the potential multiple responsibilities”, reports for its part “Le Figaro“.
This is the first accident recorded in mainland France, while in the territories ofOverseas – first risk zone due to its climate – tragic examples have been accumulating since 2020, specifies the newspaper.
This situation led motorists to take collective legal action against the brand, via a law firm, which was to put the registration form for the action online from last Thursday.
