236,000 motorists from the north of France should no longer drive with their C3 or DS3 given the danger of Takata Airbags. This “stop drive” was announced by Citroën in the evening of February 17, 2025. “It is not too early,” reacts the lawyer for 2,600 motorists.
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After the cars sold overseas, then those in the south of France, Citroën announced, this February 17, 2025, a new C3 and DS3 reminder campaign in the north of France. For Me Christophe Lèguevaques, lawyer specializing in collective actions, it was time for the automaker to act. But it is far from sufficient. “They continue to try to save time and take the safety of consumers hostage,” says the one who defends the interests of more than 2,600 motorists.
This time, Stellantis Citroën decided to immobilize the cars registered between 2008 and 2013, in the north of France, above a line between La Rochelle and Lyon. “An imaginary line fixed by Stellantis Citroën in 2024, according to Me Leguevaques, to save time because they were unable to deal with a massive change of airbags”.
Heat and humidity are the two factors for degradation of the air cushion from the inflatable cushion provided by the Japanese company Takata. “The ammonitrate will change nature with humidity and will become even more explosive than normal, explains the lawyer for the motorists concerned. According to the information that comes from the United States, we know that the lifespan With an airbag is 5 to 15 years depending on the humidity. “
Whether I know, humidity in Normandy or Brittany is still greater than that of the Catalan region or the PACA region.
Me Christophe Lèguevaques, lawyer of more than 2,600 motorists
This Monday, February 17, 2025, a spokesperson for the Stellantis group told AFP that tests carried out on a car in Loire-Atlantique, north of the “imaginary line”, showed a “degradation of properties” of nitrate Ammonium, the product used to inflate the cushion in the event of an accident.
But Citroën is now making a new distinction, “a temporal separation”, by recalling only vehicles registered before 2013. A measure deemed insufficient by the Toulouse lawyer who claims a reminder of all DS3 and C3 vehicles marketed throughout France until ‘In 2019 (the following year, the manufacturer would have changed supplier).
For Me Christophe Leguevaques, Citroën, “like all car manufacturers” had knowledge of the danger of Takata Airbags since 2014. And therefore tried to save time to recall and change the defective airbags.
In May 2024, thousands of motorists found themselves without travel solution. Citroën dealerships and after-sales service are overwhelmed. Motorists embark on a collective legal action. On July 29, 2024, a complaint was filed with the public prosecutor of Versailles on behalf of the first six complainants.
Today, there are more than 2600s wishing to be a civil party. “We are now awaiting the reaction of justice which is always a little wait,” said me bequeathed and in particular that an investigating judge seizes the file.