A Samarian woman faced an inextricable situation regarding changing her Takata airbags. Ten months after having changed them, the technical inspection informed him that the repair had not been reported electronically and that it could no longer be driven, according to the decree of December 8, applied since January 1.
News from the regions
Every day, an overview of the main news from all regions.
France Télévisions uses your email address to send you the newsletter “L’actu des regions”. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link at the bottom of this newsletter. Our privacy policy
“It’s completely at a standstill, I don’t know who will be able to help me,” shared Caroline Marquis, this Tuesday, January 20, a Samarian distraught by the immobilization of her vehicle following an administrative imbroglio regarding Takata brand airbags.
Owner of a C4, she was affected by the recall campaign for Takata airbags. “We had the change made after a few reminders, we took care of it in March 2025,” relates the owner of the vehicle.
To do this, she went to a dealership of the manufacturer, in Amiens. After receiving the work order and recovering the car, she thought the matter was “settled” and she could “drive without problem”. Despite the approach, she continued to receive reminder letters, including a last one by registered mail, in November, which asked her to “stop driving the vehicle”.
The brand assured him that it would not consider the letters. But the story took a new twist during the vehicle’s technical inspection, this Saturday, January 17, 2026. “When I arrived at the technical inspection center, the gentleman had not even started the car when he asked me: “Shall I tell you the bad news right away?”
She told him that the change had been made in March 2025. In response, he explained to her: “obviously, the feedback was not done electronically.” The technician also reported to him the decree of December 8, entered into force since January 1, requiring it to “immobilize” vehicles that have not replaced their airbags. He told her that he could do nothing to raise the alert, while redirecting it to Citroën.
When he went to the dealership on Saturday afternoon, a salesperson told him the opposite. The ascent was done well. “He takes out the receipt and tells me that a colleague will call me back Monday morning.”
Not receiving any calls, Caroline decided to contact the brand this Monday late morning. A head of the garage assured him again that “the recovery was made in March”. Explaining the impasse she found herself in, the person on the phone advised her to call the Ministry of Transport.
Unable to find a contact, she turned to technical inspection. “The gentleman said to me: ‘I’m sorry for you but I can’t do anything. At my level, as soon as I scan your registration card, you appear in critical failure and I can’t raise the alert, it can’t be done on my part.’ They explain to me that they had another meeting yesterday morning, that I am not the only one in this situation.”
The consequence is serious for the motorist. Caroline has been driving for two days, without a valid technical inspection, “we need it to go to work”. With the risk of receiving a fine of up to 750 euros, in the event of a road check. It has been circulating since then with the proof given by the manufacturer in order to explain its situation.
In addition, she has the obligation to undergo a counter-inspection, “it’s not cool because I will have to pay for a counter-inspection even though I have changed my airbag”, she denounces.
Since Saturday, Caroline has made numerous calls and contacts to resolve her problem: online form, voice message to the Ministry of Transport. Without success. “I put in all the supporting documents that I had, but there you go, when is it going to be processed, in the meantime, I’m driving without technical inspection,” she laments.
Contacted, the Ministry of Transport affirmed that “the dematerialized system for transmitting data linked to “Takata” recalls, managed with the central technical body, is functioning correctly.” Regarding the Samarienne’s vehicle, the ministry announced that its vehicle “was still included in the database of those subject to a serious recall” on January 17. “He was removed on January 19,” he later clarified. “After verification with Stellantis, the repair of the airbag was carried out on January 7. The declaration of repair actually took place after the technical inspection, without any error or delay being noted in the transmission of the data.”
Contacted, Citroën did not respond to our requests. The ministry indicates that Caroline’s case “however remains very isolated” and informs “that a reminder of vigilance has been sent to Stellantis” concerning the reporting of repairs carried out on Takata airbags in the computer systems.
With Inès Messaï / FTV