Hundreds of thousands of UK drivers have been left stranded without transport as a nationwide recall of several popular car models continues to cause chaos.
Around 120,000 vehicle owners have been forced off the roads after car manufacturer Stellantis issued a ‘do not drive order’ for many of its Citroen and DS models on 20 June.
The company says it is recalling the affected vehicles for repair in stages. However, the unprecedented scale of the action has left some garages and dealerships admitting that their repair backlog now extends well into next year.
In the mean time, owners of the affected models are unable to drive their vehicles – many without alternative modes of transport. The stop-drive order means they also cannot sell their cars, while ignoring it can lead to legal issues such as a fine, driving ban, or points on licence.
Stellantis has now been urged by Which? to take urgent action to fix the faults or offer motorists appropriate compensation. The consumer rights group says too many people have been left stranded without any means of transport, causing major disruption to their lives.
One customer, Petra*, describes how she has tried many times to get help from Citroen, an is now nearly £900 out of pocket already due to having to hire a car.
Her partner has terminal cancer, so she relies on the vehicle to get him to hospital for essential treatments.
“That’s my month’s money gone,” she told Which?, “I have to wait for my next benefit payment now, and have been surviving on many handouts from my family for food.”
Stellantis has also confirmed that no compensation is being offered to affected drivers, and that courtesy cars can be requested with priority given to customers with “the most urgent need.”
Under consumer laws, any refund or reimbursement for faulty goods must be sought independently from the retailer where the car was purchased, not the manufacturer. This process is independent of the manufacturer, and if unsuccessful the only recourse to take the complaint to court.
Eva, a software engineer from Cardiff, had planned to drive to the Netherlands for a camping trip in mid-August, having booked non-refundable ferry and Eurotunnel shuttle bookings.
Her DS3 car no longer being drivable meant Eva was forced to consider alternative options, or risk losing £1,000. She was then given a repair date that clashed with a major surgery she was having in London.
Faced with missing her surgery and holiday, Eva decided to buy a new car which set her back £10,000.
“This has been a gigantic headache and Stellantis has been resoundingly unhelpful throughout,” she said.
All the affected car models are equipped with airbags manufactured by Takata, an automative parts company that went bankrupt in 2017. Its airbags inflators are being recalled globally due to chemicals they contain which can deteriorate over time, meaning the airbag can deploy improperly and cause injury.
Vicki is a new mother who has a premature baby that requires frequent visits the hospital. After he was born, she drove the child home before learning that the recall was in place.
She has been told the soonest her car can be fixed is October. “I’m a little lost as to what we can do considering we need a car for trips to the hospital,” she said.
Which? has urged Stellantis to confirm formal compensation scheme, improve its helpline performance, and provide clearer instructions to its network of garages.
Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Protection Policy, said: “From people left stranded with no means of transport, to those paying out a fortune to hire cars and taxis, the emotional and financial burden of this recall has fallen squarely on those least able to absorb it.
“Stellantis must urgently confirm it will pay compensation for alternative transport as well as offer practical solutions such as offering at-home repairs or towing affected cars to garages. If not, many people will see no alternative but to continue driving cars that are potentially very dangerous.
“The government needs to step in and hold them to account to ensure UK consumers have much greater clarity of what they need to do and what they are entitled to – and are never left in this position again.”
A Stellantis spokesperson said: “The Company’s focus remains on completing the replacement of airbags in affected vehicles as swiftly as possible. Our Citroën 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, our Peugeot network is now authorised to replace airbags on these cars in addition to at home options.
“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, courtesy car, support for other mobility options and recovery. We give priority to those with the most urgent needs.”
A DVSA spokesperson said: “DVSA is supporting Citroën’s decision to issue an immediate ‘stop drive’ recall of (certain models of) the C3 and DS3 and will assist them where needed.
“We are working with Citroën 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.
“To check if your vehicle is affected, car owners can use the checker on Citroën’s website.”
