Citroën to "immobilize" C3s and DS3s equipped with Takata airbags

Car manufacturer Citroën on Tuesday called for the immediate grounding of all C3 and DS3 models still equipped with Takata airbags in Europe, regardless of their production year, following a new death in France linked to the faulty equipment.

"Given the current situation, we have decided to put vehicles on 'stop drive' to speed up their handling" and repairs," Citroën's new CEO, Xavier Chardon, told AFP on Tuesday. This means the vehicles will be immediately immobilized and taken in for repairs.

441,000 Citroën C3 and DS3 vehicles equipped with defective Takata airbags are affected in Europe (Belgium, Germany), including 82,000 in France, in addition to those that had already been immobilized. In France, Citroën had launched an immobilization of some 236,900 C3 and DS3 models in the north of the country in early 2025, after an initial campaign in spring 2024 in southern Europe for certain models.

The industrial scandal surrounding defective airbags from Japanese brand Takata has rocked the global automotive industry since 2014 and has caused several deaths. Due to a gas that ages poorly, these safety devices, which are supposed to protect passengers in the event of an impact, can explode, particularly in hot and humid climates, projecting parts into the driver's face.

Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, Stellantis (which owns Citroën), Nissan, Tesla, Ford, BMW and Ferrari have recalled millions of vehicles worldwide to replace their defective airbags, with recall campaigns still ongoing today.