A rare and urgent 'stop-drive' recall has been issued for tens of thousands of vehicles in the UK, following the discovery of an incredibly dangerous and potentially deadly defect.

Owners of these cars have been instructed not to drive their them for any reason at all until the defect is repaired — a move that could leave many without their preferred mode of transport for months. The recall was initiated by Stellantis, the parent company of Citroen, after it was found that the affected airbags could, under certain circumstances, explode — posing a severe risk of injury or death to any occupants.

This issue is linked to the broader Takata airbag crisis, which has led to recalls of tens of millions of vehicles worldwide from various manufacturers. While the risk was previously considered low in the UK due to the country's milder climate, the seriousness of the fault prompted action after at least 18 deaths in France — including 16 in its hotter overseas territories — were associated with Takata airbags.

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In France, the transport ministry has issued a 'stop-drive' recall on 2.5 million vehicles with Takata airbags, but in the UK, only the specified models are currently affected by Stellantis' recall. Described as extremely rare, the 'stop drive' recall the affects the following models:

• Citroen C3 (manufactured from 2009 to 2019)
• Citroen DS3 (manufactured from 2009 to 2016)
• DS Automobiles DS3 (manufactured from 2016 to 2019)

Stellantis released a statement on the Citroen website reading: "Owners of such vehicles should immediately cease using their vehicle when safe to do so. Vehicles included in this new stop-drive action in the UK, were already part of an ongoing comprehensive recall campaign that started over one year ago, first in Southern Europe and then expanded northwards.

"Recall decisions, especially stop-drive actions, are based on multiple factors, including airbag specifications, vehicle age and usage, climate conditions, and notifications from regulatory authorities. Whilst there have been no reported instances in the UK, Stellantis has decided to deploy a stop-drive order for all impacted vehicles across Europe, including the UK. This decision underscores the company's unwavering commitment to customer safety."

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The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has fully supported the recall, advising drivers not to use any recalled vehicles until repairs are completed, advising: "If you drive one of the affected models, you should not drive it. This includes using it for driving lessons or on a driving test."

Driving examiners are required to check that any Citroen C3 or DS3 brought for a test has had the necessary repairs using the Citroen safety recall checker. If the recall repair is outstanding, the car will not be permitted for use in the test.

Owners can check whether their vehicle is affected by entering the vehicle identification number (VIN) on the Citroen recall website. The VIN can be found on the car's MOT certificate, log book (V5C), or inside the vehicle. All affected customers will be notified by letter.

There is also a recall telephone helpline: 0800 917 9285. If your car is subject to the 'stop-drive' recall, it cannot be legally driven until the issue is fixed and verified by Stellantis.

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