'My recalled car can't be fixed until next year'

Denise Harris faces six months without a car

A motorist says she has been left unable to drive her car after it was recalled by the manufacturer – and says her local dealership is unable to book it in for a repair until next January.

Citroen has issued a recall for C3 and DS3 models manufactured in Europe at various times between 2009 and 2019 following the deaths of 35 people worldwide from defective airbags.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) says motorists should not drive a recalled car until repairs have been made.

It means blue badge holder Denise Harris, 67, from Hull, could be left without a roadworthy vehicle for the next six months.

She is one of possibly tens of thousands of Citroen owners in the UK who have been told their cars are unsafe to drive.

Mrs Harris had already received an urgent safety recall letter telling her the airbags "can degrade over time... and in the event of a collision cause serious injuries or even a fatality in the worst-case scenario".

The letter added: "As a precautionary measure, the airbag in your vehicle must be replaced. The procedure takes less than two hours and is completely free."

Denise uses her Citroen C3 to pick up her granddaughter from school

But that was followed last week by a "stop-drive" notice issued by Citroen's parent company, Stellantis.

"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," the company said.

"This decision underscores the company's unwavering commitment to customer safety."

But Mrs Harris told the BBC the earliest appointment she had been offered by her local Citroen main dealer was in January 2026, and she had not been offered a courtesy car.

She said Evans Halshaw had told her it had "stopped taking calls on it because there were far too many people to deal with".

A spokesperson for Evans Halshaw said dealerships had been inundated with calls, and that they were "doing the best they could" to book people in.

Mrs Harris said: "I've just paid my insurance for the year [and] I've paid my tax for the year for it to go home and stay in the car park and not be driven for six months."

David Bosworth and his wife Anne, from Scunthorpe, were also issued an urgent safety recall letter and a stop-drive notice for their car.

Mr Bosworth said: "It's left us in a pretty unusual position. My wife needs a car to get around and can drive only an automatic."

A DVSA spokesman said a stop-drive order meant exactly that – "the vehicle must not be driven".

Anyone driving a car deemed unsafe could potentially face prosecution and a fine of up to £2,500.

There is also the risk that their insurer could deem the cover to be invalid.

Hojol Uddin, head of motoring at JMW Solicitors, said it was rare for stop-drive notices to be issued, and it happened mainly when there was an "imminent threat to someone's safety".

He said: "To avoid any ambiguity which may be out there for drivers, my advice to them would be stop driving, get that vehicle fixed.

"You are risking the safety of yourself and other people."

Why has the recall been issued?

The decision to issue a stop-drive notice follows a fatal incident earlier this month in France, in which a 37-year-old mother driving a Citroen C3 was struck in the head by pieces of flying metal after a minor collision.

The airbags use ammonium nitrate gas for instant inflation. But the gas can deteriorate in hot and humid conditions, leading to powerful explosions which throw shrapnel into the driver's face.

The airbag causing concern was made by Japanese manufacturer Takata, whose product was installed by many car-makers.

Stellantis said: "Customers affected by this stop-drive action will receive additional notifications shortly.

"Customers can also check if their cars are concerned by this action using the VIN check tool on the Citroen website, contacting their local dealer or calling the customer care hotline."

Affected models

Vehicles included under the stop-drive order are:

• Second-generation Citroen C3, manufactured between 2009 and 2016

• Citroën DS 3 manufactured between 2009 and 2016

• DS Automobiles DS 3 manufactured between 2016 and 2019

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice said people should use the vehicle identification number (VIN) checker tool on the Citroen UK website to confirm if their car was affected.

It said people can find their VIN on their car's MOT certificate or in their log book (V5C).

Drivers can register it to enable the processing of a free repair.

"Driver safety is the priority. We advise all drivers to please act on this recall immediately," a spokesperson said.

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