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Rare ‘stop-drive’ recall announced for tens of thousands of UK drivers
A deadly airbag flaw has prompted an extremely rare UK recall on tens of thousands of Citroen C3 and DS3 cars – here's what you need to know
Tens of thousands of Citroen and DS owners are being told not to drive their cars, and some might not be able to drive them again for months, affecting everything from travel plans to driving tests.
Stellantis, the parent company of Citroen, has recalled tens of thousands of Citroen and DS models in the UK due to faulty airbags that – in some circumstances – can explode in an uncontrolled manner, causing injury or even death.
The affected models are:
- Citroen C3 (manufactured from 2009 to 2019)
- Citroen DS3 (manufactured from 2009 to 2016)
- DS Automobiles DS3 (manufactured from 2016 to 2019)
Read on to find out what’s happened so far, what to do if you’re affected and what might happen next.
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What does the recall relate to?
Unlike a standard recall in which owners are advised to get the fault fixed as soon as possible, in this case Stellantis has taken the extremely rare step of issuing a 'stop-drive' recall in the UK and other countries in Northern Europe. This recall means that people are advised to not use their car until the problem is fixed.
The recall is part of the same issue caused by Takata airbags, where a recall on tens of millions of cars from many manufacturers was triggered worldwide. However, the risk for drivers in the UK was always considered to be very low as the fault was understood to be associated with hot and humid climates, which affect the explosive chemical mix inside the airbag.
The issue has become so serious in France – with at least 18 deaths in France, including 16 in its overseas territories (with hotter climates) associated with Takata airbags on various car brands – that the French transport ministry has issued its own ‘stop-drive’ recall on 2.5m cars with Takata airbags.
No such step has been taken in the UK yet. Just the C3/DS3 models mentioned above are subject to Stellantis’s voluntary ‘stop-drive’ recall.
Any car subject to this sort of recall will be marked as a failure at its next MOT and thus won’t be legal to drive after that point, until the issue has been fixed and verified by Stellantis.
Example images of the Citroen C3 and DS3 involved in June 2025 recall
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A large collection of images displayed on this page are available at https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/stellantis-issues-rare-stop-drive-recall-for-uk-drivers-adbx11x1JNof
What should you do if your car's affected?
If you own a car from those model years, do not drive it.
Use the Stellantis recall checker and enter your car’s VIN (vehicle identification number). You can find the VIN on your V5C certificate from when you bought the car and on the inside of the doors or under the bonnet. Stellantis’ page has specific instructions on what to look for to tell if your car is subject to the ‘stop-drive’ recall or a less serious recall.
While you are unable to drive your car, keep a record of any travel expenses you incur as a result. This includes train tickets or having to rent a car (if your dealer can’t provide you with a courtesy car). As you can see below, Stellantis hasn’t said publicly exactly how it plans on compensating people or what that entails.
We've heard many reports of people unable to secure appointments for several months. It’s worth checking with as many dealers as possible (if you have a choice) to see if you can secure an appointment at a closer date.
Stellantis has also said that it is looking into doing repairs at home or at sites that aren’t Citroen dealerships.
What if you have a driving test booked in a C3?
As the affected cars are very popular for young and learner drivers, the DVSA has made changes to its refund policies for people due to take tests in them. Normally if a change is made to a test within 10 days, you don’t get a refund, but in the case of this recall the DVSA will issue a refund after 10 days. See the DVSA’s page for more on this.
Should you buy a used C3?
At this time, definitely not. It is highly unlikely even a small number of these cars will have had their airbags replaced at this time. If you want to check whether the recall has been resolved on a C3/DS3 you’re looking to buy, you’ll need the dealer to supply you with the VIN number so you can check for yourself. However, recall data can be slow to update, so it really doesn’t make sense to buy these cars right now as the hassle involved could be enormous.
Which? has added its Don’t Buy label to the affected cars that it has reviews of, along with a ‘Safety Alert’ banner to ensure everyone is alerted to the issue.
Can my car insurance help?
We asked the Association of British Insurers – an industry body – what insurance companies can do to assist.
It told us that, in general, recalls don’t usually result in insurance claims, which are typically reserved for accidents or other incidents (such as a tree falling on your car). The same applies to courtesy cars: they’re supplied for cars with accident damage.
The body also stated that it was important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and to check with your insurer if you have any questions about driving a car involved in a recall, as failing to do so could invalidate your insurance policy.
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How has the recall been handled?
Based on owner reports online, it’s been a mixed bag. Dozens of posts online show people desperately scrambling to get appointments at their local Citroen or Stellantis dealerships. Some users claim to have been given lead times of more than six months, during which time they wouldn’t be allowed to drive their car.
Eva, a Which? member from Cardiff, had exactly this experience. 'I feel I've wasted days of my life trying to deal with this already,' she told us. Eva and her partner were first made aware of the issue after the DVSA issued a warning to everyone taking a driving test in the Citroen C3 that their car would not be allowed unless the fault had been repaired.
After hours waiting on hold with various hotlines and dealers, Eva eventually secured an appointment with a Citroen dealer in September, but even then they didn’t seem to be much the wiser as to what was happening.
'They claimed to have had no communication from Stellantis themselves about the issues, and said in no uncertain terms that they wouldn't be able to offer us a courtesy car through to September, as they only have a pool of seven in total,' Eva explained.
With various unmovable plans – including surgery and a holiday using the car-train service Le Shuttle – Eva hadn’t been able to secure confirmation from Stellantis that it would be reimbursed for the cost of having to rent a car or take public transport.
After contacting Which?, Eva was able to find an alternative Stellantis dealer who could do the work in mid-July. She added: 'I’m hopeful Stellantis comes up with a better-thought-out response for everyone soon, though the scale of the issue is so huge it’d have been more surprising if it wasn’t a mess.'
Since we started reporting on this story, the Stellantis website has been updated with more specific details, so if you already have an appointment booked it is worth staying in touch with Stellantis or your garage to ensure you have the latest info and the soonest possible appointment.
What has Stellantis said?
When we asked Stellantis what it would be doing to compensate customers who have incurred additional transport costs and other expenses, it issued the following statement: ‘Each and every driver will have different requirements for mobility, from courtesy cars to a variety of alternative transport options.
'We want to help in each case with the specifics of these individual requirements, prioritising the most urgent cases.'
When asked how customers should get to their appointments, Stellantis said: ‘We are investigating options of airbag replacement at other sites, in addition to our Citroen network, including at home. These options will be discussed with customers.’
Questions and answers from the DVSA
Which? put a few questions to the DVSA to seek clarity for owners affected by the recall.
Are UK drivers at risk?
'The UK is considered low risk in the case of the Takata airbag defect because of the climate-related aspects that affect the airbag. We are in regular discussions with manufacturers and suppliers to ensure the data continues to support this. As part of our market surveillance work, we continue to monitor recalls to ensure vehicles remain safe.'
Are stop-drive recalls rare?
'Yes, they are rare. Any recall notice received by a vehicle owner should be taken seriously, and the manufacturer’s guidance should always be followed.'
What is expected from manufacturers that issue this sort of recall?
'The vehicle safety defects and recalls code of practice sets out the practicalities for how product safety, in particular defect and recall management, operates in the UK.
'The code makes clear that any plan for rectification should consider the practicalities for the consumer, and the need to make completion of a recall attractive to the consumer. It also needs to focus on how to plan for rectification as quickly as possible. Imagination in how this is delivered is encouraged – including supplementing the dealer network where this is a constraint to swift completion or making completion attractive to the consumer.
'The DVSA has no powers to force companies to compensate.'
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