**Chaotic Car Recall Leaves Thousands Stranded Across the UK**
A major recall impacting Citroën vehicles has left an estimated 120,000 UK drivers suddenly unable to use their cars, sparking widespread frustration and concern over safety and transport options. The urgent recall was issued on 20 June after parent company Stellantis discovered a potentially fatal fault in airbags supplied by Takata, a problem that has already led to global action.
The affected cars include Citroën C3 models produced between 2009 and 2016 and DS3s built from 2016 to 2019. Alarmingly, Stellantis imposed a strict “stop-drive” mandate, instructing owners not to use their vehicles until vital repairs are carried out. While there have been no reported injuries in the UK so far, safety experts warn the risk is significant: chemicals in the defective airbags can degrade, potentially causing the airbag to explode on deployment with deadly force.
Consumers who depend on their vehicles – often with no realistic alternative – have found themselves abruptly stranded, as repair appointments are booked up and support systems struggle to cope. Advocacy group Which? has sharply criticised the recall process, describing it as “chaotic” and calling on Stellantis to overhaul its approach and speed up help for those most in need.
Eva Lauren Kelly, a Cardiff-based software engineer, found her holiday plans in tatters when she learned her DS3 was included in the recall. With an imminent journey planned to the Netherlands and significant non-refundable travel costs at stake, Eva was confronted with a repair date that clashed with surgery she needed in London. Facing logistical impossibilities and fearing financial loss, she was left with no option but to purchase a new car at a cost of £10,000. “This has been a gigantic headache and Stellantis has been resoundingly unhelpful throughout,” she commented.
Another owner, Paul Baker from Derby, only discovered his recently purchased DS3 was recalled by chance, after seeing a news story rather than being contacted directly by authorities or the manufacturer. He was subsequently given a repair slot for November—leaving his family without essential transport for months. Compounding the confusion, his insurer stated he would still be covered if he chose to drive the car, contradicting the manufacturer’s urgent advice.
For many, especially those dealing with health or caregiving responsibilities, the setbacks have been profound. Reports gathered by Which? highlight cases such as parents of premature babies and carers of terminally ill family members who now face significant extra costs for taxis, hire cars, or insurance top-ups. Some have risked driving their recalled cars to repair centres out of sheer necessity, amid ongoing ambiguity from insurance providers about cover.
Stellantis has pledged to organise alternate transport “on a case-by-case basis,” with priority given to those most in need. However, many customers say they have either received little information or have been offered compensation capped at just £22.50 a day—a figure Which? argues falls well below real-world vehicle hire costs in many regions.
Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at Which?, stated: “The emotional and financial burden of this recall has fallen squarely on those least able to absorb it. Stellantis must urgently introduce a clear compensation scheme and offer practical solutions such as home repairs or vehicle collection, ensuring that unsafe cars do not remain on the road out of desperation.”
Citroën, for its part, has said it expects the recall repairs to be largely finished by the end of the next month, with extra capacity brought in via Peugeot dealerships and expanded at-home services. The company acknowledges the scale of the disruption and says it is making efforts to prioritise urgent cases and explore all feasible options to support customers’ mobility needs.
Government agencies are also now involved. A spokesperson from the DVSA confirmed its support for the stop-drive recall and advised all car owners to check their vehicle status using tools provided on the Citroën UK website. Meanwhile, the Department for Transport indicated that top officials are directly engaging with manufacturers to minimise the hardship endured by drivers.
In the interim, affected motorists are urged to use their vehicle identification number (VIN) on Citroën’s website to see if their car requires attention, and to arrange repairs promptly. Helplines and customer care channels have been set up, but the widespread disruption has underscored the urgent need for systemic improvements in how large-scale vehicle recalls are managed in the future.