
Citroën had a turbulent 2024, marked by the "Stop Drive" campaign linked to the defective airbags manufactured by the Japanese company Takata. These airbags, which have already been linked to numerous fatal accidents around the world, have led to major recalls throughout the automotive industry. Although affected, Citroën is not the only brand affected by this global scandal.
The Takata airbag scandal: A global crisis
Since the 2000s, Takata has been using a controversial chemical, ammonium nitrate, to inflate its airbags. Although this compound is inexpensive, its sensitivity to humidity and extreme climates makes it unstable. Explosions from defective airbags have caused at least 28 deaths and 400 injuries in the United States, according to the NHTSA. In a recent report, a French driver said he had a "piece of metal the size of a golf ball" in his shoulder.
Virtually every car manufacturer has been affected, from big names such as Honda, which has recalled 18 million cars, to Toyota and BMW, to brands in the Stellantis group, including Citroën. In total, tens of millions of vehicles have been recalled worldwide. In the United States, 45.6 million airbags have been replaced, but there are still 6 million to go.
Citroën confronts the airbag crisis
In May 2024, Stellantis, Citroën's parent company, was one of the few manufacturers to launch a "stop driving" campaign. This initiative asked owners of C3 and DS3 models in southern Europe to stop driving their cars until the defective airbags had been replaced. This decision followed several serious accidents, particularly in the overseas departments, where the hot and humid climate accelerates the degradation of airbags. According to the Ministry of Transport, these incidents caused 29 accidents and 12 deaths, including 11 in the overseas departments.
Despite Stellantis' efforts, the initial delay in dealing with the problem drew criticism. Takata had assured European manufacturers that its airbags were compliant. It was only in 2019, after extensive testing and several incidents, that the first recall campaign was launched in the Antilles. Since then, Citroën has replaced 400,000 defective airbags and set up a recall process that is now running smoothly.
To extend its support, Stellantis has launched a second recall campaign in January 2025, this time without "Stop Drive". This campaign affects 869,000 vehicles in Europe, including 400,000 in France. This new phase reflects better organisation and a risk considered "significantly lower" in non-tropical regions.
An industrial crisis with legal implications
The consequences of this scandal are not limited to the recall campaigns. In France, judicial investigations were opened in 2024 for "involuntary manslaughter" in Guadeloupe and French Guiana. Several lawyers, including Charles-Henri Coppet and Christophe Lèguevaques, are representing victims or bringing drivers together to take collective action. In the United States, settlements have allowed victims to receive financial compensation.
The year 2024 was marked by the Takata airbag scandal, a crisis that put Citroën and many other carmakers under severe pressure. While the brand with the chevrons was heavily criticised for its initial delays, its latest initiatives show a willingness to tackle the problem. With millions of vehicles affected, this affair will go down as one of the biggest scandals in automotive history. While Citroën has been hit by this image-damaging affair, it is not the only brand affected. In fact, the Takata airbag affair affects all car manufacturers around the world.
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