Citroen Pulls 441,000 C3, DS3 Cars Across Europe Over Deadly Takata Airbags

Following a fatal accident in France caused by a malfunctioning Takata airbag, Citroen has issued an immediate stop-drive order for approximately 441,000 C3 and DS3 vehicles across Europe. The French government, led by Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot, requested this urgent action after the airbags, which can explode and send shrapnel into passengers, caused the 13th death linked to the defect in the country. Previously, Citroen had only advised owners to schedule repairs but did not prohibit driving the vehicles. Citroen CEO Xavier Chardon committed to accelerating repairs and ensuring no Takata airbags remain in its cars, highlighting difficulties such as undelivered recall notices due to incorrect addresses. The recall is part of the broader Takata airbag scandal, involving tens of millions of vehicles worldwide and recognized as one of the largest automotive recalls in history. Other major automakers like Volkswagen, Nissan, BMW, and Toyota have also recalled millions of vehicles containing these dangerous airbags.