Defective airbags manufactured by Takata pose a life-threatening danger in the event of an accident.
For several years, many automobile manufacturers have launched massive recall campaigns following the discovery of a potentially fatal defect in certain airbags manufactured by the Japanese equipment manufacturer Takata, which went bankrupt in 2017. According to estimates, millions of vehicles would be affected worldwide, including several hundred thousand in France alone. Many of them have already had their airbags replaced, but many vehicles are still on the road with potentially dangerous airbags.
Faced with the scale of the problem, the Ministry of Transport has called on manufacturers to act as quickly as possible, particularly in overseas territories where the risk would be increased due to hot and humid climatic conditions. Specific requests were sent to manufacturers and importers present overseas:
- Provide an exhaustive list of equipped vehicles
- Recall all affected models before February 15, 2025
- Implement a “stop-drive” (driving ban) for vehicles whose airbag has not been replaced.
In mainland France too, manufacturers are asked to justify the absence of certain recalls and to provide a timetable for remedying this. The Stellantis group (Citroën, DS, Peugeot, etc.) is particularly the subject of particular attention. After initially limiting its recalls to the southern regions of Europe, it finally announced on January 21 that it was extending its campaign to the entire continent, starting with the north of France, Germany and Switzerland. . Nearly 870,000 vehicles would be affected, including 400,000 in France.
But concretely, how do you know if your vehicle is equipped with a potentially dangerous Takata airbag? Verification is actually quite simple, by going to your brand’s official website. For Citroën and DS models from the Stellantis group (Peugeot is not affected), simply bring your registration card and go to the dedicated site (here for Citroën, here for DS). You will be asked for a reference to identify your vehicle: the VIN (line 6 of the registration document). The answer is then displayed in one click. For other brands concerned, here are the sites dedicated to managing this Takata airbag issue.
Finally, here are three pieces of information to know: do not hesitate to check your emails or contact the manufacturer of your vehicle if in doubt. Your brand-approved mechanic will be able to advise you. Changing the airbag is estimated at less than half a day of vehicle immobilization.