Fatal car crash in France linked to faulty Takata airbag: how to check models affected

A driver has died in Reims (Marne) after suffering fatal injuries linked to a faulty Takata airbag in her Citroën C3.

The woman, reported to be in her forties, scraped the car against the crash barrier on a motorway in Reims on June 11 while trying to avoid an HGV. 

This activated the car’s airbag which had been manufactured by Japanese company Takata and which has been installed in millions of cars worldwide. A safety defect with the airbags has led to recalls in France and elsewhere over recent years.

It is thought the collision caused the malfunction of the airbag’s ammonium nitrate gas generator, sending pieces of metal throughout the car. Paramedics linked the driver’s facial injuries to those typical of crashes involving Takata airbags, reports Radio France’s investigation unit. A teenage passenger was also injured. 

The public prosecutor in Reims has transferred the case to the specialised inter-regional court in Paris, which is now responsible for bringing together all investigations into incidents involving defective airbags.

This is the second fatal Takata airbag-related incident in mainland France, and the first to happen in the north of the country.

A total of 17 fatal incidents have taken place in France’s overseas territories - the first case being recorded on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion in 2016. The airbags have been found to degrade more quickly than they should, particularly when temperatures and humidity are high.

At least 15 people in France have also suffered non-fatal injuries. 

Airbag recalls

The victim did not receive a recall notification to change the airbag on her Citroën C3 which dated from 2014, according to Radio France.

This claim comes despite manufacturer Citroën's parent company Stellantis having issued 236,000 recalls for C3 and DS3 models in northern France in February. 

The ‘stop drive’ campaign told registered owners of models from 2009 to 2013 to urgently repair the airbags and to not use the vehicle until then. 

The first round of recalls were staggered to cope with repairs and prevent an airbag shortage, however Citroën did face backlash in 2024 over poor customer service and delays. 

Citroën says they now have sufficient supplies for all drivers to have their vehicle repaired without delay - the repair is free and should take less than half a day to complete.

How to check if your vehicle is affected

Manufacturers are legally required to inform drivers that their vehicles may be at risk (and the companies may face financial penalties if they do not do this). 

Affected owners should receive a letter informing them of the need for repair, and the nearest dealer that can carry out the work.

You can also check if your vehicle is affected using your vehicle identification number (VIN) – found on your car’s certificat d’immatriculation (often known as a carte grise). 

Put this information into the official Citroën recall website and follow the instructions to take your vehicle to be repaired where required.

Read also: Millions of cars in France still require defective airbag replacement

The issue is not limited to Citroën vehicles with many other brands, including Ford, Toyota, Peugeot and Volkswagen, also affected.

A full list of the models concerned by brand and year, and the details of their recalls, can be found on the dedicated government website here.