Takata airbags: Transport Minister requests grounding of all recalled Citroën C3s and DS3s

Takata's defective airbags have claimed a second confirmed victim in mainland France, reigniting the debate over whether recall measures are necessary. Takata airbags have been confirmed to be responsible for the death of a 37-year-old woman in a motorway accident on June 11 in Reims. The explosion of the airbag in her 2014 Citroën C3 caused "very serious injuries" that led to her death, Reims prosecutor François Schneider said Tuesday, confirming reports from Radio France published Monday.

The Transport Minister on Tuesday ordered the grounding of all Citroën C3s and DS3s requiring airbag replacements. Until now, some drivers had been asked to have their airbags replaced, but not to stop using their vehicles.

The Takata airbag scandal has rocked the global automotive industry since 2014, forcing many manufacturers to ground hundreds of thousands of vehicles worldwide to replace these safety devices. Due to a gas that degrades over time, particularly in hot and humid climates, these airbags risk exploding, causing serious or even fatal injuries to the driver and front passenger.

The Reims accident is the second fatal accident in mainland France linked to these airbags, the Ministry of Transport confirmed Tuesday. Until the announcement of this death, the Ministry of Transport had recorded 29 accidents resulting in 11 deaths overseas, where airbags degrade more quickly, and one in mainland France by the end of 2023.

Minister Philippe Tabarot told AFP that he had summoned Citroën's executives and requested a "stop drive" measure, meaning immobilization, for "all C3 and DS3 vehicles subject to a recall."

In February 2025, Citroën asked owners of C3s in northern France built between 2008 and 2013 to stop driving their vehicles until the airbag was replaced, as part of a procedure called "stop drive." For models manufactured from 2014 onwards, a dealership recall by simple letter, without "stop drive," was launched in May 2025.

Of the more than 690,000 Citroën C3s and DS3s equipped with these faulty airbags, 481,000 have been treated, Stellantis announced Tuesday, representing 69.7% of the affected vehicles. The company said it sent a registered letter to the future victim on May 20. However, the address from the registration documents was incorrect, and the letter was returned to the sender.

"This accident raises questions about the risk analyses carried out by the manufacturer," the ministry said in a statement. "Our analyses did not show any risk of deterioration beyond 2013," a Stellantis spokesperson said Tuesday. "We are currently reassessing the situation in order to take the necessary measures."

When emergency services arrived on the highway, the driver had "very serious injuries" to her face. Her 13-year-old rear passenger suffered "very minor injuries. " The Takata airbag was "ejected from the vehicle" and found on the road. A "metal piece" was found "in the victim's larynx." She died Saturday evening.

The Reims prosecutor's office opened an investigation into involuntary manslaughter and then relinquished jurisdiction to the Paris prosecutor's office (social, consumer and environmental division), which is overseeing the Takata case at the national level, the prosecutor said on Tuesday.

Updated at 4 p.m. with more information