Paris, (EFE).- France’s Transport Minister, Philippe Tabarot, requested on Tuesday the immobilization of all Citroën C3 and DS3 models produced after 2014 equipped with defective airbags.
The minister’s decision comes after a woman in her forties died in Reims, northeast France, from fatal injuries caused by a defective Takata airbag in her Citroën C3 on Jun. 11.
According to reports from Radio France’s investigative unit, the airbag exploded on impact, sending metal fragments through the car.
The woman died from facial injuries described by paramedics as “typical” of Takata airbag-related accidents. A teenage passenger was also injured.
The Reims public prosecutor transferred the case to a specialized court in Paris that is overseeing all investigations related to faulty Takata airbags.
This is the second confirmed death in France caused by a defective Takata airbag and the first such fatality in the north of the country.
In total, 17 related deaths have been recorded in France’s overseas territories since 2016, starting with the case of the island of Réunion, according to the Transport Ministry.
Government demands vehicle freeze
“The minister has asked the company to urgently halt the use of these vehicles until the airbag systems are replaced,” a source at the Transport Ministry told EFE.
In February, automaker Stellantis had already asked owners of 2008 to 2013 models to bring in their vehicles for airbag replacement. For newer models, however, only inspection notices have been issued until now.
It is estimated that nearly 700,000 Citroën users in France were initially affected by the Takata airbag issue, though many have already had the component replaced.
The airbags, which degrade more quickly in hot and humid environments, can rupture on impact and release shrapnel into the cabin.
Global crisis, legal pressure mounts
Takata airbags have caused dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries worldwide, leading to one of the largest auto recalls in history.
The Japanese manufacturer filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and was later acquired by United States-based Key Safety Systems.
In March, French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir filed legal complaints against carmakers BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota for allegedly continuing to use Takata airbags in some models in France.
“This is a serious and long-standing safety issue,” the group stated. “Drivers need transparency, and action must be taken before more lives are lost.”
At least 15 people in France have suffered non-fatal injuries linked to Takata airbags, according to authorities. EFE
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