Consumer champion Which? has urged Citroen parent company Stellantis to urgently improve its "chaotic" management of a recall over a potentially deadly airbag safety defect. Stellantis issued an immediate and rare "stop-drive" directive on June 20 concerning certain models fitted with Takata airbags.

The airbag inflators are subject to a global recall because chemicals within them may degrade over time, potentially causing the bag to burst and result in severe injury. No incidents have been reported in the UK.

Stellantis has stated that affected vehicles will be fixed at no cost, though waiting periods differ. The recall has left 120,000 customers unable to use their cars, with Which? cautioning that many lack alternative transport options.

Paul Baker, a printer engineer from Derby, purchased a new DS3 car at the start of June for his wife's commute to work and discovered roughly a month later that the vehicle was subject to a stop-drive recall after reading about the situation in the news.

Paul said he received no communication from the DVSA regarding the recall, but when he registered the car for repair with Citroën, he was given an appointment for November.

His insurer has also contacted him stating that he would remain covered if he opts to drive the car. Paul said he'd experienced "a complete lack of support."

Eva Lauren Kelly, a software engineer hailing from Cardiff, had planned a camping trip to the Netherlands in mid-August, with non-refundable bookings for both ferry and Eurotunnel shuttle. However, her DS3 car was rendered undriveable, leaving Eva facing the prospect of alternative arrangements or losing nearly £1,000.

Adding to her woes, the repair date for her vehicle coincided with a major surgery she was scheduled to undergo in London. To avoid potential delays in repair, travelling by train to pre-op appointments, and risking the loss of her trip's cost, Eva decided to purchase a new car for £10,000.

She expressed her frustration, saying: "This has been a gigantic headache and Stellantis has been resoundingly unhelpful throughout!".

Which? voiced its concerns over the lack of clarity regarding available compensation, causing "major upheaval" for owners who depended on their cars and lacked alternative options. The group reported hearing from "many distressed drivers", including a mother with a premature baby requiring regular hospital visits and a woman caring for her terminally ill husband needing to attend life-extending hospital appointments.

These individuals were facing significant expenses for hire cars, taxis, or insurance fees. Others informed Which? that they had no option but to continue driving despite the risks. Several drove their cars to garages for repairs, with some receiving confusing advice from their insurers claiming they were covered to drive despite the manufacturer's advice.

Stellantis has declared it will provide alternative transport "on a case-by-case basis" while giving priority to those with the most urgent requirements. Certain owners have reported being informed they would receive a maximum of £22.50 compensation daily, which the watchdog claimed was significantly below car hire costs across most areas.

Which? is demanding that Citroen and its parent firm Stellantis immediately tackle helpline problems, establish a formal compensation programme and deliver practical remedies, including courtesy vehicles, home repairs or collection services, ensuring dangerous cars can be repaired without requiring them to be driven.

Sue Davies, Which? head of consumer protection policy, said: "From people left stranded with no means of transport, to those paying out a fortune to hire cars and taxis, the emotional and financial burden of this recall has fallen squarely on those least able to absorb it.

"Stellantis must urgently confirm it will pay compensation for alternative transport as well as offer practical solutions such as offering at-home repairs or towing affected cars to garages. If not, many people will see no alternative but to continue driving cars that are potentially very dangerous.

"The Government needs to step in and hold them to account to ensure UK consumers have much greater clarity of what they need to do and what they are entitled to – and are never left in this position again."

Citroen said it anticipated all airbags would be replaced by the end of next month: "The company's focus remains on completing the replacement of airbags in affected vehicles as swiftly as possible. Our Citroen network is fully engaged in maximising the number of cars that can be completed every day and, to increase our repair capacity even further and minimise as much as possible the impact on customers, our Peugeot network is now authorised to replace airbags on these cars in addition to at-home options.

"It is inevitable, with such a large number of vehicles affected, that customers could be inconvenienced in the short term. For each and every customer, we discuss options to support mobility, recognising that every driver has specific requirements.

"These options include replacement airbags at a dealership or at home, courtesy car, support for other mobility options and recovery. We give priority to those with the most urgent needs."

Citroen urged motorists to verify whether their motor is impacted and what steps are recommended by utilising the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) verification tool on the Citroen UK website. Should their vehicle be affected, they ought to register their motor to facilitate the processing of their repair at the earliest opportunity.

Motorists can ring the recall helpline on 0800 917 9285, Citroen Customer Care on 0800 093 9393 or use Citroen's website.

A spokesperson for the DVSA said: "DVSA is supporting Citroën's decision to issue an immediate "stop-drive" recall of (certain models of) the C3 and DS3 and will assist them where needed. We are working with Citroën to make sure that everyone with these vehicles knows that they can't use this model of car until the necessary repair work has been carried out. To check if your vehicle is affected, car owners can use the checker on Citroën's website."

A representative from the Department for Transport said: "We understand how frustrating these recalls are for those affected. The safety of those drivers and their families remains the Transport Secretary's top priority. She and the Future of Roads Minister are actively engaging with manufacturers and industry leaders to ensure any disruption is kept to an absolute minimum."