Currently reading: Citroen issues no-drive notice for four models over brake worries

Issue affects C3, ë-C3, C3 Aircross and ë-C3 Aircross; incoming Vauxhall Frontera also impacted

Citroën has told UK customers to not drive four of its newest models after a brake failure issue was discovered.

The affected cars are right-hand-drive versions of the new Citroën C3, ë-C3C3 Aircross and ë-C3 Aircross.

The Vauxhall Frontera and Frontera Electric are also affected, but customer deliveries of those cars have yet to start.

The issue relates to the pedal box assembly potentially not being to the correct specification, heightening the risk of brake loss, Citroën parent company Stellantis confirmed to Autocar in a statement. 

“If this were to happen, the automatic emergency braking (AEB) and the electronic parking brake would remain fully operational,” it added.

Stellantis said it had issued a “stop-drive action to protect all customers”, adding that those affected will be given replacement cars while theirs are checked.

For those waiting on Frontera orders, owners will be contacted and impacted cars “will be rectified prior to delivery”, Stellantis said. 

All affected models sit on Stellantis's Smart Car platform. The related Fiat Grande Panda and Grande Panda Electric aren't affected by the issue, as it was corrected during production, Fiat told Autocar.

Autocar was alerted to the issue by several readers who were impacted by the Citroën recall. One had picked up their car just three weeks before the notice was given.

This latest recall is the third no-drive notice given by Stellantis in as many months. 

Back in June, the company told all UK owners of Mk1 DS 3s and Mk2 Citroën C3s built between 2009 and 2019 to stop driving their cars immediately, due to a potential airbag issue. 

The recall came after a woman in France was killed by the Takata-made airbag in her 2014 C3 exploding.

Since then, this recall has expanded to include the Citroën C4 (2010-2013), Citroën DS4 (2010-2015), DS 4 (2015-2017), Citroën DS5 (2010-2015) and DS 5 (2015-2018). The total number of cars affected here is near 130,000. 

Worries have grown that Stellantis is struggling to deal with the recall. One reader told Autocar their car was recalled nearly six weeks ago and they're still waiting for the repair to be completed.

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This backs a previous BBC report that quoted many Citroën owners who had been told the wait for repairs would take months. One was told their C3 couldn’t be fixed until January 2026. 

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Will Rimell

Will Rimell Autocar
Title: News editor

Will is Autocar's news editor.​ His focus is on setting Autocar's news agenda, interviewing top executives, reporting from car launches, and unearthing exclusives.

As part of his role, he also manages Autocar Business – the brand's B2B platform – and Haymarket's aftermarket publication CAT.

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