UFC vs Stellantis: Takata Airbags Group Action

Court : Tribunal judiciaire de Paris (Paris Judicial Court)

Filed : 22 July 2025

Status : Ongoing - First Procedural Hearing 15 October 2025

Background

This group action lawsuit represents the first collective legal action initiated in France concerning defective Takata airbags. UFC Que Choisir has initiated this unprecedented group action following several years of escalating issues affecting Citroën vehicle owners whose cars are fitted with Takata airbags, alleged to present a serious risk to occupant safety.

These airbags have caused at least 60 deaths in 11 countries over the past 15 years, including 18 in France. At the end of June, the French government ordered all car manufacturers to immobilise an additional 800,000 vehicles equipped with potentially defective Takata airbags, bringing the total number of vehicles affected by a driving ban for this reason to 1.7 million.

Legal Claims

UFC Que Choisir asserts that the ‘stop drive’ measures constitute direct and certain consequences of breaches committed by Stellantis and Citroën, resulting from the manufacturers' failure, through negligence and disorganised management, to fulfil their general safety obligation.

Damages Sought

• Loss of Enjoyment: Daily compensation for vehicle immobilisation period;

• Insurance Costs: Compensation for insurance contributions while vehicles were unusable;

• Transport and Parking Costs: Substitute transport and parking fees during immobilisation;

• Towing and Transport: Costs for vehicle transport to replacement appointments;

• Recommissioning Costs: Vehicle recommissioning costs after months of immobilisation;

• Cancellation Fees: Tourism or cultural service cancellations due to vehicle unavailability; and

• Moral Damages: Compensation for anxiety and distress from potentially lethal equipment discovery.

Significance

This case marks the first group action in France specifically addressing the Takata airbag scandal and is a key test of the reformed collective redress framework. The outcome could shape future collective actions and influence how mass consumer harm is addressed in the automotive sector.