In 2024 and 2025 Stellantis launched a recall covering around 441,000 Citroën and DS owners across Europe due to defective Takata airbags, and according to klix.ba from April 2026 around 600 vehicles in BiH from this campaign are still without the repair. If you drive a second-generation C3, a C4, DS3, DS4, DS5 or C-Zéro, there is a real chance your car is on the list. This guide explains which models and model years are affected, how to check the VIN through the official Citroën BiH page, and what to do if your car is on the list, viewed from the perspective of an owner of a used Citroën in BiH, most often imported from Germany or France.
This guide was prepared by the Auto Gas Gaga workshop in Banja Luka, based on public data from the Stellantis group, reports from klix.ba, automobili.ba and the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), and years of experience with pre-purchase inspections of used vehicles imported from the EU.
Table of Contents
- What Happened and Why Stellantis Is Calling Owners Now
- Which Models and Model Years Are Affected
- How Many Vehicles in BiH Are Still Awaiting Repair
- How to Check Your VIN on citroen.ba
- What If the VIN Is on the List - Procedure at an Authorised Service
- How Much Does the Replacement Cost and Who Pays
- Used Citroën from the EU - Extra Checks Before Buying
- Stop-Drive in France and What That Means in BiH
- Vehicle Inspection and Recall - The Link Many Overlook
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Articles
What Happened and Why Stellantis Is Calling Owners Now
The Takata airbag story has been running for more than a decade, but for Citroën and DS owners in Europe it sharpened only in 2024 and 2025. The chemical propellant in the Takata inflator, which at the moment of a collision should precisely "fire" the airbag, degrades over time under the influence of heat and humidity. When such an inflator does its job in a crash years after production, there is a risk that it explodes harder than it should and shoots pieces of metal from its housing through the airbag, directly into the face and chest of the driver or passenger.
Globally this is the largest automotive recall in history: over 100 million faulty inflators across more than 20 vehicle manufacturers, with at least 28 confirmed deaths worldwide. In June 2025 Stellantis extended the measure to all second-generation Citroën C3 and all first-generation DS3 models produced between 2009 and 2019 in 24 European countries. The immediate trigger was a tragic incident in Reims (France) in which a 37-year-old driver of a Citroën C3 lost her life after metal fragments from a faulty inflator struck her at the moment of the collision.
For BiH this may feel far away, but it is not. A large share of the used C3 and DS3 models imported from the EU over the past decade falls precisely within this dangerous production range. Stellantis has formally opened the replacement programme through official distributors, including Citroën BiH, and contacted registered owners. The problem is that a used car bought "off the books" in Germany or France is often not in any database that would notify a BiH owner.
Which Models and Model Years Are Affected
The recall list is tightly tied to models and production dates, not to the year of first registration. Specifically, the following Citroën and DS models are covered:
| Model | Production range |
|---|---|
| Citroën C3 Phase 2 | 24.09.2008-21.02.2017 |
| Citroën C4 | 02.02.2010-20.05.2018 |
| Citroën C-Zéro (electric) | October 2010-February 2017 |
| DS3 (first generation) | 05.12.2008-30.05.2019 |
| DS4 | 05.05.2010-03.02.2017 |
| DS5 | 30.06.2010-09.02.2018 |
The stop-drive (recommendation not to drive) applies primarily to the C3 Phase 2 and the first-generation DS3, the most at-risk models according to the Stellantis group. The other models on the list are under a regular recall order, which means the repair can be planned but should be carried out as soon as possible.
What often confuses used-car buyers is that not every example of these models is on the list. Stellantis works by production batches. Inflators from different factory batches carry different levels of risk. That is why a VIN check is mandatory; the year of registration and even the production date on their own do not give a definitive answer.
How Many Vehicles in BiH Are Still Awaiting Repair
According to klix.ba data from April 2026, around 600 vehicles in BiH from this recall campaign are still awaiting repair. The figure sounds small until you put it in context: over the past ten years BiH has imported several thousand used Citroëns and DS models from the EU, most often from precisely this model-year range. The C3 has for years been among the most sought-after small city hatchbacks on olx.ba, and the DS3 is a popular "designer" choice in the mid price range. It is realistic that part of those 600 vehicles is today in daily family use, driven around Banja Luka, Sarajevo, Tuzla, with the owner unaware that the car is awaiting a recall repair.
Keep in mind that the number changes from month to month; as owners bring cars in for service and the recall is closed out, the list shrinks. On the other hand, every new import of a used C3 or DS3 from the EU potentially adds an example. Klix.ba published the figure in April 2026; today it may be smaller or larger. But the point is that the risk exists and is relatively easy to eliminate.
In the workshop we regularly see C3 and DS3 examples that owners bring in for a pre-purchase inspection or for service of some other fault, and most of them have not had the VIN checked against this campaign. Five minutes on the official Citroën page can reveal a serious safety item that would otherwise never come up in a routine service.
How to Check Your VIN on citroen.ba
The check is free, requires no registration and takes no more than two minutes. The procedure is as follows:
- Find the VIN number on your car. The VIN is a 17-character alphanumeric identifier. The most common locations are: the bottom of the windscreen on the driver's side (visible through the glass from outside), a sticker on the driver's door pillar inside the door frame, and the vehicle registration papers. Check that it is 17 characters and that it matches in all three locations.
- Open the official Citroën BiH page for the Takata recall. The check form is on the page itself.
- Enter the VIN number and submit the request. The system will return in real time one of three answers: your car IS on the recall list, your car IS NOT on the recall list, or you need to contact an authorised service for additional verification.
How to Find the VIN Number on a Citroën
The easiest way is through the windscreen. Citroën and DS models from this period have the VIN stamped on a metal plate just below the windscreen, visible through the glass from outside. If the sun is at a bad angle or the glass is dirty, the alternative is to open the driver's door and look for the sticker on the pillar (B-pillar, inner side). On that sticker, alongside the VIN, you will find the factory paint code, the equipment code, and sometimes the production batch code.
If reading the VIN feels like a hassle, grab the vehicle registration document. The VIN is recorded there with exact letters and in the right order; a single character error is enough to make the check return the wrong answer, so the safest option is to copy it from the document.
What If the VIN Is on the List - Procedure at an Authorised Service
If the check confirms that your car IS in the recall, the next step goes exclusively through an authorised Citroën or DS service, not through independent workshops. The reason is the technical nature of the repair: replacing the inflator requires an original Stellantis spare part, a specific tool and software confirmation that the work was carried out in line with the manufacturer's procedure.
Contact an authorised Citroën service in your city (the list is available at citroen.ba), book an appointment, bring the registration document and the car for inspection. The service obtains the part, which is free for the owner (it falls under the manufacturer's recall warranty, regardless of the car's age and regardless of whether you are the first owner). The vehicle hold time in practice is half a day to a full day, depending on the service's appointment load and the number of airbags to be replaced (driver's, passenger's, or both).
When the repair is finished, you will receive a service confirmation with a stamp that the recall has been closed. Keep that confirmation safe. It documents that the safety item is in order and is a significant plus for a potential buyer should you ever sell the car.
How to Tell If the Airbag Has Already Been Replaced
A used car from the EU with a service history often has the recall already closed. Check the service book and look for an item that in German (Rückruf), French (rappel) or English (recall, safety campaign) contains the campaign number or the marking "Takata". If the car was repaired at an authorised service in the EU, all of that remains entered and legible. If there is no mention of the Takata campaign in the documentation and the car is within the dangerous range, you go back to the VIN check. The system will return the accurate status regardless of the paperwork.
How Much Does the Replacement Cost and Who Pays
The recall is free for the owner. Citroën, as part of the Stellantis group, covers the full cost of parts and labour at an authorised service. This applies to original owners, to second and third owners, and to imported vehicles, and the only condition is that the repair be performed at an authorised Citroën/DS service according to the manufacturer's procedure.
What can still cost the owner? Time and organisation. Half a day with the car out of service, possibly transport by alternative means to the workshop and back, and if the car sits unused (due to the stop-drive recommendation or due to a specific incident with the airbag), the cost of renting a replacement vehicle. In some EU countries Stellantis offers a replacement vehicle for the duration of the repair under a stop-drive order, but in BiH practice varies by service, so it is worth asking when booking.
When someone in the workshop comes with the question "how much does it cost if I do it privately at an independent service", the answer is simple: it does not pay off. A private replacement would lose the free coverage from the factory warranty, would typically cost the owner several hundred KM (airbag + labour + expert tool), and would not produce an official record in the system that the recall has been closed. You go through the authorised service.
Used Citroën from the EU - Extra Checks Before Buying
Most of the affected C3, C4, DS3, DS4 and DS5 vehicles in BiH were not bought new at a domestic dealership but imported used from the EU, most often from Germany, France, the Netherlands or Italy. That opens an additional layer of risk. You are buying a car whose safety history is not necessarily fully transparent.
An experienced seller can hide a lot. The service book can be incomplete or altered, mileage rolled back by tens of thousands of km, prior damage painted over and sold as an "import from Germany", and even recalls registered abroad left out of the story. Part of that you can catch during a pre-purchase inspection at the workshop, but the written history of the car itself is most easily checked through carVertical. Using the chassis number, it pulls the documented past of the car from international registries: mileage by dates, registered accidents and total losses, the countries in which the car was registered, theft indicators, and sometimes damage photos from insurance. We consider it the basic line of defence before buying any used car from import. When paying for the report you can use the code GAGA to get a 20% discount.
Beyond that, before you put down a deposit, run exactly this sequence on your C3, C4, DS3, DS4 or DS5:
- VIN check at citroen.ba - two minutes, free, and you know whether the car has an open Takata recall.
- Service book - carefully review the pages for 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. That is where the recall appears if it has been done.
- Pre-purchase inspection at an independent workshop - mechanics, gearbox, rubber components, corrosion. Book a pre-purchase inspection or write to us via the contact form with the listing link before you put down a deposit.
- Document review - original vehicle registration, CoC document for EU homologation, paid-tax records, buyer's invoice.
Is the Recall Free for Used Buyers from the EU
Yes, it is. Stellantis does not distinguish between the original owner and a used buyer. If the VIN returns a positive result, regardless of whether you bought the car in Banja Luka, in Stuttgart or in Paris, the authorised Citroën service carries out the replacement at the manufacturer's expense. The only thing to do is to come to the service with the car and documents.
Stop-Drive in France and What That Means in BiH
In June 2025 France issued a stop-drive order for an additional 800,000 vehicles, bringing the total number of vehicles in France under an active order to 1.7 million; in total around 2.5 million French vehicles require an airbag replacement. In France, stop-drive is a legal category; the vehicle officially must not be driven until the repair is done, and an owner who still drives it exposes themselves to consequences in the event of an accident.
There is no equivalent in BiH. Our legal system has no category of a "vehicle immobilised due to a recall" - a vehicle in recall can still be legally driven, but for the most at-risk examples (C3 Phase 2 and first-generation DS3) Stellantis issues a recommendation not to drive until the repair. That recommendation is not a legal obligation, but it is a window through which the legal situation can get complicated if there were an accident in which the airbag explodes the wrong way.
Stop-Drive in France vs Recommendation in BiH
The difference matters both in practice and in the owner's head. In France, if you drive a car under active stop-drive, you risk a fine, loss of insurance coverage in case of damage, and legal consequences after an accident. In BiH, if you drive a C3 within the dangerous range while waiting for a service slot, no one will issue you a fine, but if the car is involved in a collision during that period and the airbag activates with metal fragments, the chances of serious injury are real, and the question of fault (you knew about the recall but did not act) can come up both legally and with the insurance company.
Practical recommendation from the workshop: if the VIN has confirmed the recall and it is a C3 Phase 2 or DS3, book a service appointment as soon as possible, drive carefully and only short distances until the appointment (city speeds, avoid the motorway), and avoid family trips until the repair is done. The reason is not panic. The reason is that the risk of an explosive airbag failure is real on specific batches, and it is removed with a single free visit to an authorised service.
Vehicle Inspection and Recall - The Link Many Overlook
At present in BiH the periodic vehicle inspection does not check active manufacturer recalls - whether it is this Stellantis Takata call or active BMW recalls. A vehicle with an open Takata recall passes the inspection without issue, provided the other systems are in order. But that state will not last forever.
The European Commission is considering a revision of the periodic technical inspection (PTI) framework that would prevent vehicles with unrepaired safety recalls from passing the technical inspection in all EU countries. The reason is the enforcement gap demonstrated by the example of Cyprus, which since 2019 has ignored 57 Safety Gate alerts. If the revision passes at EU level, BiH will very likely align its regulations as part of the regular harmonisation of traffic legislation.
For the owner of a C3, DS3 or another model with an open recall this means one practical thing: a paper that today nobody asks for can, in a year or two, become a condition for renewing the registration. It is smarter to close the recall now while the process is quick and free, than to wait for the moment when it becomes an obstacle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my 2015 Citroën C3 have to go in for the recall?
Not necessarily, it depends on the VIN, not on the year itself. The C3 Phase 2 from the 2008-2017 range is covered by the campaign, but not every example is on the list. Check the VIN on the official Citroën BiH page and the system returns the precise answer for your specific car.
Can I drive my C3 while I wait for the airbag replacement appointment?
Legally in BiH, yes, you may. Practically, Stellantis recommends that the most at-risk models (C3 Phase 2, first-generation DS3) are not driven until the repair. Our recommendation is to book the appointment as soon as possible, drive carefully to the service, and in the meantime avoid family trips and the motorway.
Is the repair free if I bought the car used from Germany?
Yes. Stellantis does not distinguish between an original and a used owner. If the VIN confirms the recall, an authorised Citroën service in BiH will replace the airbag at no cost to you, even if the car was first registered abroad.
What if I have already had the airbag replaced in France or Germany?
Check the service book. A recall done at an authorised service in the EU appears as an entry marked Takata, rappel, or Rückruf. If it has been done, the VIN check on citroen.ba will return the status "repaired" and you have nothing further to do.
Does the recall also cover Peugeot, Opel or other Stellantis models?
The specific campaign covered by this article relates to Citroën and DS. Peugeot, Opel, Fiat and other Stellantis brands have their own recall campaigns with different codes and procedures. For those you check the VIN on that brand's official page, not on citroen.ba.
What about a used Citroën bought without a service book?
A car without a service book does not mean the recall has not been done, but it does mean you have no paper proof. The VIN check remains the primary source of truth. If the system says "verification required", take the car to an authorised Citroën service. There they mechanically check whether the inflator has been replaced (there is a visual marking) and enter it into the Stellantis records.