A civil court in Turin, Italy, has accepted a class action lawsuit against Stellantis over defective airbags manufactured by Japanese auto parts company Takata. Similar lawsuits have already been filed against Stellantis in France.
The compensation sought by the affected parties and consumer groups is estimated at approximately €285 million ($323 million).
These are only estimates pending an assessment of the situation and the court’s assessment of damages.
Last year, Stellantis launched a massive recall campaign to replace Takata airbags, affecting hundreds of thousands of Citroën and DS models manufactured between 2009 and 2019 in 24 countries.
According to a statement from Stellantis, the airbags affected by the recall can cause serious injury to passengers, including death.
Tests have shown that the airbags can be affected by humidity and heat and can deploy with excessive force, resulting in severe injuries to passengers.
The Takata Group declared bankruptcy in 2017, while Stellantis was formed in early 2021 as a result of the merger of the French company PSA, the manufacturer of Peugeot and Citroën cars, with the Italian-American group Fiat Chrysler, its other brands include Jeep and Alfa Romeo.
