Car fire safety recall hits 28 different models including Fiat, Peugeot and Vauxhall – is YOURS at risk?

Car giant Stellantis is embroiled in a new safety recall that impacts tens of thousands of UK motors across seven different brands.

It comes after the vehicle maker has already told almost 100,000 Citroen owners in Britain to stop driving their cars immediately due to potentially lethal airbags installed in some older models.

This month, it has issued a separate call back for 72,000 UK cars linked to a potential engine fire risk. 

It has confirmed that 28 models from popular makes including Alfa Romeo, Citroen, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Peugeot and Vauxhall are affected.

It impacts mostly mild-hybrid cars with the 1.2-litre petrol engine produced between 2023 and 2025.

This includes incredibly popular models, like Vauxhall’s Corsa, Astra, Grandland X and Mokka, Peugeot’s 208, 2008, 3008 and 5008, as well as seven different Citroen motors. You can read the full list below.

Stellantis has insisted the latest recall is ‘voluntary’ and owners of these cars can continue to drive them until they are repaired, though should book them in with their nearest garage at the earliest convenience.

The latest recall is unrelated to the ‘stop-drive’ order issued to owners of Citroen C3 and DS3 cars at the end of June, which Stellantis is still currently trying to manage while juggling this new call back.

Stellantis has issued a safety recall for 72,000 UK cars linked to a potential engine fire risk. A total of 28 models across seven brands are impacted, including the latest hybrid Vauxhall Corsa (pictured)

Why are 72,000 Stellantis cars being recalled?

This latest safety recall is linked to a potential risk with the high-pressure fuel pipe in models produced between 2023 and 2025 with the 1.2-litre petrol engine mostly in mild-hybrid variants.

This powertrain is shared across various models in Stellantis’ range. 

The risk of loose nuts securing the pipe has been identified and could potentially lead to leaks, and, ‘in a worst-case scenario’, fire in the engine bay, the car giant states.

The recall is voluntary – meaning the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency hasn’t forced Stellantis’ hand to resolve the issue – and has been prompted by 11 reported cases of cars catching fire in France.

The safety recall impacts mostly mild-hybrid cars with the 1.2-litre petrol engine produced between 2023 and 2025. This includes the latest Peugeot 208 (pictured)

Among the cars impacted is the current Peugeot 308, though only those with the 1.2-petrol engine produced between 2003 and 2005

The 2008 is among the eight different Peugeot models caught up in the latest Stellantis safety recall. The car giant says the call back is voluntary

A Stellantis spokesman told the Daily Mail: ‘Having customer safety and satisfaction at the core of its values, Stellantis is voluntarily recalling an estimated 72,000 in the UK due to a potential issue with the high-pressure fuel pipe.

‘Some 2023-2025 Peugeot, Citroen, DS Automobiles, Vauxhall, Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Fiat vehicles may face fuel leakage at the high-pressure pipe between the high-pressure pump and the rail due to loosened nuts. 

‘This can potentially lead to higher fuel leakage consumption and, in a worst-case scenario, to occurrences of fire in the engine.’

They added: ‘Stellantis already started the proactive outreach to vehicle owners, asking them to contact the dealer network to schedule an appointment.

‘The rework consists of retightening the nut connections on the high-pressure pipe and the screws of the rail. It takes less than half an hour and is free of charge.’

Drivers have been told that they can contact their local dealer through Stellantis’ website or by phone.

A total of seven different current or recent Citroens are impacted by the recall, including the C4 pictured

Citroen has recently launched a new version of the C5 Aircross crossover. However, Stellantis says it and the previous-generation car (pictured) produced from 2023 are both impacted by the fire safety recall

Which 28 UK models are impacted?

As previously stated, only cars with the 1.2-litre petrol engine produced between 2023 and 2025 are affected.

This powertrain is sold in various Stellantis-built motors across seven brands in total. 

Most of these are mild-hybrid variants.

Some of the 28 cars are so new that few – or even no – UK owners have taken delivery yet. This includes the likes of the latest Peugeot 3008 and 5008, Vauxhall Frontera, Alfa Romeo Junior and Fiat Grande Panda. 

The models impacted are as follows:

Owners of these cars should receive a recall notice letter through the post informing them that they need to have the nuts attaching the high-pressure fuel pipe retightened by a dealer garage.

However, owners of models listed above can also use each brands’ online recall checker to identify if their vehicles needs to be fixed – and who to contact.

Vauxhall Astras with the 1.2-litre petrol engine built between 2023 and 2025 will need to have the recall repair carried out

The current Vauxhall Mokka – a very popular compact crossover – is also affected by the recall

Recent versions of the Vauxhall Grandland are also caught up in the safety recall. Owners should receive letters in the post to notify if they’re impacted – or can check Vauxhall’s website

Some of the models impacted by the recall are so new that customers will have yet to take delivery. This includes the new Vauxhall Frontera, which is yet to go on sale in Britain

Owners of these cars should receive a recall notice letter through the post informing them that they need to take their car to a franchised dealer’s garage to have the issue resolved for free

My car has been recalled – can I still drive it?

In short, yes, owners can continue to drive their cars even with a safety recall issued.

However, they must book an appointment with their nearest garage with availability to carry out the repair free of charge at the earliest opportunity.

Failure to act on a safety recall could land you in hot water.

The AA states that owners are responsible for maintaining their cars are in a safe and roadworthy condition – and by ignoring a safety recall, they could be deemed to be ‘using a defective vehicle’. 

Drivers who fail to book a recall slot with a garage can be ‘fined up to £2,500, banned from driving and get three penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition’, the DVSA states. 

It can also affect any insurance claim you might make too.

‘Act promptly so you don’t put yourself or others at risk, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions,’ the AA states.

Alfa Romeo’s latest car – the Junior SUV – is also impacted by the recall. Only the Ibrida hybrids are impacted

Jeep, which is also owned by Stellantis, is also impacted. The Avenger Hybrid 1.2 is subject to the safety recall

Owners of Fiat’s new 600 hybrid will also be informed their cars need to be repaired for free 

The Fiat Panda is due to arrive in the UK shortly. The new hybrid versions should have had the recall work carried out before being delivered to customers

Fire risk recall separate to ‘stop-drive’ order for lethal airbag replacements

The latest Stellantis recall is unrelated to the ‘stop-drive’ order issued by the car maker in June that the Daily Mail has covered extensively over the last two months.

Owners of Citroen C3 and DS3 cars produced between 2009 and 2019 were told to stop driving their vehicles ‘immediately’ on 20 June due to the Takata airbags installed during production potentially becoming lethal.

This means they have been forced to park up their cars, irrelevant of whether they are reliant on them to get to work and back or for other vital daily tasks, such as grocery shopping and hospital appointments. 

On 20 June, Stellantis UK announces an immediate stop-drive action for all second-generation Citroen C3s built between 2009 and 2019

The first-generation DS3 – produced between 2009 and 2019 under Citroen and DS branding – is also impacted by the stop-drive order

The ‘stop-drive’ notice – the highest ‘code red’ recall for vehicles – was issued shortly after a woman was killed in France when a minor collision triggered the airbag in her C3. The faulty airbag sent shards of metal and shrapnel into her head and body, causing fatal injuries. 

The stop-drive order has caused a huge headache not just for Citroen and its parent company but tens of thousands of UK drivers.

Some 96,000 are estimated to have been told to park up their vehicles indefinitely until they can be repaired. 

Hundreds have contacted the Daily Mail to tell us the difficulties this has caused them, with Stellantis unable to provide courtesy cars to all those impacted and only offering a small daily compensation allowance to certain individuals facing high alternative travel costs. 

Stellantis has assured the Daily Mail that all repairs will be completed by the end of September, which means owners could be without their vehicles for over three months in total.

> Read our latest report on the stop-drive order