Stellantis tells owners of six Opel models to stop driving

Stellantis El Djazair has asked owners of six Opel models in Algeria to stop driving them at once, because of their Takata airbags.

Algérie Eco reported that the call was made on Sunday, 25 October. The cars were made between 2008 and 2017.

The affected models are the Astra H, Astra J and Cascada. They also include the Meriva B, Mokka and Zafira C.

Owners who have one of these cars can call 024 88 05 61 to book a free replacement at an approved repairer.

Owners can also check whether their car is included by entering its vehicle identification number (VIN) on the official Opel Algeria website. The website address is www.opel.dz.

The company said the chemical parts of Takata airbags can deteriorate over time, especially in hot and humid weather.

In a crash that sets off the airbag, a damaged inflator can break with excessive force. This can cause serious or fatal injuries in the worst cases, according to Stellantis.

"Having the safety and well-being of all our customers as our absolute priority, we apologise for the inconvenience caused," Stellantis said.

Stellantis did not give the number of affected cars in Algeria.

Algérie 360 separately reported that Citroën Algérie has asked owners of five models to check their cars. The models are the C3, C4, DS3, DS4 and DS5, built between 2009 and 2019.

Owners can call 021 99 50 50 to book a repair.

In August 2024, Stellantis asked Algerian owners of Citroën C3 and DS3 cars to stop using them because of the same type of airbag.

In Europe, Opel has extended its recall in 2026. The recall covers Astra, Cascada, Meriva, Mokka, Signum, Vectra and Zafira cars made from January 2005 to November 2017.

Figures from the German motor vehicle authority show 901,364 vehicles affected worldwide.