Tens of thousands of cars across the UK have been issued with a recall notice, with drivers urged to act amid a serious fire risk.
Stellantis has announced that it will be recalling 72,000 cars in the UK to fix an issue where loosened nuts on a fuel pipe could cause an engine fire.
Vehicles from Alfa Romeo, Citroen, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Peugeot and Vauxhall built between 2023 and 2025 could be impacted, with 28 models being recalled.
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Stellantis said its normal recall process was being applied, with all vehicle owners being notified of the process.
A fresh warning has been issued by Stellantis that could impact 72,000 drivers
|GETTY/REUTERS/THE CAR EXPERT
So far, 11 reported cases of cars catching fire have been identified in France, according to Auto Express.
Owners of the affected vehicles are being advised to book their cars in for a remedy as soon as possible. Estimates suggest that it should only take 30 minutes.
In addition to the recall notice, Stellantis has advised motorists to be aware of any unusual fuel smells or dashboard warning lights as an immediate indicator of the issue.
A spokesperson for Stellantis urged customers to "immediately make an appointment" at their local dealership to fix the issue.
READ MORE: Stellantis faces DVSA action as 120,000 motorists forced off roads after massive 'stop-drive' recall
The Citroen C3 has been hit with a 'stop drive' notice | GETTYThey added: "Vehicles equipped with the 1.2-turbo petrol engine may face a 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 consumption and, in a worst-case scenario, to occurrences of fire in the engine."
In February, Stellantis recalled 68,000 vehicles in France due to a fire risk amid problems with its PureTech engines' oil jet cooling nozzles.
The recall impacted 2,500 Peugeot 208 models, 57,000 Citroen C3, and 8,700 Opel Corsa cars, with notification letters being sent out to owners.
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The remedy requires drivers to take their cars to their dealer's garage and get an oil filter and an oil change, which should only take around half an hour.
The manufacturing giant has been at the centre of criticism in recent months following a "stop-drive" notice being issued, impacting Citroen C3 models (2009-2019), Citroen DS 3 (2009-2016) and DS Automobiles DS 3 (2016-2019).
Cars included in the stop-drive notice are equipped with Takata airbags, which could rupture in a collision, causing shrapnel to fly out and potentially cause deaths.
Consumer champion Which? has called on the Government to "step in" and hold Stellantis to account to ensure drivers are not left stranded without their vehicles.
Repairs will be free, with the cost covered by the manufacturer | GETTYThere have been calls for all impacted motorists to receive compensation, with drivers having to pay out of pocket for taxis, hire cars, or face sky-high motor insurance costs.
Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at Which?, said urgent clarity was needed to ensure that drivers did not need to drive cars that are "potentially very dangerous".
A spokesperson for Citroen said the brand was "fully engaged" in fixing as many impacted vehicles as possible, including providing at-home services to minimise disruptions for drivers.
It added: "For each and every customer, we discuss options to support mobility, recognising that every driver has specific requirements. These options include replacement airbags at a dealership or at home, courtesy car, support for other mobility options and recovery."