The reliability of the 1.2 PureTech is not the only problem Stellantis has to face, at least in terms of engines. The Group’s plug-in hybrid units seem to have some persistent issues, which have led to recall campaigns already issued at the end of 2023 and implemented in recent days. A new recall requires the replacement of the batteries in the electric unit, which constitutes the plug-in hybrid powertrain, of some Citroën C5 Aircross, DS 7 Crossback, Opel Grandland X, and Peugeot 3008.
At the center of the issue is a defect that could lead to the risk of battery corrosion, perforating the battery compartment reinforcement due to possible intrusions of water and other materials, causing overheating and smoke emissions or the possibility of fire in the most severe cases. This is in line with the fact that the integrated battery management system would not be able to detect possible failures. However, these eventualities are considered rare by Stellantis and the individual manufacturers involved. The goal of the recall at the end of 2023 was to address the issue on a total of about 100,000 vehicles among those mentioned.
Several models of Stellantis brands are involved in the further recall related to battery issues
If initially the problems related to the involved models of the mentioned Stellantis brands required activities aimed at preventing the appearance of rust, through the application of a specific anti-corrosion spray, now the recall would be confined to the need to replace the battery. This is a more costly intervention, both in terms of expenses and necessary time; the latter is estimated at about 6 to 9 hours of total work.
The models involved, in this case, would be just under 10,000 among those sold worldwide with a production range distributed by the respective reference manufacturers in relation to the units involved for each individual model. As mentioned, these are the Citroën C5 Aircross, DS 7 Crossback, Opel Grandland X, and Peugeot 3008. To understand if their vehicle is part of the batch related to the recalled units, interested owners will be contacted by their respective manufacturers or they can verify the correspondences related to their reference chassis number through specific online services offered by Stellantis and individual brands.
Returning to costs, it appears that those related to the battery are about 6,000 euros, a figure to be added to the hours of work necessary for the actual replacement, quantifiable between 6 and 9 total hours. In any case, since we are talking about an official recall intended to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers of the mentioned vehicles, all costs will be covered by Stellantis and will not be charged to motorists. This is an additional burden that adds to the recalls related to issues with Takata airbags, as well as the increasingly harsh issues related to the 1.2 PureTech engine.