Legal actions against Stellantis seem to be ongoing, as a Belgian consumer association, Test-Achats, is now considering taking action related to AdBlue issues in diesel engines. This follows the Takata airbag scandal and issues with the 1.2 PureTech engine. As is known, emissions from diesel engines, initially highly polluting, have been reduced over time thanks to the introduction of increasingly advanced systems for managing harmful emissions. However, these conditions have contributed to rising prices and, often, caused more than a few reliability problems. Among the major issues, raised by growing numbers of users, is the increasingly thorny question of AdBlue, the urea-based additive that helps combat nitrogen oxides. This situation now involves Stellantis as well.
Stellantis: legal action soon against AdBlue problems
At the end of last year, the Belgian consumer association Test-Achats launched an appeal encouraging diesel vehicle owners to report problems related to the use of the well-known additive; since then, over 3,000 complaints have been received. At least 90% of these were related to vehicles from Stellantis Group brands. Although negotiations have already taken place between Stellantis and the consumer association, it has not been possible to reach an agreement between the parties. Consequently, the need for proper legal action is looming.
Owners of Stellantis brand vehicles are becoming increasingly accustomed to such conditions; consider the aforementioned issues with the 1.2 PureTech engine and those related to Takata airbags in Citroen C3 and DS3 models. In France, the UFC-Que Choisir association contacted the General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) in July 2023 on this same topic, receiving 1,700 complaints, with expenses up to 3,100 euros. However, not all were aimed solely at Stellantis brand vehicles, although approaches of this kind have produced satisfactory results only in Italy so far.
Even though Stellantis covers 100% of defective AdBlue tanks on vehicles less than five years old from February 13, 2023, in France, as well as the AdBlue pump module within the limit of 150,000 km traveled, this gesture is considered insufficient. Only the part is covered, while labor remains excluded and can be particularly expensive. Moreover, other components can trigger a warning message with sometimes even higher costs.