Dealers and OEMs require a greater process to provide consumers confidence when a security recall arises like Citroen’s latest, argues Pete Gillett, founding father of Marketpoint Recall.
A stop-drive order isn’t a recall as usual. It’s the loudest alarm an automotive regulator can ring. That’s exactly what happened last month, when the French Transport Ministry issued an urgent warning for around 441,000 Citroën C3 and DS3 vehicles with Takata airbags linked to injuries and a minimum of one fatality.
The message to owners was blunt: Park your automobile, now. Don’t drive it. Don’t delay. The danger is real.
But as daring because the statement was, it reveals a deeper concern – that even when the stakes are this high, the tools to succeed in and treatment drivers still fall short.
Safety shouldn’t rely upon whether a letter lands, or a warning gets read. Yet in lots of cases, it still does.
Why are vehicle recall mailshots failing?
A stop‑drive notice is issued when the chance to life is imminent. These airbags don’t just fail, they will explode with fatal consequences.
You’d expect recall systems to be swift, seamless and supported by tech. But for a lot of drivers, the primary notice they’ll see continues to be a bit of paper within the post.
Indeed, a 2025 review found that only around 28% of recalled vehicles within the UK have actually been repaired, meaning 72% remain on the road with safety-critical issues akin to airbags, brakes or electrical systems
Put simply, stop-drive orders mean nothing in the event that they don’t reach the motive force. And by the point someone finally sees a warning on social media or hears about it from a garage, it might already be too late.
Parts on the move, danger in disguise
A single defective component can turn a secure vehicle right into a lethal one. But the truth is that parts move faster than the paperwork can sustain. Dealers often find themselves fitting, removing or inspecting components without full visibility of which of them carry risk, particularly when aftermarket supply chains and parallel imports are involved.
That’s where digital traceability should play an important role. In theory, we should always have the ability to trace a high-risk part from factory to forecourt to fitment. In practice, disconnected systems and data blind spots mean many dealers are flying partially blind.
It’s not enough for the OEM to quietly update a parts list or issue a service bulletin. Dealers have to know what to tug, when and why. Which means access to real-time part status, not only stock codes. Since the moment a dangerous part gets missed, the recall fails before it begins.
The dealer as first responder
While manufacturers issue recalls, it’s dealers who turn alerts into motion. The on-the-ground role they play is critical; inspecting vehicles, managing bookings, explaining risks and handling the fallout when customers are anxious or indignant. But they will’t do it alone.
Dealers need integrated systems that show them which vehicles are affected, whether alternative parts are in stock and the way quickly the treatment could be carried out. Without that, they risk either over-promising or underdelivering, and in a crisis that erodes trust fast.
Proactive outreach matters too. Phone calls, texts, service portal alerts are key. These are all tools that dealers can and will use. Mass mailers and email blasts have their place, but they will’t shoulder the total load in a safety-critical situation.
What does ‘Recall Ready’ really mean?
A high-profile recall like this demands greater than business as usual. Being ‘recall ready’ means having a dealer network that’s equipped, informed and empowered to act the moment a risk emerges. That features having automated systems that may flag affected vehicles, queue parts for urgent ordering and send customer reminders as soon as an appointment is missed.
It means having workflows that track progress from first alert to final fix and never scattered spreadsheets or siloed service records.
And crucially, it means custom recall playbooks for every scenario. Not every fix needs the identical approach. A brake light issue isn’t the identical as a lethal airbag. Dealers need a tailored strategy for every, built into the systems they already use, not bolted on as an afterthought.
Urgency must meet capability
Citroën’s stop-drive order shows just how serious the implications of a slow recall response could be. But issuing the warning is barely half the job. Without the infrastructure to act quickly and the tools to succeed in every owner, even the clearest message can fall flat.
In an industry built on trust and movement, we must ensure neither stalls when it matters most.
Stop-drive recalls are rare but once they do occur, we are able to’t depend on systems designed for a gentler pace. Safety must match the speed of risk. And that starts with a recall strategy that’s able to go the moment the red light flashes.
Writer: Pete Gillett, founding father of Marketpoint Recall
This Article First Appeared At www.am-online.com
