Italy court allows class action against Stellantis over faulty airbags

MILAN, April 14 (Reuters) - A civil court in Turin, Italy, has ruled admissible a class action suit against Stellantis (STLAM.MI), opens new tab concerning potentially faulty airbags made by Japanese automotive parts company Takata, Stellantis and two consumer groups behind the legal action said on Monday.
Affected vehicle owners have 150 days to join the class action, the two consumer groups Codacons and Altroconsumo said in two separate statements. They added that a court hearing on the case had been adjourned to November 21.
here.
Similar legal actions against Stellantis have already been launched in France.
Stellantis took note of the court's decision, saying in a statement it was working "tirelessly" on its recall campaign and was reserving "the right to consider any appropriate initiative in the context of the ongoing proceedings."
It noted that the decision "concerns only the admissibility of the class action, and neither the alleged liability of (Stellantis) nor the damages claimed, the assessment of which is postponed to a later stage of the proceedings."
The Codacons association, which filed the class action request on behalf of other consumer groups as well, said requested compensation could amount to up to 285 million euros ($323 million).
Stellantis launched last year a vast "Stop Drive" recall campaign for Takata airbags affecting hundreds of thousands of Citroen and DS models made between 2009 and 2019 and located in 24 different countries in Southern Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
These airbags can cause serious injuries or death because the chemicals they contain can deteriorate in hot and humid weather conditions, causing them to deploy with too much force, according to the company's recall statement.
Takata Group filed for bankruptcy in 2017.
Stellantis was created in early 2021 through the merger of France's Peugeot and Citroen maker PSA and Italian-American group Fiat Chrysler. Its other brands include Jeep and Alfa Romeo.
($1 = 0.8817 euros)
Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari, editing by Alvise Armellini and Aurora Ellis

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Metro

23 minutes ago

• Metro

More than 80,000 Citroen cars recalled over 'potentially fatal' airbag fault

Drivers of Citroen C3s and DS3s have been ordered to stop driving their cars immediately over a potentially dangerous airbag fault. The French firm's manufacturers Stellantis have issued a 'Stop-Drive' order after a recent report stated that a 37-year-old woman sustained fatal injuries caused by an airbag in a 2014 Citroen C3 in Reims, France, last year. As a result, around 82,000 C3 and DS3 models have been removed from the road across France. It comes after Ford recalled nearly 200,000 vehicles in the US due to a risk of passengers including children getting trapped in the back seat. The vehicles affected are second-generation Citroen C3s produced from 2009 to 2016 and first-generation DS3s manufactured from 2016 to 2019. The vehicles use Takata airbag systems, which could be faulty. However, Stellantis UK said that there were no reported incidents of faults in the UK, but it has decided to take action regardless, saying: 'This decision underscores the Company's unwavering commitment to customer safety.' The car manufacturer in a recent statement said: 'Stellantis UK is mobilising its full network of suppliers, retailers and manufacturing plant to support this action to ensure the fastest, safest and most convenient solution for each customer. 'Stellantis remains fully committed to acting swiftly, transparently, and responsibly in addressing this issue.' More Trending Owners will be contacted by letter, or they can check whether their car is affected by using the VIN check tool on Citroen's website. The fatal crash happened in the French city of Reims on June 11. The airbag, meant to protect drivers in the event of a collision, exploded, causing 'very serious injuries' leading to her death, prosecutor François Schneider is quoted as saying in Le Monde. A manslaughter investigation has been opened. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'Just gorgeous': Your favourite European islands that aren't in Greece MORE: Nearly 200,000 Ford vehicles recalled over risk of passengers getting trapped MORE: Map shows where Oxford plans UK's first congestion charge in 20 years

NBC News

31 minutes ago

• NBC News

How a high heel entrepreneur is handling tariffs before the other shoe drops

Checkbook Chronicles Haley Pavone testified to Congress that tariffs are crushing small-business owners' American dream. June 21, 2025, 5:07 AM EDT By Kayla Steinberg Haley Pavone thought this was going to be the biggest and best year yet for her footwear company. Based in Southern California, she had big dreams for Pashion Footwear, the online business she started as a 20-year-old college junior that sells high heels that convert into flats. Instead, she found herself imploring lawmakers for help as tariffs threaten to cripple her company. 'We went from duty-free status to paying actually 190% on average overnight,' Pavone told NBC News. In the months since President Donald Trump took office, the trade war has swung wildly back and forth. Tariff rates have, at times, changed suddenly and dramatically as U.S. officials seek deals with other countries. It has ensnared business owners like Pavone in a battle they didn't choose, as they struggle to plan for a future they can't clearly see. 'It has been chaos to say the least,' she said. 'It feels like small businesses are either being intentionally attacked or being completely forgotten. And I don't know which one is worse.' Business breakdown Pashion Footwear was born out of Pavone's own struggles with high heels. She loved wearing them but hated the inevitable pain that came with being hours on her feet. So in 2016, she founded Pashion. 'It's the biggest love-hate relationship in women's closets,' she said. 'And we're trying to change that.' Pavone's company has grown to employ 12 and has patents in the United States, China and the European Union. for its sole-support technology. And last year, Pashion made $9 million in gross revenue, up 88% from 2023. Pavone attributes much of that success to social media. She and the company have more than 2 million followers combined across TikTok and Instagram, with posts showing an array of heels transforming into flats with a quick twist and press. Tariff troubles For Pavone's small business, it has never been easy: between Trump's first trade war with China and then the pandemic — plus the ensuing supply chain crisis and recession. Pavone said this year she had expected her business to grow 150%, planned to hire several employees and was looking into wholesale. But then Trump eliminated the 'de minimis' exemption, which allowed items from China valued at $800 or less to come into the U.S. duty-free. The change took effect May 2. 'We went from making about 19-20% per shoe after all of our operating expenses to actually losing about $40 per shoe,' Pavone said. The Walnut Knit Booties that used to make the company $43.70 per pair, she said, turned into a $41.16 loss. After the U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day tariff pause, Pashion was left with tariffs of 36% to 75% on each product. The company has paid more than $50,000 in tariffs to U.S. Customs and Border Protection since the May 2 change. The company's shoes are manufactured in China, and Pavone said they can't be made elsewhere — though it's not for lack of trying. 'I've tried talking to manufacturers in Vietnam, Brazil, India and even one very small factory I was able to find in the U.S.,' she said. 'All of them have unanimously said that China is the only supply chain currently that can do what we need at scale.' And Pashion was hit hard by another rule change. Earlier this year, it qualified for and signed a $5 million loan from the Small Business Administration. Pavone planned to use that money to buy Pashion out of predatory debt it took on to survive the pandemic, invest in hiring and buy more inventory. But the Trump administration changed the qualifications to receive the funding, now requiring all shareholders to be U.S. citizens — and Pavone said her company raised 1.7% of its funding from international investors. The loan was pulled. 'We feel completely ignored, and we also feel completely out of control,' she said. 'It basically feels like we're just waiting for the other shoe to drop every second of the day.' Taking action The changes and uncertainty have dashed Pavone's big dreams for the year. She said she slashed inventory orders from $1 million for the fall and $1.5 million for the holidays to around $300,000 each, wanting to keep her budget open to assume tariff liability. 'This went from being a growth year to a year where we're really just trying to make ends meet and stay afloat,' she said. To handle the increased costs, the company added a tariff tax averaging $15 to $25 per product when U.S. customers check out. Demand from U.S. consumers has since dropped around 30%, Pavone said. 'There's plenty of customers where even though they understand what we're doing, they're now priced out of what they can pay, so they can't buy,' she said. She shared her frustrations on TikTok, breaking down for her followers exactly how tariffs are affecting the business. And at a hearing in May, Pavone explained to lawmakers just how painful the changes have been. 'Every day that these trade policies continue, it means the death of more American dreams,' she told lawmakers. 'This is not a short-term pain. This is the destruction of livelihoods, both for entrepreneurs and those they employ.' Pavone hopes her testimony could help lawmakers push for relief. 'No matter what happens, I at least know that I've fought as hard as anyone possibly could,' she said. Kayla Steinberg Kayla Steinberg is a producer at NBC News covering business and the economy.

Daily Mirror

2 hours ago

• Daily Mirror

Michael Schumacher's close friend offers heartbreaking update on F1 legend

Michael Schumacher suffered lifechanging injuries in a skiing accident in 2013 and his close friend Flavio Briatore has offered an update on the seven-time F1 world champion's condition Michael Schumacher's close friend and former boss Flavio Briatore has shared an emotional update on the Formula 1 legend's condition. Schumacher suffered a severe brain injury after a skiing accident in December 2013 and his wife, Corrina, has kept details of his treatment incredibly private. Very few people have been allowed to visit Schumacher, but it is known that he continues to require full-time care more than 11 years after the incident. Briatore, who brought Schumacher to Benetton and helped him win two world titles, is among the few that have visited the German since his accident. ‌ And when asked about Schumacher's current condition, he told Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra: "If I close my eyes, I see him smiling after a victory. I prefer to remember him like that rather than him just lying on a bed. Corinna and I talk often, though." ‌ After the accident, Schumacher spent 250 days in a medically induced coma before he was allowed to return home and continue receiving treatment. Although updates have been few and far between, Corinna did share some details in the 2021 Netflix documentary 'Schumacher'. "I miss Michael every day," she said. "But it is not just me who misses him. It's the children, the family, his father, everyone around him. I mean, everybody misses Michael, but Michael is here. Different, but he's here, and that gives us strength. READ MORE: Max Verstappen sparks disagreement between Nico Rosberg and Toto Wolff as theory emerges "We're together. We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he's comfortable. And to simply make him feel our family, our bond. "'Private is private', as he always said. It's very important to me that he can continue to enjoy his private life as much as possible. Michael always protected us and now we are protecting Michael." Jean Todt, who was Ferrari's team principal when Schumacher won five consecutive world titles, has also visited the F1 legend since the accident. "Michael is here, so I don't miss him," Todt told L'Equipe in 2023. ‌ "[But he] is simply not the Michael he used to be. He is different and is wonderfully guided by his wife and children who protect him. His life is different now and I have the privilege of sharing moments with him. "That's all there is to say. Unfortunately, fate struck him 10 years ago. He is no longer the Michael we knew in Formula 1."