Iconic carmaker recalls over a MILLION ‘faulty' motors across Europe amid fears engine could fail while driving
The automaker has offered an extended warranty and will refund previous repairs as a good will gesture.
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The company
Automaker Stellantis was formed in early 2021 through the merger of France's PSA and Italian-American group Fiat Chrysler.
Stellantis is now recalling some diesel cars in Europe that were produced between October 2017 and January 2023.
It said almost 930,000 vehicles in France were affected, but did not provide an overall figure for all of Europe.
An additional 117,000 cars were affected in Belgium, the company said.
The manufacturer will be contacting affected owners.
The issue
Reuters reports that the company has said the issue is due to potential camshaft chain issues.
Owners of those vehicles have expressed concern at weird engine sounds which could lead to broken valves or actual engine failure.
Stellantis said in a statement: "Some 2017-2023 Peugeot, Citroen, Opel/Vauxhall, DS and Fiat vehicles equipped with the 1.5 BlueHDi diesel engine.
"May face a premature wear of the camshaft chain, leading to abnormal noise and in the worst-case scenario to a breakage of the chain.
The company added that it was unaware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue.
Warranty Extender
Stellantis said: "The rework consists of a software update and the change of the oil, if needed.
"In addition, a special repairer application has been developed which can detect a possible problem with the chain by analysing the noise of the engine."
"Under this enhanced policy, Stellantis will cover 100% of parts and labour costs for up to 10 years or 240,000 kilometres, subject to specific conditions,
"This additional policy applies to eligible repairs carried out between 1 January 2023 and 30 June 2025, provided that the vehicle's maintenance and diagnosis meet the guidelines recommended by the relevant brand."
The 1.5 BlueHDi diesel engine prompting the recall was developed before the merger by PSA, the maker of Peugeot, Citroen, Opel and DS brands.
Stellantis added that Fiat cars were also affected by the recall.
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