"The car stopped dead on the highway": Stellantis' PureTech engine, a nightmare for motorists
INVESTIGATION - Engines installed for years in vehicles of the group's brands, including Peugeot and Citroën, are experiencing numerous breakdowns. This Tuesday, Stellantis recalled 68,000 vehicles due to a fire risk.
Céline is still dazed by the last trip at the wheel of her Peugeot 308 , at the end of November. However, she is used to crisscrossing the roads of the Hérault mountains to accompany her daughter to the bus. But that day, "suddenly, on a pass, the brake pedal got stuck" . It was impossible to press it, to the point that she "looked to see if there was a toy blocking it, but no" . "Fortunately, I was able to stop with the handbrake, but we narrowly avoided an accident!" The mechanic's assessment was clear: "The timing belt was soaking in oil, came apart and broke the vacuum pump, which caused the brake problem."
Celine's story could be a simple isolated incident. Except that the 1.2 l PureTech engine that equips her car and many vehicles of the Stellantis group (Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel) seems to be the victim of a design defect that regularly causes this type of problem. This Tuesday, February 25, Stellantis recalled 68,000 vehicles produced…
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