Manifestation in Madrid this Saturday of those affected by Stellantis’ defective engines

This Saturday in Madrid, a demonstration organized by the Association of Affected by Stellantis will take place to demand a solution to the problems arising from the defective Puretech engines. The mobilization is a direct response to the manufacturer’s lack of attention towards more than 6,000 affected individuals due to defects in the engines of vehicles from brands including Opel, Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Jeep, and Toyota. With hundreds of thousands of vehicles affected since the problem was discovered in 2020, the protesters aim to raise awareness and demand proper repairs, the withdrawal of defective vehicles, and reimbursement of excessive maintenance costs paid.

This Saturday, the Association of Affected by Stellantis (Afestel) has organized a demonstration in Madrid due to the lack of responses from the company regarding the issues with the Puretech engines. The affected individuals, with their vehicles, will begin a route from Doctor Esquerdo street to demand official recognition of these defects and claim the corresponding compensation. The firm purpose is to make visible the impact of these defective engines on the lives of thousands of people.

Call and development of the demonstration

The demonstration will take place in Madrid on Saturday, starting at 10:00 AM. The Association of Affected by Stellantis (Afestel) has called on all affected individuals to gather at Doctor Esquerdo Street, 62, where the vehicles will group together to begin the march.

Route and key points

The route of the demonstration will take participants from Doctor Esquerdo street through the main arteries of the city such as Plaza del Conde, Avenida del Mediterráneo, Paseo Reina Cristina, and the iconic Paseo del Prado, culminating in Plaza de Lima. At this final point, the organizers will read a final statement.

The problem with Puretech engines

The primary defect in the Puretech engines consists of the deterioration of the timing belt, leading to high oil consumption, failures in the vacuum pump, and other serious problems affecting engine performance. This anomaly has been identified in vehicles marketed since 2014 by brands such as Opel, Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Jeep, and Toyota, all under the responsibility of Stellantis.

Number of affected individuals and the scope of the problem

Throughout Europe, more than four million vehicles are affected by these mechanical problems. In Spain, more than 765,000 vehicles are involved, with a significant concentration in Catalonia, especially in Barcelona, where it is estimated that there are approximately 80,000 cars with these defects.

Claims of the affected individuals

The affected individuals require Stellantis to officially recognize these factory defects, withdraw the affected vehicles for scrapping, and reimburse the owners for repair and maintenance expenses deemed excessive. These claims echo previous protests held in Vigo last October and more recently in Zaragoza.

Previous protests and community support

The actions of Afestel have resonated with consumers in various regions of Spain, prompting a protest in Barcelona aimed at generating pressure on the company to address the needs of those affected. More details about its impact can be found in the report of the protest in Barcelona.

The complaints of those affected have been numerous, yet Stellantis employees continue to neglect their legitimate concerns. A deeper analysis of this disconnection is explored in this detailed article.

An urgent call for corporate responsibility

On Saturday in Madrid, the demonstration led by those affected by the defective Stellantis engines highlighted once again the difficulties consumers face when large corporations do not take responsibility for their mistakes. The sale of vehicles with the Puretech engine, with more than four million units across Europe and 765,000 alone within the Stellantis group, exemplifies a systematic problem that affects credibility and trust in large automotive companies.

The accumulated discontent among owners, evidenced by previous protests in Vigo and Zaragoza, reflects the lack of adequate response from Stellantis. Consumers, faced with excessive repair and maintenance costs, urge the company to take clear actions: withdrawing the defective vehicles and providing necessary compensations. The manufacturing anomaly, which involves a “gradual deterioration” of fundamental components such as the timing belt, results in critical failures that could have been prevented with more rigorous quality control.

For the thousands affected, the demonstration not only represents a plea for justice and repair but also an appeal for greater transparency and corporate responsibility across the automotive industry. As the wave of protests grows, a central question arises about business ethics and the importance of prioritizing customer safety and satisfaction over profits.

This series of demonstrations should serve as a reminder for all automotive companies of the need to evaluate their internal processes and customer feedback systems. By providing quick and effective solutions to the issues raised, companies can not only maintain their reputation but also protect those who rely on their products for their daily lives. The current situation with Stellantis’s Puretech engines underscores the urgency to act before the credibility of the industry is compromised irreversibly.