Peugeot to Recall Ten Thousand 307s

Posted 31 October 2006 @ 08:46 am EET     Print     Reprint     E-Mail     Comments

COPENHAGEN (AP) - The French car maker Peugeot said it had ordered the recall of 10,500 of its 307 model in Denmark owing to a fault in an advanced braking system, which in severe cases could cause fires. Peugeot Denmark confirmed the report to AFP but refused to comment on the recall, saying it fell to the group's headquarters in France to do so.

In a letter dated Friday and published by Danish daily Berlingske Tidende on its website, the group asked owners of 2004, 2005 and the first series of 2006 model 307s to take their vehicles to Peugeot dealers.Garages were then to fit an additional safety mechanism to the Electronic Stability Program (ESP).

Two 307s were returned to the French carmaker in July and August after the ESP had shortcircuited and melted.ESP improves vehicle stability during braking.Peugeot experts, who travelled to Denmark from France, said the Danish climate was "the worst imaginable in Europe." The fault had only been detected in the Scandinavian country, technical director of Peugeot Denmark Jens Andersen told Berlingske.dk.

The combination of high humidity and salt on the roads in winter was a dangerous mix for ESP, according to the company's experts. Monday's recall was the second involving 307s in under a year in Denmark. In 2005 Peugeot recalled 8,000 of the model due to an electrical fault in the car's ABS (anti-lock braking system), which risked causing engine fires. In 2005, 5,900 307s were sold in Denmark, making it the country's most popular model.