Deformation Of Citroen C5 Steering Wheel And Additional Warranty Activation
On 5 March 2026, I visited the Citroën Erdemir dealership regarding a premature wear problem on the central horn area of the steering wheel of my 2022 Citroën C5 Aircross, registration 34 FZR 364 and VIN VR7A45GFSNL039444. About a year ago I noticed that the rigid plastic part of the steering wheel body started to deform and peel, while the rest of the interior, including the leather and other plastic parts, has remained clean and intact. During my visit, a first issue arose concerning my +5‑year warranty extension, purchased on 1 November 2024 for ₺23,572.80. The dealership informed me that this extension did not appear in their system because they had not transmitted the related documents to Stellantis, which currently makes my vehicle appear out of warranty even though I have paid for this coverage. They stated that they would correct this situation. Once this problem was raised, they briefly looked at my case but, without carrying out any real technical inspection of the vehicle, they concluded that the steering wheel deformation was allegedly due to the use of alcohol wipes and therefore would not be covered under warranty, not even as a gesture of goodwill. I firmly contest this conclusion, as I have never used alcohol‑based wipes or aggressive chemicals on my interior, and no other part of the cabin shows similar wear. In my opinion, and based on my online research, this appears to be a recurrent manufacturing or coating quality defect affecting the steering wheel body on this model. I therefore request, first, that my +5‑year warranty extension be fully and immediately activated and correctly registered in Stellantis’ systems, since the failure to transmit my warranty documents is solely due to the dealership’s negligence. Second, I request that my vehicle be properly inspected and that the deformed steering wheel body be replaced under warranty, together with a formal apology for the fact that my car has been left appearing out of warranty and that I was blamed for a defect I did not cause. I remain available to provide my warranty certificate and photos of the defect, as well as any additional information needed, and I expect this situation to be resolved amicably and without further delay.
The plastic component on the steering wheel has peeled up to 5–6 cm within just 6–7 months. I reject the cleaning excuse and consider this problem to be manufacturing‑related. The authorized service told me that the extended‑warranty request was not entered into the system, so I cannot use my +5‑year warranty rights. To date, the brand has offered no solution or communication, which has left me disadvantaged. I demand a free part replacement and the correction of the warranty extension.
