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Thousands of motorists across the UK have been cautioned to cease driving their cars immediately due to a potential fire risk, following a significant safety recall issued by the manufacturer. Major marques including Peugeot, Jeep, Fiat, Citroën and Vauxhall have been impacted, though one expert has expressed worry that drivers may not heed the alert.

Louise Minchin explained on BBC's Morning Live how motorists can determine whether their vehicle has been caught up in this or any other manufacturer recalls. The specialist stressed the importance of taking swift action, noting that the problem can be rectified in approximately 30 minutes and ought to be resolved at no cost.

She said: "First of all, Don't Panic. The risk of fire in this case, it is very, very small, but it is a particularly large recall and actually what I want to talk about today is about that recall and also how to be aware if your car is part of recall because it's really important.

"This is a really stobering statistic, recent research from a vehicle history checking service found 72% of cars that are recalled for any reason are still on the road."

This specific recall has been announced by manufacturer Stellantis. The firm has confirmed it will contact affected vehicle owners and request they get in touch with their dealer to arrange an appointment to address the fault.

Louise noted that owners might receive notification via post, email or telephone, but cautioned that circumstances such as purchasing a vehicle second-hand or relocating could result in these messages failing to reach the intended recipient.

The majority of car makers' websites feature a facility enabling motorists to verify whether their vehicle has been subject to a recall. Louise demonstrated this using Vauxhall's website as an example, where drivers require their vehicle identification number, which can be located in logbooks and at multiple points around the vehicle.

An alternative method for checking if your vehicle is included in a recall involves using the Government's verification tool. This tool offers two different approaches depending on the information available about your car.

Motorists can input their car's registration number to determine if it's been involved in safety recalls that remain unaddressed or unresolved. Alternatively, if the registration number isn't available, you can conduct a search using the manufacturer's name, model and year of production.

Louise continued: "Don't Panic, but it is worth saying that if your car seems to be running perfectly, it could still be affected by a recall. So if it's not on the list, or you haven't been contacted, you should find out.

"If you have been contacted, don't ignore it. You need to do something about it straight away, and I know life gets really busy, but get in touch with the manufacturer, most of the time it's quite it can be a really simple fix. One at the moments is only about 30 minutes or so, and also it is free.

"It doesn't matter where you bought your car because safety recalls are down to the manufacturer, and it's regardless of the car's age, the owner, or the warranty status as well. They absolutely need to be done." Louise also cautioned that operating a vehicle subject to a recall could put more than just your personal safety in jeopardy: "There could be financial consequences because your car, for your insurance needs to be roadworthy. And if it's subject to a recall and something happens, your insurance might be invalidated.

"So really, really important. I don't want to worry anybody, but you know, do not ignore these messages."

In a statement, Stellantis confirmed according to Express: "Having customer safety and satisfaction at the core of its values, Stellantis is voluntarily recalling an estimated 44,000 vehicles in the UK due to a potential issue concerning the clearance between the gasoline particulate filter pipe and the belt starter generator (BSG).

"Stellantis will immediately reach out to affected vehicle owners, asking them to contact their dealer to schedule an appointment. The corrective action involves replacing the pole protection cup of the 48V belt starter generator (BSG) to one with higher insulation. Additionally, the clearance between the gasoline particulate filter pipe and the BSG will be checked and adjusted if necessary.

"This service takes approximately 30 minutes and will be performed free of charge. Additionally, the clearance between the gasoline particulate filter pipe and the BSG will be checked and adjusted if necessary. This service takes approximately 30 minutes and will be performed free of charge."