Significant concern has arisen over Takata airbags, which have been linked to at least one fatality in Cyprus. Investigations are ongoing into another fatality and a serious injury involving a driver.
In recent days, online tools have surfaced that allow car owners to check if their vehicles are equipped with these defective airbags.
Check here.
How to Check
The Minister of Transport, Communications, and Works, Alexis Vafeades, announced that the Department of Road Transport (DRT) has requested all vehicle manufacturers’ distributors to provide online links for citizens to verify whether their vehicles are subject to recall. These links will be posted on the DRT’s website.
Additionally, distributors have been provided with lists of all vehicles from the same manufacturers and asked to inform owners if recalls are pending.
When a manufacturer’s distributor notifies the DRT of a recall and requests the contact details of affected vehicle owners, the DRT will send informational SMS messages to those owners.
Furthermore, the DRT plans to issue technical instructions to vehicle inspection centres (IKTEO), ensuring that during inspections, vehicle owners are informed of the need to update their contact details and follow recall procedures. Efforts will also be made to raise public awareness about the importance of recalls.
Legislative Amendments
Minister Vafeades stated that the DRT is considering three legislative amendments:
- Approval Certification: Amending the Type Approval Law to require distributors to provide certificates confirming no outstanding recalls for vehicles being registered or transferred, applicable to both new and imported vehicles.
- IKTEO Requirements: Amending laws to prohibit vehicle inspections without certificates confirming no recalls are pending.
- Immediate Revocation of Approval: Amending the Type Approval Law to allow immediate revocation of vehicle roadworthiness if a recall is pending. This provision can apply to vehicles with European type approval but requires additional data for vehicles imported from third countries.
A similar legislative proposal, put forth by MPs Chatzigiannis, Nikos Syka, and Stavros Papadouris, will be discussed in the Parliamentary Transport Committee on Thursday. This proposal includes a potential ban on registering vehicles or issuing MOT certificates if recalls are unresolved.
MP Reactions
MP Kyriakos Hadjigiannis expressed concerns about the government’s response, stating, “The government is absent from addressing this public safety threat.” He compared the situation to past incidents, such as the Mari explosion, where ministerial resignations occurred.
MP Costas Costa from AKEL criticised the delay, pointing out that the DRT had taken no action since October 2023, when the issue was first raised following the confirmed death of Kyriakos Oxinos.
MP Stavros Papadouris of the Greens emphasised that the issue affects over 12,000 European standard vehicles identified via the RAPEX system and an additional 18,000 used imports. He suggested the problem could be addressed more quickly by passing the legislative proposal through the Transport Committee as an urgent matter.
Personal Testimonies
During the meeting, a citizen recounted discovering that their vehicle had a faulty Takata airbag, which the manufacturer advised immobilising until replacement at their expense. However, when they approached the Mitsubishi dealership in Cyprus, they were told to contact Japan.
It was also revealed that Toyota and Mazda importers in Cyprus charge €160 and €75, respectively, for inspecting imported vehicles to determine if they have defective airbags.
Also read: Vafeades: Not resigning – Takata has been an issue since 2017
