A wave of confusion has swept across Cyprus after more than 80,000 drivers received recall notices for their vehicles, following new government decrees on vehicle recalls.
The notifications, issued by the Road Transport Department, have left many drivers uncertain whether they need to immediately immobilise their vehicles or simply schedule repairs, particularly for airbag-related recalls which allow an eight-month window for replacement.
Some vehicle owners who previously completed recall-related repairs reported receiving new recall notices, prompting the Road Transport Department to advise these drivers to contact them directly with proof of completed work for record updates.
Further complications have emerged as some citizens received notices for vehicles they never owned, which authorities attribute to potentially outdated or incorrect information in the department’s database. Meanwhile, major car dealerships handling over 10,000 recalls are struggling to respond to customer enquiries.
Owners attempting to schedule repairs are facing additional challenges, with some service centres placing them on waiting lists and charging administrative fees for non-regular customers, though the airbag replacements themselves remain free of charge.
Approximately 810,000 vehicles have been registered in Cyprus since 1998, with about 442,000 being used vehicles.
The Takata airbag defect, caused by a chemical component that can deteriorate in hot conditions, risks explosive deployment that could project metal fragments into vehicle cabins, potentially causing serious injury to occupants.
It is estimated that at least 27 deaths and hundreds of injuries worldwide have been attributed to the defective Takata airbags.
In Cyprus, at least three deaths have been linked to the faulty Takata airbags.
Read more:
