Cyprus faces a vehicle safety crisis with 19,400 cars at risk of losing their MOT certificates from 3 October unless faulty Takata airbags are replaced under a mandatory recall programme.
The Transport Ministry decree will automatically cancel fitness certificates for vehicles that have not complied with the compulsory airbag recall, raising serious questions about whether dealerships and garages can service the backlog in time.
An estimated 17,000 vehicles with defective airbags will remain outstanding when the deadline arrives on 3 October 2025.
The ministry’s awareness campaign has been running at full capacity since early September, featuring television and radio messages, billboards, press publications and digital advertising to alert the public about dangerous faulty airbags.
However, both importing companies and authorised garages are facing serious difficulties responding to the volume of requests for defective component replacement, making completion impossible for all affected vehicles before the deadline.
“The reality shows that time is insufficient,” according to sources familiar with the situation.
Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades faces growing calls to reconsider granting a targeted extension, at least for cases already scheduled but unable to be completed due to workshop backlogs.
The decree stipulates that after the eight-month deadline expires, all vehicles that have not replaced problematic airbags will automatically lose their fitness certificates, preventing legal road circulation.
The measure is considered crucial for protecting human life, as manufacturers estimate defective airbags may explode violently under specific conditions, causing serious injuries or deaths.
With fewer than 10 days remaining until cancellations begin and thousands of vehicle owners still waiting, pressure mounts for ministerial intervention.
The ministry currently maintains its position, urging citizens to act immediately, whilst a final decision on potential extensions is expected within days.
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