Cyprus will proceed with the mandatory immobilisation of thousands of vehicles equipped with defective Takata airbags from Thursday, after the Transport Ministry confirmed it will not grant an extension beyond the 3 October deadline for the compulsory recall.
The decision, finalised on Wednesday following consultations between Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades and the Road Transport Department (RTD), means all non-compliant vehicles will face immediate cancellation of their Certificate of Roadworthiness (MOT) and must be removed from circulation.
The only exception applies to vehicles with appointments scheduled by the end of October 2025, and only if this is verified with official confirmation from the distributor.
“We are closely monitoring developments and will not let this matter slip away,” Vafeades said earlier, indicating that the law would be enforced in full.
Transport Ministry confirms no extension for airbag recall deadline
The RTD’s stance proved decisive in the decision, as the department no longer trusts the timelines provided by all distributors. According to well-informed sources, there have been repeated instances where distributors continuously postponed parts delivery dates, resulting in significant delays in executing recalls.
Mazda faces particular scrutiny, with thousands of owners remaining without appointments whilst the company’s scheduling extends into November.
In contrast, manufacturers such as Toyota have responded adequately, with immediately available appointments and sufficient parts inventory.
According to the latest data presented to the parliamentary Transport Committee, 61,389 vehicles have completed the recall process from an initial 81,060 vehicles identified with problematic airbags, representing 76 per cent completion.
However, 19,671 vehicles remain pending, of which only 2,853 have scheduled appointments, whilst 16,818 owners have provided no response whatsoever.
Between February and now, an additional 18,500 vehicles were added to the recall list, bringing the total to 99,560 vehicles, including immobilised and deregistered units.
Nearly 17,000 vehicle owners fail to respond to safety notices
The Minister’s decree, which comes into full effect from 3 October 2025, aims to prevent fatal accidents. Takata airbags have been blamed internationally for explosions following the decomposition of the chemical propellant, causing serious injuries or deaths.
Cyprus has recorded two fatalities and one serious injury attributed to defective airbag explosions.
The replacement is considered a matter of immediate safety, with manufacturers having already characterised the affected airbags as high risk.
Drivers who fail to comply face potential criminal liability in the event of an accident, as vehicles circulating without valid MOT and insurance constitute legal violations.
The RTD is expected to issue an official announcement within the day, specifying exactly what applies to each category of vehicle owners.
The department urges citizens to check the Ministry’s website for information using their vehicle identification number (VIN).
Mazda faces scrutiny as Toyota completes majority of recalls
The first wave of suspensions will be implemented from 3 to 30 October 2025, on different dates for each vehicle brand, depending on when official notification was submitted by each company to the department and owners.
The deadline for implementing the recall appears next to each affected vehicle on the Ministry’s website at www.gov.cy/mtcw.
Today, 2 October, marks the recall deadline for 5,612 vehicles (5,584 Toyota, 28 Lexus).
On 5 October, 155 vehicles face the deadline (11 Audi, 28 BMW, four Jaguar-Land Rover-Range Rover, four Mazda, 63 Mercedes, four Mitsubishi, 23 Nissan, eight Subaru, nine Toyota, one Volkswagen).
On 7 October, 3,918 vehicles (504 BMW, 3,387 Honda, 27 Jaguar-Land Rover-Range Rover) must complete recalls.
Subsequent deadlines continue throughout October and into November, with 4,113 Mazda vehicles facing a 30 October deadline, 693 Nissan vehicles on 8 November, 400 Volkswagen vehicles on 11 November, 10 Seat vehicles on 23 November, and 212 Subaru vehicles on 8 December.
According to the RTD, Toyota accounts for approximately 5,000 owners who have not responded, whilst Honda has approximately 2,000 owners without response. For all vehicles whose owners have not responded, no time extension will be granted for implementing the recall.
However, for all vehicle owners who have already arranged appointments for implementing the recall within October, they will be given the margin to proceed with the replacement of the defective component until their appointment date, but no later than 31 October 2025.
The eight-month deadline was set due to the severity of the risk and constituted an exception from the general framework of 18 months specified in the circular.
The timeline was therefore strict, with the aim of immediate citizen protection. This decision was based on recommendations from manufacturing companies, which in certain cases had issued instructions for immediate vehicle immobilisation.
Affected owners have been notified through letters and mobile phone messages, whilst large-scale campaigns have been conducted by the Transport Ministry for widespread public information.
The RTD calls on citizens unable to contact manufacturers’ distributors or unable to locate authorised workshops or parts to contact the department’s telephone centre for guidance.
Distributors of manufacturers are called upon to make every effort to complete recalls within the specified eight-month period, increasing accordingly the rates of airbag replacement.
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