Authorities will immediately ground 276 vehicles due to critical safety risks involving Takata airbags and faulty brake systems, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades is expected to announce today.
The measure is part of a broader recall affecting approximately 82,000 vehicles in Cyprus.
The Transport Department will suspend the circulation licenses of 138 vehicles with dangerous Takata airbags and an equal number with brake system failures, officials told Phileleftheros. The affected vehicles are from three different manufacturers.
The Takata airbag recall addresses risks of explosion during deployment, which could propel sharp objects and potentially cause serious injury or death. The brake system issue involves potential failure that significantly increases collision risks.
The new ministerial decrees, which have undergone legal vetting, align with EU Regulation 2018/858 and aim to establish proper management of vehicle recalls and improve communication with owners about existing and future safety campaigns.
Ministry sources expressed appreciation for the continuous support from the Legal Service throughout this process, citing both ongoing legal advice and expertise from various departments.
The latest batch of approximately 20,000 affected vehicles was only identified last Thursday, with owners expected to receive SMS notifications today. This delay resulted from late information delivery by distributors and required assistance from the University of Cyprus KIOS Center of Excellence, which helped extract data from an authorised New Zealand website.
The regulation of recalls for “grey” vehicles – those not manufactured to European specifications – has evolved into a complex legal matter, involving European regulations, national legislation, and recent European Court decisions.
Vehicle owners will receive notifications about the recalls from both the Transport Department and vehicle importers-distributors in Cyprus.
The decrees are expected to be detailed at a press conference by Transport Minister Vafeades today.
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.
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