The authorities in Cyprus have announced a recall of several vehicles to replace defective Takata airbags, which pose a potential threat to drivers and passengers. The list of affected vehicles was published by the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Works on February 3. The announcement was made by the head of the department, Alexis Vafiadis.
Car owners can check whether their vehicle is included in the recall program by visiting the official Road Transport Department website and entering their registration number.
The recall affects 26 car brands, including Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Citroën, Daihatsu, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Jeep, Lexus, Mazda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Seat, Skoda, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, Vauxhall, and Volkswagen.
The Ministry advises temporarily refraining from using the affected vehicles. If this is not possible, they recommend minimizing trips and using alternative modes of transport. To ease the inconvenience, the government is offering free public transport rides to owners of cars with defective airbags.
From February 5, they can obtain a special "Motion" transport card, which should be shown to the bus driver upon boarding.
Required documents to obtain the free transport card:
Proof of vehicle ownership
Certificate of suspension of use (if the vehicle is not being used)
ID card
Completed application form
The program will remain active until the faulty airbags are replaced, after which the benefit will be discontinued. It is important to note that the Takata airbag issue has become a global problem. Due to the high temperatures and humidity typical of Cyprus, the likelihood of malfunction increases.
In the past two years, tragic incidents on the island have been linked to this defect:
In January 2023, 24-year-old Kyriakos Oxyinos died in a car crash.
In October 2024, 19-year-old Styliani Georgalli passed away under similar circumstances.
An official investigation is considering the possibility that the Takata airbag defect was the cause of both accidents. Authorities urge all vehicle owners on the recall list to check their cars and replace the airbags as soon as possible to prevent further tragedies.
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