The transport ministry issued two decrees on Monday regulating over 80,000 recalls, mostly for potentially fatal Takata airbags over an ambitious period of up to eight months, with the priority being a total of 276 vehicles which are set to be immobilised immediately.

Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades presented the decrees on Monday, saying half the immobilisations were for faulty Takata airbags and the other half for bad brakes.

Vafeades said those whose cars will be immobilised will be able to use public transport free of charge for the whole period.

He said that “810,000 vehicles are currently registered in Cyprus, of which 442,000 are second hand,” with many owners not receiving any form of notification about recalls.

About 80,000 vehicles are being recalled for Takata airbags, and others for other faults.

Those singled out for immobilisations “have had their road tax and MOTs revoked” until the vehicles are once again roadworthy.

“We are all being called upon today, as a society and as a state, to give solutions to a long-standing problem,” the minister said.

He clarified that, according to EU regulations, the responsibility for evaluating the danger and recalls lies with the manufacturers, while the road transport department (TOM) was responsible for overseeing the process.

“These responsibilities do not change in the legislation or the decrees,” Vafeades said.

Vafeades said there were initially to be four decrees, however two were merged into one and another was left for a later date, if deemed necessary.
According to the decree on the recall of vehicles, “owners are to be immediately notified by the distributors and TOM.”

Vafeades made clear that there would be “no name-and-shame of distributors” that did not do their job, but legal action will be taken.

The decree also stipulates that general nature recalls would be fulfilled within 18 months, while the replacement of the faulty Takata airbags was brought down to eight months, with a possible conclusion within six months, depending on the availability of new airbags.
After completion, TOM will have to be notified.

The second decree deals with certification in relation to recalls, where registrations and transfer of ownership will need to be accompanied by certification that the vehicle is not pending a recall and had been entered into a database for future possible recalls.

Vafeades said “the exceptions to this are the absence of a manufacturer as in the case of Saab, no recall procedure as in the case of old cars and no distributor or representative in Cyprus as in the case of cars imported second hand.”

Owners of vehicles without European approvals will have to get their cars checked at distributors to find out whether they are under recall.

Vafeades said “those whose cars have been immobilised or who chose to immobilise their cars will be able to use public transport free of charge.”

This measure, however, is still pending approval by the cabinet, set for Wednesday.

The transport ministry will be contacting all distributors to discuss a recall implementation plan and to help solve any problems that may arise.

“Since 2010, recalls of cars from third countries have not been regulated, resulting in about 200,000 cars possibly needing to be recalled and the owners being unaware of this,” he said.

Asked about the preconditions for the immobilisation of vehicles, Vafeades said “the manufacturers evaluated the danger and advised they be immobilised.”

Vafeades also said airbags would be coming by sea and would take a while to arrive – about two months – and replacements would begin.

He said the aim was to wrap up the recalls the soonest possible, which made cooperation from all imperative.

The priority for replacements was set by the distributors and the state aspired to help.

Asked about certain companies charging for recalls, Vafeades said replacements were free and the cost was undertaken by the manufacturers, even in the case of cars imported from Japan, where the legislation says the responsibility lies with those who put the car on the road in Cyprus for the first time.

Any charges, he said, should be reported to the consumer protection service.

Vafeades said all car owners should maintain their vehicles in good working condition.

Some owners, he added, “are not responding to recalls, which is an issue that needs to be addressed”.
“Airbag replacements take a couple of hours and could save lives,” the minister pointed out.

Asked about cars imported privately or those not on available recall lists, Vafeades said “many distributors are willing to check the vehicles and inform the owners if they should be recalled.”

“Those who do not abide by the law will be prosecuted,” he added.

Vafeades also said the possibility of assigning recalls to more mechanics to cope with the mass of replacements was a possibility that remained open.

This, he added, was the topic of the decree that had been left out for the time being.

The minister also said some distributors had requested the use of infrastructure to carry out more recalls in a shorter time and this was an issue still under discussion.

In conclusion, Vafeades said he believed “everything will run smoothly in the shortest possible time.”