Panayiotis Rougalas
On Monday, February 3rd, manufacturers decided to immobilize 138 vehicles due to the risk of faulty TAKATA airbags, and another 138 due to brake issues. That's a total of 278 vehicles. For approximately 80,000 other vehicles where manufacturers assessed the risk but did not mandate immobilization, the Department of Road Transport gave an 8-month deadline for implementing recalls. The recommendation against using these vehicles remains in effect, as announced in December 2024. If that's not possible, it is recommended to limit their use.
Let's start from the beginning. Recalls for defective parts have always existed and always will. In the case of TAKATA, global recalls that began around the 2000s, initially in small numbers and later on a massive scale, led to the company's bankruptcy in 2017.
The decision to immediately immobilize 278 vehicles is just a drop in the ocean, considering there are recalls for 80,000 vehicles.
But let's move on to Cyprus. Cyprus has a unique car market, as an island and a country where cars are right-hand drive. In addition to the official dealerships that bring car brands to the island, there are many "parallel import" vehicles. For right-hand drive cars, there aren't many options; in Cyprus, they are imported from England, Japan, and Singapore. And, some left-hand drive units are imported, mainly high-end vehicles. End of options.
"Unofficial" as they may be, about half of the vehicles circulating in Cyprus are parallel imports. However, for all the years they were imported – and still are today – the state's interest – in order for them to get Cypriot license plates – is only to collect the customs duties, to meet certain age requirements and specific emissions standards (Euro 6 at this stage). The MOT they pass to become "Cypriot" is based on the checks that all cars in Cyprus undergo to be "roadworthy" and driven on the Cypriot roads – full of potholes. As it turned out, they were not checked against a specific database for possible recalls.
Recalls for TAKATA airbags have been going on for many years. That's why the company went bankrupt in 2017, I repeat. But to avoid misunderstanding, recalls are also done in Cyprus. But only for "Cypriot" cars. Never, no one until today, neither the state, nor a politician, nor anyone in power intervened to resolve the issue and ensure that all vehicles circulating in Cyprus are in a database where recalls are checked. The writer had a Cypriot Mazda vehicle, which he bought from the 2nd owner, and the second owner had replaced the potentially problematic airbag and a potentially problematic fuel pump that could have been the reason for the vehicle to catch fire. Oh yes! I may still have a photo of the letter from Cypriot Mazda somewhere, if I'm not mistaken signed by Stefanidis (once upon a time in Limassol) and not by Araouzos who is the dealer today. Irrelevant info anyway.
The car market in Cyprus has its peculiarities. The decision to immediately immobilize 278 vehicles is just a drop in the ocean, considering there are recalls for 80,000 vehicles. The issue is that the 400,000 vehicles in Cyprus out of the total 800,000 in circulation, should go through a database and be treated equally. A citizen who has a parallel import Toyota from Japan, and one who has a Toyota from Cyprus bought from Ouzounian should receive the same treatment in terms of recalls. End of discussion. The state in cooperation with the TOM and the manufacturers can find the solution, as it tried to find a solution to the issue with the TAKATA airbags and the 2 decrees issued on Monday, February 3, 2025 by the Government.
Finally, let this be the beginning to stop further harm with the vehicles circulating in Cyprus. To have the same treatment from the dealers, even though they were not bought from the dealerships. Since the dealerships will receive the money for the labor and the part of each recall with receipts from Mazda, Toyota, Honda, or any parent company. Is liquidity the issue? What is it?
Oh, and not to forget, the very valid question that arises from the issue of the 8-month period and that we read comments on social media from those affected by the recalls, the citizens. And I quote: "Well, in 6-8 months when the car's turn may come to change airbags, can't another tragic accident happen?" Of course, within an 8-month period, something bad can happen and yes, an accident on the road can be fatal, as was the tragic accident of 24-year-old Kyriakos Oxinos, who lost his life due to a malfunction of the said airbag in 2023. The 8 months are too many, the state in cooperation with the private sector can expedite the process, since a lot of valuable time has been lost since November when the whole issue is being discussed. I repeat, if the state wants to, it can. As President Christodoulides called on the bankers "the other day" to ask them to reduce specific charges and take action on the high cost of living.
P.S.: Almost off-topic, but for so long with the "mess" an excellent opportunity was presented to the dealers who "kicked it away". The official car dealers had a huge opportunity in their hands to get back to their garages - services many used car customers who, since the warranty expired, preferred to have their vehicles serviced elsewhere, outside dealerships. If the service with the TAKATA issue was exemplary from the beginning, with the highest priority being the safety of citizens, then the dealership garages - services would also win customers of used vehicles who had not passed through their shop's door since they were new.
