The issuance of two decrees regulating vehicle recalls was announced on Monday by the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Alexis Vafeadis, according to which a total of 276 vehicles will be immediately immobilised, 138 due to a recall for Takata airbags and another 138 due to a recall for a brake problem.
As he mentioned, the first decree concerns the recall process and provides for immediate notification of owners by distributors and the Department of Road Transport, as well as the implementation of general recalls within 18 months, or in the event that the Department of Road Transport deems that the process should be accelerated more quickly.
According to the Minister, the second decree obliges those who register or transfer vehicles to provide the competent authority with a certificate that the vehicle is not subject to a recall and that it has been included in the distributor's database for future information regarding recalls.
Regarding the immobilisations, he noted that for 138 vehicles subject to a recall for Takata airbags, the manufacturers have concluded that they must be immobilised, the Certificate of Suitability has been suspended and the registration certificate has been cancelled, while for another 138 vehicles with a recall for a brake problem, the Certificate of Suitability has also been suspended and the registration certificate has been cancelled, bringing the total number of vehicles immobilised to 276.
He added that approximately 80.000 cars are being recalled for airbags, the owners of which, as he stated, are urged to contact the manufacturers' distributors for more information regarding the risk and to set a date for the recall to be implemented.
He added that the TOM has revised the time given for this specific case of completing recalls for Takata airbags from 18 to 8 months.