A total of 1,300 people have called the road transport department since May 2 to complain that they are still waiting for car dealerships to make an appointment to replace their vehicle’s defective airbags, department director George Louca said on Tuesday.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, he said the calls “are mainly focused on Mazda, Honda, and Toyota”, with those calling saying that they have attempted to contact the dealerships but were unable to make an appointment.

He did note that the dealerships are “moving forward at an increased pace”, and that most of those who have not yet received an appointment require parts which must be imported from abroad and have not yet arrived.

The companies, he said, “have large deliveries” incoming, and “expect more parts for specific models”.

He also expressed confidence that all defective airbags in Cyprus will be replaced by October, the deadline set by the government when it first began issuing recalls in February.

In addition to those who are waiting for appointments, he said some motorists “have not yet contacted” dealerships with a view to having their vehicles’ airbags replaced.

As such, he urged motorists to “go ahead, send their details, and make an appointment”.

The issue of airbag safety stems from the production of faulty airbags manufactured by Japanese company Takata. The company’s airbags suffer a fault related to exposure to high levels of heat or humidity, with which means they have a tendency to explode when released under such circumstances.

This explosion shoots the airbag’s metal inflator outwards and in the direction of the person it was designed to protect, potentially causing further injuries or, in some cases, death.

Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades in February decreed the recall of over 80,000 cars which are fitted with potentially fatal Takata airbags, all of which are to be replaced by October. Exactly 276 vehicles were immobilised immediately, and as such have had their road tax and MOT certificates rescinded.

A subsequent hearing of the three-person committee created to investigate the history of faulty airbags in Cyprus suggested that the number of vehicles with unsafe airbags on Cyprus’ roads may have been as high as 90,000, while certain vehicles manufactured by American company Ford were also immobilised earlier this month.

Owners of recalled vehicles not on the immobilised list are entitled to use them without restrictions but are required to make an appointment with their car’s manufacturer’s Cyprus-based distributor within eight months to have their airbags replaced. Their road tax and MOT certificates remain valid.

The transport ministry “recommends” that those with recalled vehicles do not use them and use other vehicles and other methods of transport. However, there is no obligation for people to follow this recommendation, and motorists are not at risk of paying a fine for using their vehicles.

Motorists can check whether their vehicles have been subject to vehicles on the transport ministry’s website.