Cyprus’ Department of Road Transport has issued a warning after U.S. safety authorities reported a series of deaths and serious injuries linked to dangerous, illegally imported replacement airbags manufactured in China.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recorded ten crashes in which replacement airbags made by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co. (DTN) ruptured, sending metal fragments into vehicle cabins.
The airbags are typically installed after previous collisions. Authorities said they may fail during impact and pose a risk of fatal or severe injury.
The department urged importers and sellers who may have supplied such products in Cyprus to notify officials and take all steps required by law to withdraw them from the market. Mechanics and panel beaters are reminded that they must keep records of all vehicle modifications.
Consumers who believe they may have these replacement parts are advised to contact their mechanic or supplier. Anyone whose seller refuses to cooperate should file a written complaint with the Consumer Protection Service.
The department said it will inform the Electromechanical Services Department, industry associations and consumer authorities, and will issue further updates if European regulators or the EU’s Safety Gate alert system provide new information. There is currently no indication that the airbags are present in Cyprus.