Italian Ministry Orders Takata Airbag Recall Checks During Vehicle Inspections

On 2 July 2026 Italy’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport issued Decree 229, mandating that vehicle‑inspection centres verify whether a car is subject to an outstanding Takata air‑bag recall. Inspectors must query the National Vehicle Registry; if the recall has not been completed, the inspection result can be affected and the vehicle’s registration services may be blocked until the air‑bag is replaced.

Takata airbags, installed in millions of vehicles over the past two decades, can deteriorate and explode on deployment, sending metal fragments into the cabin and causing serious injury or death. Although manufacturers have offered free recalls, many owners have not completed the repair, often because the vehicle changed hands or the notice was missed. The new rule creates a specific information block in the registry for unrepaired recalls, which will remain until proof of replacement is received.