Skoda Recalls Some Cars In UAE, Saudi Arabia Due To Faulty Airbags

2026-01-29 02:25:46

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

The defective components may cause fatal injuries for drivers and passengers, and can be replaced free of charge

PUBLISHED: Thu 29 Jan 2026, 3:03 PM

By:
Supreeta Balasubramanian

Defective airbags from the supplier Takata have been recalled worldwide over concerns of sharp metal fragments being released if the driver's side airbag bursts in case of an accident.

Some Skoda models have been recalled in the UAE and Saudi Arabia due to this issue.

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A Skoda employee told Khaleej Times all driver-side airbags will be replaced for cars manufactured before 2018.

Saudi Arabia on January 22 issued a recall of 256 Skoda vehicles with this airbag, including the models Octavia (2013 to 2020), Rapid (2012 to 2017), Fabia (2018 to 2021), Superb (2015 to 2017) and Kodiaq (2016 to 2021). Customers with these cars in the Kingdom have been asked to contact the official retailer and have the necessary repairs done free of charge.

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Meanwhile, the Skoda UAE website went into details about the defective airbags and the risks involved. Here's all you need to know about the faulty airbags.

Fatal risks

The supplier company Takata, according to Skoda, has been supplying the cars with faulty gas generators. These generators can change with age based on climate-related factors such as heat and moisture, and can prove to be dangerous for both the driver and the passengers.

There are two types of risk involved in the case of an accident and airbag activation:

The housing containing the propellant gas of the airbag could burst, causing metal parts to come loose and seriously injure the people in the vehicle.
The airbag holding force would not be optimal, which could limit the effectiveness of protection and increase the risk of injury.

Is your car at risk?

Any Skoda built between 2005 and 2018 may have the defective airbags installed. In the UAE, the company plans to replace all driver-side airbags for cars manufactured before 2018.

You can also check if your specific vehicle has the faulty equipment by going to the Skoda UAE website and following the steps below.

Go to the 'Takata Driver Airbag Recall Campaign' page on the Skoda UAE website.

Click on 'Check my car'.

Enter the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) - a unique 17-digit identifier of the vehicle that can be found at the bottom of your windshield and on your vehicle documents, including field e. of the registration certificate.

What should you do if your vehicle is affected?

You can contact Skoda Authorised Repairers in the UAE to the components can be replaced free of charge. According to the Skoda website, the whole process should not take more than 2 hours.

The company urges drivers to get their cars checked as soon as possible to ensure safety of their customers.