Over the past six months, the National Consumer Commission (NCC) in South Africa has recalled thousands of vehicles nationwide due to safety concerns. The recalls have raised concerns among motorists as manufacturers continue to alert the NCC of mechanical faults or software glitches in vehicles already sold. According to Pheto Ntaba, spokesperson for the NCC, the commission has been notified of various vehicle recalls by manufacturers.
In the latest notice, nearly 300 VW Amarok vehicles were recalled due to a potential issue with the curtain airbag. The affected vehicles were sold nationwide from June 2, 2026, to September 15, 2026. Ntaba stated that in the event of a front or side impact, the curtain airbag may not fully deploy due to contact with a component in the vehicle interior. This may result in reduced protection for the driver and front passenger.
In addition to the VW Amarok recall, over 500 Suzuki Grand Vitara vehicles were recalled due to a fuel alert fault. The recall affects 543 Suzuki Grand Vitara vehicles that were made available for sale through Suzuki dealerships nationwide from May 2025. Ntaba said the manufacturer alerted the commission that the low fuel warning light may not turn on as the fuel level decreases, which could result in the vehicle running out of fuel and causing the engine to stall.
A total of 2,279 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vehicles, 255 Jeep Grand Cherokee (WL) vehicles, and 41 Lexus GX and Lexus UX vehicles were recalled due to software errors. The recall is due to a software error in the combination meter, which may cause a blank image in the 3D graphics area. Ntaba stated that the Airbag Control Unit module on the affected modules may have been built with software that may cause transient door airbag pressure sensor faults to remain active for the lifetime of the sensor.
In August, over 500 Toyota vehicles were recalled due to a combination meter reprogramming issue. The recall affects 16 Toyota RAV4 PHEV, four Corolla Cross, 391 Corolla Hatchback, 12 Crown, and 86 GR Corolla vehicles. Ntaba said the affected vehicles are fitted with a combination meter system that displays various vehicle information, and due to improper programming of the combination meter, unnecessary data may be repeatedly written to a memory device.
In July, the NCC recalled certain Nissan Qashqai Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) models, Toyota Land Cruiser 300, and Lexus LX600. Nissan recalled 314 vehicles due to potential movement of the fuel pipe within its retaining clip in the engine bay. Toyota recalled 507 Toyota Land Cruiser 300 vehicles, while Lexus SA Motors Pty (Ltd) recalled 124 Lexus LX600 models due to engine machining debris that may not have been completely removed during manufacturing.
BMW also recalled nearly 11,000 vehicles following issues with its starters. The recall involves BMW 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, X3, and X4 vehicles sold in South Africa from 2016 onwards. The recall affects 10,961 vehicles equipped with the Pinion Starter, which may experience increased wear of the solenoid switch after a high number of start operations, resulting in the engine's starting capability deteriorating.
Key points
- Over 6,000 vehicles recalled in South Africa due to safety concerns
- Various vehicle models affected, including VW Amarok, Suzuki Grand Vitara, and Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
- Recalls due to software errors, mechanical faults, and potential safety risks
