The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has issued an urgent nationwide safety alert after six major vehicle manufacturers announced large-scale recalls affecting thousands of cars across South Africa.
The recalls, announced Tuesday by Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen, Citroën, and Volvo, address critical safety defects that the NCC warns could result in serious injuries or fatalities.
“Metal fragments could strike the vehicle occupants, which may result in serious injury or death,” said NCC spokesperson Phetho Ntaba, referring to the Takata airbag inflator defect affecting certain Jeep and Chrysler models sold between 2014 and 2016.
Stellantis South Africa’s recall also extends to Citroën C4, DS4, and DS5 models distributed between 2009 and 2016, which suffer from similar airbag defects affecting both driver and passenger sides.
Mercedes-Benz AG South Africa has identified dangerous brake hose issues in its CLA models (platform 118) and S-Class vehicles (2020-2023) that could result in fluid leaks and compromised braking performance.
The most alarming recalls involve potential fire hazards, with Audi South Africa recalling 46 e-tron GT vehicles produced since October 2021 due to a high-voltage battery defect that could lead to overheating and spontaneous combustion.
Similarly, Volvo Car South Africa has recalled 27 XC90 plug-in hybrid models manufactured between 2020 and 2022, citing risks of the high-voltage battery overheating when fully charged.
Volkswagen South Africa has recalled 905 units of the VW Polo Sedan sold from April 2, 2025, after identifying a critical flaw in the rear seat belt latch plates that could fail during serious collisions.
“These defects pose significant safety risks to both vehicle occupants and the general public,” Ntaba said at an NCC briefing at 10:30 local time (08:30 GMT).
The Commission is urging owners of the affected vehicles to immediately contact their authorized dealerships to schedule inspections and receive free repairs or replacements as needed.
The NCC has established a dedicated hotline for concerned vehicle owners and confirmed it is closely monitoring manufacturers to ensure prompt implementation of all necessary safety measures.
Vehicle owners can verify whether their cars are affected by visiting manufacturer websites or contacting the NCC directly through its consumer portal.