Vehicle owners warned to heed advice as several recalls hit SA

Multiple models of seven well-known car brands sold in South Africa have been affected by serious safety issues that could potentially be fatal. Consumers are advised to take action immediately.

- By Yeshiel Panchia

South African vehicle owners are urged to check their vehicles after 7,000 recalls were announced by the National Consumer Commission this week.

The seven brands affected are Jeep, Chrysler, Citroën, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volkswagen and Volvo. Issues range from rupturing airbags and battery fires to defective brakes and seatbelts.

Recall notices are not unusual, but these stand out for their breadth and some are linked to the continuing fallout from the Takata airbag scandal that has triggered more than 100 million recalls globally.

Based on publicly available sales data, there could be more than 7,000 vehicles affected because of incomplete reporting on premium brands such as Mercedes-Benz.

The following vehicles are being recalled in South Africa:

Jeep and Chrysler: Takata's legacy

Stellantis South Africa confirmed the recall of two models:

The problem? Defective front passenger airbags manufactured by Takata, which filed for bankruptcy in 2017. The airbag inflator may rupture under normal deployment pressure, sending metal shrapnel through the cabin. The risk is "serious injury or death", according to the supplier.

The estimated local sales are about 1,800 units for the Jeep Wrangler and about 1,500 for the Chrysler 300C.

Consumers are advised to book an immediate replacement at any authorised dealership. Although most affected models are nearly a decade old, many remain on the road and the risk persists with every drive.