Ford and Toyota issue major South African car recall

The country’s regulator has said defects in the affected vehicles may cause engine power loss or fuel leaks that could raise the risk of fire

Ford and Toyota are recalling more than 500 vehicles in South Africa after safety defects were found in certain Ranger, Wildtrak, Puma, and Hino 700 models, according to the country’s National Consumer Commission (NCC).

The recall comes after the NCC was notified by Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (PTY) Ltd (Ford) and Toyota SA Motors (PTY) Ltd. According to the NCC, Ford has informed the commission of recalling 438 units of 2025 Ford Ranger XLT and Wildtrak vehicles.

The recall affects vehicles that were made available for sale between February 18, 2025, and March 18, 2025, and distributed nationally. The NCC’s spokesperson, Pheto Ntaba, said the recall was due to safety concerns. 

“According to Ford, the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve in some of the affected vehicles may fail, which may result in a loss of engine power, typically at speeds below 15 mph/24 kph. Drivers may also experience warning indicators such as a check engine light appearing on the dashboard, weak acceleration, engine vibration, or the engine failing to start. A loss of engine power while driving may increase the risk of an accident,” Ntaba said. 

READ MORE: Ford recalls more vehicles in Africa over safety fears

Ford is also recalling 26 units of the 2023-2024 model year Ford Puma passenger vehicles. The models were sold nationally between April 28, 2022, and September 25, 2023. The vehicles were previously recalled, but the remedy restraint control module (RCM) software may not have been correctly installed on the affected vehicles during the prior dealership visit. 

“This recall is meant to correct the software, as the underlying condition addressed in the earlier recall may still exist. If this is not corrected, in the event of an accident, the performance of the vehicle’s restraint system could potentially be reduced, thereby increasing the risk of injury to occupants,” Ntaba said.

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Toyota informed the NCC of a recall of Hino 700 vehicles, which affects 58 vehicles sold between February 4, 2025, and November 9, 2025. The vehicles were sold through the Toyota South Africa dealerships. 

“The affected vehicles have a defect in that the fuel pump housing has an inappropriate surface treatment process done during production. Cracks may develop when repeated high loads are applied to the supply pump, resulting in a fuel leak,” Ntaba said. 

Owners of the affected vehicles are urged to take their vehicles to the nearest authorised Ford and Toyota dealership for repairs. The necessary repair work will be carried out at no cost to the consumer.

First published by IOL