The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has announced the recall of 25,729 Volkswagen Polo Vivo vehicles across South Africa due to a potential defect affecting the handbrake system.
The recall follows a notification from Volkswagen Group Africa, which alerted the commission to a manufacturing issue involving the rivet height on the handbrake lever fitted to certain vehicles.
According to the NCC, the rivet height may fall outside the required specification. If this happens, the handbrake may fail to engage properly or could, in rare cases, disengage unexpectedly. This may pose a safety risk, particularly when the vehicle is parked on an incline.
The affected vehicles were made available for sale across South Africa between February 2025 and February 2026.
Owners of the affected vehicles have been urged to take precautionary measures until their vehicles have been inspected and repaired. These include parking vehicles with additional caution, such as selecting first gear for manual vehicles or “P” for automatic models, as specified in the owner’s manual. Motorists are also advised not to park their vehicles on slopes, either uphill or downhill, until inspections and any required repairs have been completed.
The NCC said it is closely monitoring the recall to ensure compliance with the Consumer Protection Act and to safeguard consumer rights.
Acting Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu urged affected vehicle owners to take immediate action.
“Given the high potential risks of the defect, owners of affected vehicles are urged to immediately get their vehicles to any authorised VW dealership for inspection. Any inspection and associated repairs will be done at no cost to the vehicle owners,” said Ratshisusu.
The commission said the recall is part of efforts to protect consumers and prevent potential safety incidents linked to the defect.
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