CAPE TOWN, March 5 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's National Consumer Commission (NCC) announced on Thursday that Volkswagen Group Africa decided to recall 25,729 Polo Vivo vehicles due to a potential safety defect.
In a statement, the NCC said the affected vehicles, sold in the country between February 2025 and February 2026, may have a rivet on the handbrake lever outside the required height specification.
"If the rivet height is out of specification, the handbrake may not engage properly or could, in rare cases, disengage unexpectedly," the commission said, noting that the defect may pose a safety risk, particularly when the vehicle is parked on an incline.
The automaker has advised owners of the affected vehicles to take precautionary measures, including ensuring that the vehicle is parked with additional precaution, such as selecting first gear for manual vehicles or "P" for automatic models, and avoiding parking on slopes until repairs are completed.
"Given the high potential risks of the defect, owners of affected vehicles are urged to immediately get their vehicles to any authorized Volkswagen dealership for inspection," NCC Acting Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu was quoted by the statement as saying. "Any inspection and associated repairs will be done at no cost to the vehicle owners."
The NCC is closely monitoring the recall to ensure compliance with South Africa's Consumer Protection Act and safeguard consumer rights, the statement added. ■