PRETORIA: The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has announced recalls of 879 Audi, Hyundai and Hino vehicles over safety defects affecting front seat belts and the components securing heavy trucks to their trailers.
The recalls, announced on Thursday, 8 October, cover 235 Audi Q3 SUVs, 162 Hyundai Santa Fe hybrids and 482 Hino 700 series truck tractors.
The Audi and Hyundai defects could compromise the protection offered by front seat belts. The Hino recall concerns potentially fractured bolts securing the fifth-wheel coupler and its mounting plate.
“The NCC notifies consumers of three (3) vehicle recalls involving the Audi Q3, Hyundai Santa Fe MX5 HEV and Toyota Hino 700 trucks, as notified by the respective suppliers,” the commission said.
Owners of affected vehicles have been advised to arrange inspections at the relevant dealerships. Corrective work will be carried out free of charge.
Audi Q3 recall concerns seat belt installation
Audi South Africa, a division of Volkswagen Group Africa, is recalling 235 Q3 vehicles sold through its approved dealerships from 16 April 2026.
The defect stems from the installation of the front seat belt during production.
“According to Audi SA, the belt webbing may not have been guided through the metal eyelet on the lap belt tensioner. This means that the seat belt may not be connected to the vehicle’s load-bearing structure,” the NCC said.
ALSO READ: Massive Recalls of Nissan Qashqai, Toyota Land Cruiser 300 and Lexus LX600 Over Safety Defects
“In the event of a fault, the affected seat belt may not restrain the occupant properly.”
The recall therefore affects vehicles sold within the past six months, highlighting a potential safety problem in some of the newest Q3s on South African roads.
Hyundai Santa Fe hybrids have possible anchor fault
Hyundai Automotive South Africa is recalling 162 Santa Fe MX5 HEV vehicles sold through its dealerships in 2025.
The affected vehicles are hybrid versions of the latest-generation Santa Fe. Their front seat belt anchors may be misaligned.
“The defect concerns the front seat belts, with some vehicles potentially experiencing a misalignment of the front seat belt’s snap-on anchor. This could affect the proper positioning of the front seat belt and may pose a safety risk,” the commission said.
Hino truck recall affects trailer coupling components
The largest recall involves 482 Hino 700 series truck tractors sold through the Toyota South Africa Motors dealer network between 17 April 2023 and 17 January 2025.
According to the NCC, Toyota South Africa Motors reported that bolts fractured during assembly on the production line.
“As a result, the fifth-wheel coupler securing bolts and mounting plate securing bolts may be fractured. This condition may affect the secure mounting of these components and presents a safety concern,” the commission said.
The fifth-wheel coupler connects a truck tractor to its semi-trailer and supports the trailer’s front end. The integrity of its mounting is therefore critical to the safe operation of the vehicle.
ALSO READ: VW Recalls More Than 25,000 Polo Vivo Vehicles Over Handbrake Defect
What affected owners should do
The NCC urged owners to present affected vehicles at dealerships for inspection and, where necessary, replacement of the faulty components.
“Consumers who own any of the affected vehicles and trucks are advised to present their vehicles to any dealership for inspection and, where necessary, replacement of the affected component/s. The corrective work will be carried out at no cost to the consumer,” it said.
Audi owners should contact an Audi dealership, Hyundai owners a Hyundai dealership, and Hino owners the relevant Toyota or Hino dealer.
Questions about the recalls can also be emailed to productrecall@thencc.org.za.
Latest notices follow a series of recalls
The three notices follow several other vehicle recalls announced by the NCC in recent weeks.
On 5 October, the commission announced a recall of 291 Volkswagen Amarok bakkies. This followed a recall of 543 Suzuki Grand Vitara vehicles on 28 September.
On 23 September, it announced recalls involving the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, Lexus GX, Lexus UX and Jeep Grand Cherokee. An Isuzu RG19 recall was announced on 8 September.
The latest notices underline the importance of responding to recall instructions, even when a vehicle appears to be operating normally. The defects identified in the Audi, Hyundai and Hino vehicles concern components whose reliability is central to occupant protection and road safety.
