Johannesburg – VW Polo Vivo vehicles, sold in the last year, have been recalled by Volkswagen Group Africa (Pty) Ltd (VW) over an issue with the handbrake lever.
On Thursday, 5 March 2026, the National Consumer Commission (NCC) issued a statement informing consumers about the “recall of the VW Polo Vivo vehicles, as notified by Volkswagen Group Africa (Pty) Ltd (VW)”.
The NCC said the recall affects 25 729 vehicles.
“The affected vehicles were made available for sale from February 2025 to February 2026, nationally,” the consumer protection body said.
“VW has informed the NCC that the rivet height on the handbrake lever fitted to the affected vehicles may be outside the required specification.
“If the rivet height is out of specification, the handbrake may not engage properly or could, in rare cases, disengage unexpectedly.
“This may pose a safety risk, particularly when the vehicle is parked on an incline.”
VW further advised that owners of the affected vehicles should take the following precautionary measures until the vehicle has been inspected and, where necessary, repaired:
• Ensure that the vehicle is parked with additional precaution, such as selecting first gear for manual vehicles or “P” for automatic models, as specified in the owner’s manual.
• Do not park the vehicle on any slope (uphill or downhill) until the inspection and any required repairs have been completed.
The NCC said it was monitoring this recall closely to ensure full compliance with the Consumer Protection Act, to safeguard consumer rights.
“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,” said NCC Acting Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu.
“Any inspection and associated repairs will be done at no cost to the vehicle owners.”
