Kia and Jeep are looking for these 18,923 cars in South Africa

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has announced a recall for select Jeep and Kia products in South Africa, affecting a total of 18,923 models.

The vehicles are being recalled over safety issues concerning their airbags and anti-lock braking systems (ABS).

In a statement published this week, the NCC noted that Stellantis South Africa is recalling 323 Jeep Wrangler vehicles sold between 2016 and 2018.

“According to the supplier, the dust inside the clockspring could compromise airbag circuit(s), causing illumination of the airbag warning light and or a non-deployment of the driver’s airbag during a crash. The impacted Wranglers were sold nationally during 2016 and discontinued in 2018”

In a separate recall, Kia notified the NCC of a product safety notice affecting 18,600 units across five of its vehicles.

This includes the Sportage (SL, KM), Sotento (XM), Optima (TF), Cerato (TD), and Soul (AM).

The affected models were sold in South Africa between 2009 and 2015 through Kia-approved dealerships.

“According to the supplier, the affected models require an ABS fuse replacement,” said the NCC.

“The defect may result in the malfunction of the ABS system, which could increase the vehicle’s stopping distance to a standstill and, in some cases, lead to engine bay damage.”

Customers affected by either of these recalls are urged to take their cars to their nearest dealership as soon as possible to have them inspected.

If a car has the above-mentioned defects, the necessary repairs will be done free of charge.

“Consumers who are affected by these recalls are urged to take these recalls seriously and arrange for the necessary inspections and repairs at any authorised dealership without delay to ensure their safety”

“The necessary repair work will be carried out at no cost to the consumer.”

Systemic issues with South African quality control

The notices issued by Kia and Stellantis are the latest in a long line of vehicle recalls that have happened in South Africa this year.

The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) warned that this is a symptom of systemic failure and weakness in the country’s pre-market quality assurance, manufacturing oversight, and regulatory verification.

“Although vehicle recalls currently serve an essential role in addressing latent safety defects, they are inherently reactive in their nature and therefore inadequate as a safeguard,” it said.

“Instead of preventing danger, the recall system responds to it, exposing drivers, passengers and pedestrians alike to avoidable risks.”

The AA argued that the thousands of cars recalled in South Africa in 2025 have exposed three main areas of concern with the recall framework:

• Delayed Detection – Safety faults often surface years after vehicles have been sold, across successive model years. This lag in detection means defects continue to endanger lives long after vehicles enter the market.
• Consumer Burden – The onus for acting on recall notices often rests on the consumer to monitor the notices. Many motorists remain unaware or uninformed of these faults, leaving known defects unresolved and the risk unmitigated. Likewise, consumers should not have to actively engage or contact the OEM to determine the status of their vehicle.
• Limited Regulator Role – The NCC plays a coordinating role in issuing recall notices but does not conduct any tests or pre-market certification of all vehicles before market release. This makes oversight partial and places overreliance on manufacturer self-reporting to identify and disclose faults.

It called for the establishment of an independent body to assess vehicles before they are released to the public, as the current system heavily relies on carmakers to identify, investigate, and disclose faults in their own products.