Daimler Truck Southern Africa has recalled thousands of Mercedes-Benz trucks, buses and Fuso trucks sold in South Africa through the National Consumer Commission (NCC).
In all, 3,520 vehicles, comprising Mercedes-Benz Arocs, Actros, Atego, eArctos, model 2445 buses, Fuso Fighter, FJ, and Canter models, sold from 2022 onwards have yet to be repaired.
According to the NCC, the manufacturer identified that the screws securing the leaf spring assembly at the front axle may become loose in Arocs 964 model trucks made available for sale since 2017.
If this happens, the vehicle may pull strongly to one side, making it difficult for the driver to stay in their lane and increasing the risk of an accident. 62 units still need repair.
Regarding Actros 963, Arocs 964, Atego 967, and eActros 983 models, Daimler identified that certain accelerator pedals may have incorrectly soldered components on the printed circuit board.
During peak voltage, accelerator pedal sensors may fail, causing a loss of throttle response and causing the truck to coast and become immobile, creating a dangerous situation, particularly in traffic. 7 models need repairs.
The supplier identified a defective axle bearing bracket on Actros 963 and Arocs 964 trucks, which may loosen after 600,000km and lose screws or nuts.
“This could cause the axle to become misaligned, affecting driving and braking functions and could increase the risk of an accident,” said the NCC.
“Daimler identified that 1,538 affected trucks remain outstanding for repair.”
Of the affected model 2445 Mercedes-Benz buses, 8 still require repairs for missing or incorrect parameters and wiring configurations affecting the Aftertreatment System (ATS), resulting in the buses not complying with applicable particulate and NOx emission requirements.
Daimler identified several faults across the Fuso range, including potential fuel pipe cracks in 966 outstanding Fuso FJ trucks sold since 2022.
The supplier also found oxidation on an electrical contact surface on affected Fuso FK, FM and FN trucks, which may result in improper electrical conduction.
“As a result, the truck’s turn indicator lamps may fail intermittently. The flasher indication on the instrument cluster may also fail to light up when this occurs,” the NCC said. 815 trucks still require repair.
The final models Daimler identified as faulty are the Fuso Canter FE8 7-150 AND FE 8-150. The 124 models yet to be repaired may have a software issue that causes their LCD screens to black out.
“Consumers who own any of the affected trucks or buses are advised to visit their nearest authorised Daimler Truck dealer for inspection and the necessary repairs. All corrective work will be carried out at no cost to consumers,” said the NCC.
South Africa’s recall crisis
Several car manufacturers have recalled vehicles in South Africa so far this year, with recall notices issued by the NCC for thousands of vehicles nearly every month.
By mid-2026, South Africa had already overtaken the total number of vehicles recalled in 2025, when the Automobile Association (AA) of South Africa declared a “recall crisis”.
“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,” said the AA at the time.
“What this system has proved is that recall notices often arrive too late, when defective vehicles are already in circulation, driven by unsuspecting motorists.”
It added that there is an increasing pattern of vehicle recalls across many different manufacturers and models, highlighting an inherent system weakness in the pre-market testing process, oversight and regulatory verification.
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