The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has alerted consumers to a recall of 518 Toyota vehicles following notification from Toyota SA Motors of a combination meter reprogramming issue.
The recall affects certain Toyota RAV4 PHEV, Corolla Cross, Corolla Hatchback, Crown and GR Corolla models sold through the Toyota dealer network nationwide.
Affected models and build dates
The recall covers the following vehicles:
- RAV4 PHEV: 16 vehicles, built from 8 July 2024 onwards.
- Corolla Cross: 4 vehicles, built from 2 July 2024 onwards.
- Corolla Hatchback: 391 vehicles, built from 7 October 2022 onwards.
- Crown: 21 vehicles, built from 17 October 2022 onwards.
- GR Corolla: 86 vehicles, built from 16 February 2023 onwards.
What is the problem?
The affected vehicles are fitted with a combination meter system that displays vehicle information, including warning and indicator lights, gauges and messages, on a 12.3-inch display monitor on the instrument panel.
Due to improper programming of the combination meter, unnecessary data may be repeatedly written to a memory device while the meter is operating, which may cause the memory device to deteriorate earlier than intended.
If this occurs, the monitor may fail to display information when the vehicle is started. Should certain malfunctions occur while the monitor is not functioning, the driver may not notice the relevant warning indicators if they do not see the notification on the centre multimedia screen. Depending on the malfunction, continued driving may increase the risk of an accident.
What should owners do?
Consumers who own any of the affected vehicles are advised to take their vehicle to their nearest Toyota dealership to have the combination meter assembly reprogrammed.
“The NCC urges consumers to take product recall notices seriously and ensure that affected vehicles are immediately presented to the supplier for necessary repairs. The repairs will be carried out at no cost to consumers,” said Acting Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu.
Questions relating to the recall may be directed to ProductRecall@thencc.org.za.
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