The latest recall by Ford and Stellantis follows several recalls announced in South Africa this year.
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More than 700 Ford and Jeep vehicles have been recalled in South Africa after defects were identified that could increase the risk of crashes.
The National Consumer Commission said Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa is recalling 633 Ford Transit and Ford Tourneo Custom vehicles manufactured between 2025 and 2026, while Stellantis South Africa is recalling 82 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs built between 2021 and 2023.
The latest action follows several recalls announced in South Africa this year. In March, Ford recalled 582 Transit and Tourneo Custom vehicles over a battery defect that could expose occupants to hydrogen sulphide gas.
In April, the company recalled more than 400 vehicles, including Ford Transit and Toyota Hino models, over separate safety concerns. Stellantis, meanwhile, recalled about 700 hybrid vehicles in April and more than 400 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs in May over unrelated defects.
The latest Ford recall relates to a defect that may cause the windscreen wipers to deteriorate gradually or stop working completely.
"The recall is due to a fault that may cause either gradual deterioration in wiper function or a sudden, complete loss of operation. This condition may reduce or eliminate windshield visibility under certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of an accident," the commission said.
The recall affects vehicles sold nationally between 1 March 2025 and 20 May 2026 and is unrelated to the battery recall announced earlier this year.
Ford issued a record 153 recalls globally in 2025, affecting almost 13 million vehicles, according to Motor1. The publication said the automaker had already announced 50 recalls in 2026 covering more than 11.2 million vehicles, although most involve different models and unrelated defects.
The Jeep recall affects 82 Grand Cherokee SUVs manufactured between 2021 and 2023, with the NCC saying the rear coil spring may not have been installed correctly. "The rear coil spring may detach from the vehicle while driving, causing a hazard to drivers and occupants of other vehicles. The vehicle may crash without prior warning and/or may result in injury to other road users," it said.
The South African recall follows a wider international campaign involving the same defect. CarBuzz reported that Stellantis launched a second recall in North America after discovering that some vehicles repaired during an earlier 2023 recall could still experience rear coil spring separation due to an incorrect repair procedure.
US regulators reopened the investigation after receiving complaints that repaired vehicles continued to suffer coil spring failures, leading Stellantis to expand the recall to include more than 80,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L SUVs. The automaker estimated about 0.5% of recalled vehicles were likely to have the defect and said it was unaware of any crashes linked to the issue.
The NCC urged owners of affected Ford and Jeep vehicles to contact their nearest authorised dealership to arrange an inspection. All inspections and any necessary repairs will be carried out free of charge.
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