142 VW Polo Recall: Over Airbag Safety Risk

Johannesburg – South Africa’s National Consumer Commission (NCC) has issued an urgent recall notice for 150 Volkswagen vehicles, including 142 Polo and 8 Taigo models, due to a critical airbag safety defect that could potentially endanger front-seat passengers.

The Safety Concern

The recall centres around a faulty gas generator in the front passenger airbag module. According to NCC spokesperson Phetho Ntaba, the defect lies in the housing of the gas generator, which may degrade or burst during airbag deployment, causing metal fragments to be ejected into the vehicle cabin.

This poses a serious safety hazard as it may lead to severe injury or even death in the event of a collision.

“This is a high-risk safety concern. Affected consumers are strongly urged not to use the front passenger seat until the issue has been resolved,” said Ntaba.

Vehicles Affected

Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) has confirmed that the following vehicles are subject to recall:

• 141 VW Polo units sold between 20 December 2022 and late 2023
• 1 additional Polo unit sold on 29 January 2024
• 8 VW Taigo units, all sold on or after 29 January 2024

These vehicles may contain the defective airbag module supplied by a third-party manufacturer, which failed to meet critical durability and deployment standards.

Key Details:

• Defect issue: A flaw in the gas generator housing could cause reduced airbag effectiveness or, in a worse-case scenario, the housing may burst or eject components, posing serious injury risk. i
• Affected models:
  • 141 Polos sold between 20 Dec 2022 and an additional 1 Polo sold on 29 Jan 2024
  • 8 Taigo vehicles sold from 29 Jan 2024
• Recommended action for owners:
  1. Deactivate the front passenger airbag
  2. Do not use the front passenger seat
  3. Take your vehicle to an approved VWSA dealer for inspection and replacement of the faulty component

What Owners Should Do

Affected owners are being contacted directly by VWSA, but the NCC encourages proactive steps:

1. Check your vehicle’s VIN against the official recall list available from any Volkswagen dealership.
2. Immediately disable the front passenger airbag if your vehicle is affected.
3. Do not allow passengers to use the front passenger seat until the faulty airbag has been replaced.
4. Schedule a repair at your nearest authorised Volkswagen service centre. The replacement and labour will be free of charge.

Consumer Rights & Obligations

The NCC reminded consumers that under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), manufacturers are required to ensure that products released into the market are safe for use.

“This recall is a demonstration of our commitment to upholding consumer rights. Manufacturers must act promptly when faults are discovered,” Ntaba added.