Toyota South Africa Motors is recalling 77 RAV4 plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) because of a fault that can make the car lose power at higher speeds. The National Consumer Commission (NCC) published the recall on Monday, 2 November. It covers vehicles built from 2 April 2026 to 3 September 2026 and sold across the country.

What the fault is

The RAV4 PHEV's plug-in hybrid system includes a motor generator electronic control unit, or MG-ECU. According to Toyota's account in the NCC notice, the MG-ECU may sometimes fail to finish initialising the electric motor correctly. When that happens, the motor control mode the car needs at higher speeds isn't available.

If the car then reaches a speed that needs that mode:

  • warning lights come on
  • the plug-in hybrid system either switches to a fail-safe driving mode or shuts down

If the system shuts down, the car can lose motive power while it's being driven at a higher speed, which the notice says increases the risk of an accident.

What owners should do

The notice says owners of affected vehicles should take them to an authorised Toyota dealership, where the MG-ECU will be reprogrammed at no cost. The NCC urges consumers to take recall notices seriously and to contact the supplier so the corrective action is taken. It takes questions about this recall at ProductRecall@thencc.org.za.

Our general advice, which isn't part of the notice:

  • Check whether yours is affected. Only cars built between 2 April and 3 September 2026 are included. A Toyota dealer should be able to confirm this from your vehicle identification number (VIN).
  • Book early. Contact an authorised Toyota dealership to arrange the reprogramming, even if you haven't seen any warning lights.
  • Don't ignore warning lights. If they come on while you're driving, slow down, pull over somewhere safe and contact your dealer.

If you're buying a RAV4 PHEV

If you're looking at a new or nearly new RAV4 PHEV built in that period, it's worth asking the seller or dealer to show you that the MG-ECU reprogramming has been done before you take delivery.

In our view, a recall like this one is how the system should work: the fault is identified, owners are told and the fix costs them nothing. You can compare the RAV4 PHEV with other plug-in hybrids and EVs in our EV calculator.

Where the news came from

The NCC issued the notice on behalf of the supplier, Toyota SA Motors. Business Day, IOL, TopAuto and The Citizen have also reported the recall, all based on the NCC's notice.