The National Consumer Commission (NCC) notifies consumers about recalls of certain Mercedes-Benz trucks, buses and Fuso trucks, as notified by Daimler Truck Southern Africa Limited (DTSA), made available for sale in South Africa. DTSA informed the NCC that some of the recalled buses and trucks have already been repaired.

MERCEDES-BENZ AROCS 964

The affected Mercedes-Benz Arocs 964 model trucks were made available for sale from 2022 onwards. The supplier identified that the screws securing the leaf spring assembly at the front axle may become loose. If the assembly becomes loose, the front axle may move during braking. This may cause the vehicle to pull strongly to one side, making it difficult for the driver to keep the vehicle in its lane and increasing the risk of an accident. Of the recalled trucks, sixty-two (62) units are yet to be repaired.

MERCEDES-BENZ ACTROS 963, AROCS 964, ATEGO 967 AND eACTROS 983

DTSA identified that certain accelerator pedals may have incorrectly soldered components on the printed circuit board. If a voltage peak occurs, the accelerator pedal sensor may fail. This could result in a loss of throttle response, causing the truck to coast down and become immobile. This may increase the risk of an accident, particularly in traffic. The braking, lighting and warning lamp functions remain available. The affected Mercedes-Benz Actros 963, Arocs 964, Atego 967 and eActros 983 trucks were made available for sale from 2022 onwards. Seven (7) trucks are yet to be repaired.

MERCEDES-BENZ ACTROS 963 AND AROCS 964

The supplier identified a defective axle bearing bracket on the Mercedes-Benz Actros 963 and Arocs 964 trucks. The axle bearing keeps the function of guiding the rear axle in the longitudinal direction of the truck. If the axle bearing bracket loosens (typically after 600,000 km), screws or nuts may be lost. This could cause the axle to become misaligned, affecting driving and braking functions and could increase the risk of an accident. The affected trucks were made available for sale from 2022 onwards. DTSA identified that One Thousand Five Hundred and Thirty-Eight (1 538) affected trucks remain outstanding for repair.

MERCEDES-BENZ BUSES

This affects model 2445 Mercedes-Benz buses. The engines of the affected buses may have missing or incorrect parameters and wiring configurations that could affect the performance of the Aftertreatment System (ATS) and result in the bus not fully complying with applicable particulate and NOx emission requirements.  The affected buses were made available for sale from 2025 onwards. Eight (8) buses are yet to be presented for inspection and remediation.

FUSO FJ

The affected FUSO FJ trucks were made available for sale from 2022 onwards. The supplier identified that excessive stress may be applied to the high-pressure fuel pipes due to a combination of vibration and surface abnormalities. The fuel pipes may crack at the bend regions and, in the worst case, may result in fuel leakage. Nine Hundred and Sixty-Six (966) trucks are yet to be repaired.

FUSO FIGHTER FK, FM AND FN

The affected FUSO Fighter FK, FM and FN trucks were made available for sale from 2017 onwards. On the affected trucks, the supplier identified oxidation on an electrical contact surface, 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. Of the affected trucks, Eight Hundred and fifteen (815) trucks are yet to be repaired.   

FUSO CANTER FE7-150 AND FE8-150

Affected FUSO Canter FE7-150 and FE8-150 trucks were made available for sale from 2022 onwards. The supplier identified a software issue affecting certain functions of the LCD display on the instrument cluster. The LCD screen may black out or fade if the ignition key is turned on and off in a short period of time, resulting in important vehicle information being unavailable to the driver. The display may fade out if cabin temperature goes up to approximately 60 degrees Celsius. One hundred and Twenty-Four (124) trucks are yet to be repaired.

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.

Questions and queries relating to this recall may be directed to: ProductRecall@thencc.org.za.

Ends

Issued by: National Consumer Commission (NCC)

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