Owners of the Toyota Land Cruiser LC300 in Eswatini have been placed on high alert following an urgent safety recall issued by the COMESA Competition and Consumer Commission. The recall, dated March 25, 2026, involves 1,846 vehicles supplied by Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) across the region.
The recall targets a specific production window, affecting vehicles manufactured between January 8, 2025, and January 16, 2026. According to technical documentation released by the commission, the defect centers on a software programming error within the Transmission Electronic Control Unit (T-ECU) that governs the vehicle’s 10-speed automatic transmission.
The COMESA Commission’s Director of Consumer Welfare and Advocacy, Steven Kamukama, confirmed that the glitch prevents the transmission from correctly detecting and reporting gear shifts. Under certain driving conditions, this can lead to the engine over-revving or a sudden loss of motive power while the vehicle is in motion.
The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has further warned that the defect could result in transmission fluid leaks. In a worst-case scenario, the combination of leaked fluid and an ignition source presents a significant fire risk, while the loss of power at high speeds poses an immediate threat of collision.
Owners of the affected LC300 models are urged to contact authorized Toyota dealerships in Eswatini immediately to schedule a repair. The corrective action involves a software update to the Transmission ECU to ensure the system accurately monitors gear positions.
The commission has mandated that this service be provided at no cost to the consumer. COMESA is currently working with member state regulators to ensure all affected chassis numbers are tracked, emphasizing that the recall is a proactive measure to prevent potential road fatalities and property damage.