If you've bought a new Land Cruiser Prado in South Africa in the last couple of years, this one's worth a few minutes of your time. Toyota South Africa Motors has issued a safety recall covering 2,279 units of the popular SUV — a vehicle that's a staple on South African roads and a favourite for long road trips and overlanding.
The affected vehicles are Prados sold between 5 December 2023 and 7 August 2025. The problem sits in the instrument cluster: a software error in the combination meter means certain displays may not fully appear when the vehicle starts up. The 3D graphics micro controller unit can present a blank image in the 3D graphics area, which means gauges and warnings — including engine oil pressure, electrical charge, engine coolant temperature and other alert messages — may fail to show up for the driver.
That's a bigger deal than it might sound. On a long haul through the Karoo or up a gravel track in a game reserve, losing sight of oil pressure or coolant temperature warnings means you could be driving blind into an engine problem, which is the last thing you want hundreds of kilometres from the nearest town.
Toyota is asking owners to take their vehicles to the nearest authorised Toyota dealership for inspection and repair. All corrective work will be carried out free of charge. If you're unsure whether your Prado falls within the recall, you can check on Toyota's official website.
For travellers, the relevance is straightforward: the Prado is one of South Africa's go-to vehicles for family road trips, 4x4 adventures and camping escapes, and many holidaymakers will be driving rentals or their own units over the December season. If your car was bought in the affected window, book the fix before your next long trip — it costs nothing and takes the guesswork out of whether your warning lights will actually warn you. If you're renting a Prado for an upcoming trip, it's reasonable to ask the rental company whether the vehicle has been checked under the recall.
