BYD is recalling 183,000 vehicles in China due to a braking issue

BYD is recalling 183,211 vehicles of the Qin and Tang models in China. The reason is a potentially faulty component on the brake pedal, which could cause the brake lights to remain activated continuously in extreme cases. Nio also has to repair several hundred Firefly vehicles due to a problem with the power steering system.

The 2022 model year of the BYD Tang is also affected by this recall.

Photo: Johannes Schleicher & Felix Hamer

According to China’s market regulator, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), the BYD recall affects vehicles from the Qin and Tang model series produced between 2014 and 2022. Reports from news agency Reuters indicate that a batch of brake pedal shock absorbers (due to a manufacturing defect) may experience wear or separation over time.

In extreme cases, this could cause the brake lights to remain on even when the brake pedal is not pressed. Other road users might mistakenly assume braking is occurring, which is why authorities consider it a safety risk. BYD plans to replace the affected components free of charge at authorized dealerships.

This action comes just a few weeks after an exceptionally large wave of recalls in the Chinese auto market. In August, the SAMR issued measures against a total of eleven manufacturers. More than four million vehicles were affected solely due to issues with the visibility or operability of mechanical door emergency release mechanisms, including models from Tesla, Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng, and Zeekr. However, there is no technical connection to the current BYD recall.

BYD itself is back on a growth trajectory after a weaker start to the year. In August, the manufacturer sold 440,293 New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), meaning pure electric cars and plug-in hybrids, worldwide. With 256,230 battery-electric vehicles, BYD exceeded the one-quarter million BEV mark for the first time in a single month. While sales in its home Chinese market were below last year’s level recently, exports have seen significant growth.

Alongside the BYD recall, the SAMR announced another measure regarding Nio. 686 Firefly electric cars are affected. There is a manufacturing defect in a component of the steering system, which could lead to the failure of electric power steering in extreme cases. Nio plans to inspect the affected vehicles and replace the faulty wiring harness free of charge if necessary.