Chery Auto will recall more than 53,000 Omoda series and Tiggo 5x vehicles in China over a potential defect affecting the rear axle assembly. According to a notice published by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on Friday, the recall covers 53,882 vehicles manufactured between June 6, 2022, and December 31, 2023, and will begin on November 27.
The issue stems from a manufacturing flaw that may have resulted in inadequate welding between the rear axle’s trailing arm and sleeve on certain vehicles. In severe cases, the weld could crack or separate, potentially leading to a loss of wheel control, increasing the likelihood of a crash and creating a safety risk.
Chery will carry out free inspections of the rear axle production date codes in all affected vehicles and replace the rear axles at no cost if they are identified as belonging to the defective batch.
The latest recall in China follows a similar safety incident involving Chery vehicles in an overseas market last month.
On October 6, the rear axle of a 2023 Omoda 5 reportedly detached while the vehicle was being driven in Malaysia. The incident led local authorities to suspend the model’s certification and halt new vehicle registrations. Subsequently, Chery announced a local recall covering 8,878 Omoda 5 SUVs.
Chery stated on October 11 that certain vehicles from the affected production batch may have insufficient weld strength in specific areas of the rear axle trailing arm. The company subsequently initiated a special safety inspection program covering Omoda 5 vehicles from the same production batch in China and other relevant international markets.
This was the second rear axle-related recall involving the Omoda 5 in Malaysia. In April 2024, Chery recalled 600 vehicles for inspection after a similar incident involving rear axle detachment was reported in the country. An investigation at the time identified improper calibration of the rear axle welding equipment as the cause.
Launched in China in 2022, the Omoda 5 struggled to gain traction in its domestic market, with monthly sales falling below 1,000 units from 2023. The model was subsequently discontinued in China, with Chery shifting its focus towards overseas markets. International markets have since become a major contributor to Chery’s growth. According to data compiled by CnEVPost, the Chery Group recorded cumulative sales of 2,502,723 vehicles in the first 10 months of this year, representing a 9.34% increase from the same period last year.
Exports accounted for a significant share of this growth, reaching 1,751,766 vehicles during the January-October period, up 64.8% year-on-year. Overseas shipments represented approximately 70% of the group’s total sales during the period.
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