BYD admits wheel mix-up on Great Tang electric SUV
BYD has apologized for swapping the front and rear wheels on some Great Tang electric SUVs. The company says it will replace the wheels for free and restart the warranty clock for affected owners.
- BYD apologized for installing the front and rear wheels in the wrong positions on some Great Tang SUVs (sold as the Datang in China).
- The error came from a wheel assembly supplier in China's Hubei province, which has since added a visual inspection step on the line.
- BYD says there is no safety risk, but it will still replace the wheels for free and restart the warranty period from the beginning.
- The SUV starts at around 40,000 USD and has received 150,000 orders in the Chinese market.
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The issue started with owner complaints
BYD has issued an apology over an assembly error on some of its newly launched Great Tang electric SUVs. The model is called the Datang in China. According to Bloomberg, several owners reported that the wider wheel rims, meant for the rear axle, had been fitted to the front.
Conversely, the narrower rims that should sit on the front axle were mounted at the rear. This is a case of the two wheel sets being swapped, not a design flaw in the vehicle.
Cause and fix
The company posted its apology on the social network Weibo and said it opened an investigation after receiving complaints from owners. The trace-back showed the mistake originated with the supplier handling wheel assembly, which is located in Hubei province.
BYD says the problem has been resolved. The supplier has also added a visual inspection step on the production line. As a result, vehicles leaving the factory from now on should not have the same error.
Compensation and market plans
BYD did not say how many vehicles were affected. The company insists the swapped wheels pose no safety risk. Even so, the affected vehicles will get new wheels at no cost. Owners can choose a replacement vehicle or be reimbursed for transportation costs while their car is being repaired. The warranty period is also being reset from the start.
The Great Tang launched in March at a starting price of around 40,000 USD. The electric SUV has received 150,000 orders in its home market. BYD plans to bring it to Europe and Asian markets outside China later this year or in early 2027.
BYD's decision to disclose the cause, name the faulty step in its supply chain, and offer compensation is a approach worth noting. What to watch next is the number of affected vehicles, which the company has not yet published. As the Great Tang heads toward export, quality control at component suppliers will face closer scrutiny from buyers in new markets.
Source: Engadget
Reviewed by: Hero Association
