BYD, China’s premier new energy vehicle (NEV) maker, is recalling 96,714 Dolphin and Yuan Plus vehicles due to a potential fire risk. The recall was announced in a statement by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on its website.
As per the SAMR, the recall affects two groups of vehicles that were produced by two BYD operating entities. BYD Auto Industry Co Ltd, for one, will be recalling 87,762 Dolphin and Yuan Plus EVs produced between February 4, 2023, and December 26, 2023. BYD Auto Co Ltd, on the other hand, is recalling 8,952 Yuan Plus electric vehicles that were produced between November 2, 2022, and June 19, 2023, as noted in a CNEV Post report.
BYD’s recall is caused by a manufacturing defect in the Column-Assist Electric Power Steering (CEPS) controller of affected Dolphin and Yuan Plus vehicles. As per the SAMR, the capacitor on the controller’s circuit board could develop microcracks.
When vehicles are in use, the capacitor microcracks might expand and trigger a short circuit. This could then result in the capacitor overheating and burning. In extreme cases, this fault could lead to a vehicle fire.
To address the issue, BYD will be providing repairs to affected customer vehicles. Authorized BYD dealers would be retrofitting affected Dolphin and Yuan Plus units with controller insulation gaskets, which should eliminate the safety issue. The repairs will be performed at no cost to vehicle owners.
The recall comes as BYD continues to expand its market share in China. The company has so far sold an impressive 373,083 NEVs in August 2024, which represents a new record. BYD has also sold a total of 2,328,449 NEVs in the January to August 2024 period, up 29.92% year-over-year.
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