BYD recalls 183,211 older Tang and Qin vehicles in China over brake pedal stopper defect

• The recall covers 183,211 vehicles whose brake pedal stoppers could break and detach, leaving brake lights on even when the pedal is not pressed.
• The recall affects certain vehicles produced between 2014 and 2022.

BYD (HKEX: 1211) is recalling 183,211 Tang and Qin series vehicles in China because material defects in some brake pedal stoppers could cause brake lights to remain on.

The recall takes effect immediately and covers certain vehicles produced between 2014 and 2022, according to a notice released by China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on Friday.

Manufacturing issues caused material abnormalities in certain batches of brake pedal stoppers, which could crack and deteriorate after prolonged use, the notice said.

In extreme cases, the stoppers could detach, leaving the brake lights illuminated even when the driver is not pressing the brake pedal. This could send misleading signals to vehicles behind and pose a safety risk.

The Tang series recall covers 142,895 vehicles, including the Tang, the all-new-generation Tang DM and the all-new-generation Tang EV.

These include 58,026 Tang vehicles produced between March 28, 2015, and December 21, 2018.

Another 77,846 all-new-generation Tang DM vehicles were produced between May 19, 2018, and January 14, 2022, while 7,023 all-new-generation Tang EV vehicles were built between December 27, 2018, and October 25, 2021.

The Qin series recall covers 40,316 vehicles produced between June 27, 2014, and June 9, 2019.

BYD will have authorized dealers replace the affected stoppers with improved parts free of charge. Vehicles that have already received the improved parts will not need another replacement.

The Tang and Qin are among BYD's earliest model series, but both recorded year-on-year sales declines in the first 8 months of this year.

Tang series sales totaled 67,278 vehicles from January through August, down 34.96% year-on-year, while Qin series sales fell 52.88% to 184,117 vehicles, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.

BYD's overall sales have recovered recently. The company sold 440,293 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in August, up 17.84% year-on-year, marking its fourth consecutive month of annual growth and its highest monthly total this year.