Chery recalls 54,000 Omoda and Tiggo cars in China over faulty rear axle welds, weeks after an Omoda 5 lost its back wheels in Johor Bahru

Why is Chery recalling cars in China? Because the rear axles on tens of thousands of its vehicles may have poor welds that can fail. Chinese carmaker Chery Automobile has recalled 53,882 Omoda and Tiggo brand vehicles produced between 6 June 2022 and 31 December 2023, according to a notice from China's State Administration for Market Regulation published on Friday 6 November, The Business Times reported. In extreme cases, the notice said, the welds may fail and cause a loss of vehicle control.

The Chinese recall follows a chain of events in Malaysia, where an Omoda 5 lost its entire rear suspension, axle and wheels on a Johor Bahru road last month. Malaysia's transport authority suspended sales of the model and launched a technical investigation, and Chery recalled thousands of cars there. Owners across Southeast Asia, where Chinese brands have rapidly gained market share, are now asking whether their cars are safe.

What the Chinese recall covers

The notice from China's State Administration for Market Regulation covers the Tiggo 5x sport utility vehicle and Omoda models, although it does not specify which Omoda cars are involved. It said the vehicles may have poor welds because of issues in the rear axle manufacturing process, and that in extreme cases the welds could fail and cause a loss of control.

Chery will notify owners if replacement is needed and carry out the work free of charge. Recalls in China are common and are often triggered by findings in other markets as well as at home, and this one comes weeks after a widely publicised failure in Malaysia that drew attention to the same component.

The Business Times has asked Chery whether vehicles in Asia Pacific markets, including Singapore, are affected by the Chinese recall. Chery has not said whether the Chinese and Malaysian recalls stem from the same problem.

What happened in Johor Bahru

On 6 October, an Omoda 5 near Aeon Mall Tebrau City in Johor Bahru lost its entire rear suspension, axle and wheels, an incident that spread widely on social media in Malaysia. Chery subsequently recalled 8,878 Omoda 5 cars in Malaysia, and the Road Transport Department, known as JPJ, suspended sales of the model and began a technical investigation. It is understood this involves Omodas assembled in Malaysia.

It was not the first problem. A 2024 Omoda 5 recall in Malaysia was traced to incomplete welds on components caused by equipment miscalibration, with parts replaced in 60 cars. Together, the 2024 and 2026 Malaysian recalls cover about 9,500 cars, and both involved rear axle defects.

Omoda entered the Malaysian market in July 2023 and quickly became one of the more visible Chinese brands on Malaysian roads, offering stylish crossovers at competitive prices. The incidents are a setback for a brand that has relied on value and design to win buyers from established Japanese and Korean marques.

A car can survive a bad review. A wheel falling off on a public road is a different kind of headline, and Chinese brands in Southeast Asia now know how fast it travels.

Is your Omoda or Tiggo affected?

Owners should check carefully. The key points are:

• in China, the recall covers Tiggo 5x and some Omoda vehicles built from June 2022 to December 2023
• in Malaysia, the October recall covered 8,878 Omoda 5 cars, mostly understood to be locally assembled
• in Singapore, agent Vertex Automobile said all cars sold there are made in China and not affected by the October Malaysian recall
• owners in any market should check with their official dealer using their vehicle identification number

Chery says it will contact owners if a replacement is needed, but owners do not have to wait. Warning signs of suspension or axle trouble can include unusual noises from the rear, vibration, pulling to one side or uneven tyre wear, and anyone who notices them should have the car inspected promptly.

Omoda entered the Singapore market in May 2024. Whether any Singapore cars fall within the Chinese recall's production dates and models remains to be confirmed by Chery.

What it means for Chinese carmakers in Southeast Asia

Chinese carmakers have expanded rapidly across Southeast Asia, from electric cars in Thailand and Indonesia to petrol and hybrid crossovers in Malaysia. They have won buyers with technology, design and price. But quality and after sales support are where reputations are made or lost, especially for brands that are new to the region.

Recalls handled quickly and openly can build trust. Delays or unclear communication can do the opposite. Chery's decision to recall cars in China weeks after the Malaysian incident suggests it is taking the issue seriously, but its silence on whether the recalls are linked leaves owners uncertain.

The timing is sensitive. Thailand is raising taxes on imported EVs, Chinese brands are expanding fast, and regulators are paying closer attention to cars made by newcomers. We examined how Thailand is responding to the flood of Chinese cars in our report on Thailand's new 35 percent EV import tax.

The pressure on Chinese carmakers to sell abroad is intense. Domestic car sales in China fell for a 12th straight month in October while exports kept growing, as we reported in our analysis of China's trillion dollar trade surplus. That push makes quality control in overseas markets more important, not less.

What regulators and buyers should watch

For Malaysia's JPJ, the technical investigation will determine when Omoda 5 sales can resume and whether further action is needed. Its findings will also show whether the problem lies in design, in a specific factory or in a supplier's process, which matters for owners elsewhere.

For buyers across the region, the episode is a reminder to check recall histories before buying, to register vehicles with official dealers so they receive recall notices, and to treat unusual noises or handling seriously. Chinese cars now account for a large share of new sales in several Southeast Asian markets, so how their makers handle defects matters to millions of drivers.

For Chery, rebuilding confidence will depend on clear answers: which cars are affected in each market, what caused the defects, and what it is doing to prevent them. Until then, the image of an Omoda without its rear wheels in Johor Bahru will be hard to shake.

Chery's recall of about 54,000 cars in China widens a problem that first surfaced on a Johor road. The company is fixing cars for free, but owners and regulators across Southeast Asia want to know whether the defects are linked and how many cars are affected in each market. As Chinese brands grow in the region, how they handle moments like this will shape their reputations for years.