OMODA 5 Overseas Recall of 8,878 Vehicles: Multi-Market Risk Inspection Launched Simultaneously

Recently, Chery Automobile announced export data for the first three quarters of 2026: Cumulative exports reached 1.5512 million vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 65.6%, exceeding the total export volume of the entire year of 2025; September's single-month exports hit 207,800 vehicles, setting a new record for single-month exports by Chinese automakers, accounting for nearly 70% of total sales. As the enterprise ranked first in China passenger car exports for 23 consecutive years, this achievement reflects the favorable development trend of Chinese automakers going global.

However, at the same time this data was released, a vehicle malfunction involving the OMODA 5 in the Malaysian market also drew attention. It highlighted that while sales are growing, product quality and production control also require continued focus.

On October 6, a 2023 model OMODA 5 driving normally in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, experienced tearing of the rear axle trailing arm. The rear axle detached from the body along with two rear wheels, leaving the vehicle stopped in the middle of the road. Fortunately, no personnel injuries were sustained. On the evening of October 11, Chery released an official statement. Investigations revealed that local welding positions on the rear axle trailing arms of this batch of vehicles had insufficient welding strength, posing a risk of weld seam tearing under extreme conditions. The enterprise has now cooperated with the Malaysian Land Transport Authority to initiate a recall of 8,878 affected OMODA 5 vehicles, inspecting parts and providing free replacements based on actual conditions.

This is not the first time such issues have arisen with the OMODA 5 in Malaysia. In April 2024, local owners reported rear axle breakages while driving. Chery subsequently recalled 600 vehicles locally. The investigation concluded that after the supplier replaced the welding torch, calibration was not done properly, leading to welding defects on the rear axle. Ultimately, 60 defective vehicles were identified and the rear axles were replaced. At that time, local regulators did not issue a sales suspension, and the matter gradually subsided.

More than two years later, a failure occurred in the same location again, with the severity and scope being wider than last time. The breakage evolved from a single side to overall rear axle detachment, and the recall scale expanded from 600 vehicles to 8,878, an increase of nearly 15 times. Rumors suggest local regulators also adopted stricter handling methods: directly suspending the OMODA 5 model certification. Until the technical investigation is completed, this model cannot be registered, nor can it continue to be sold. Meanwhile, a comprehensive review of the supply chain was launched, verifying risk vehicles one by one according to part numbers, production batches, and VINs, examining the quality control and welding inspection processes of the whole vehicle production assembly and component suppliers.

There is still one question that remains unanswered: Are the vehicles experiencing failures this time within the recall scope of the 600 vehicles from 2024? If within scope, it suggests vehicles repaired back then still carry risks, and the previous rectification plan may not have fully resolved the issue; if outside scope, it indicates the risk batch scope determined at the time was not accurate enough, meaning more hidden risk vehicles existed than previously estimated.

Regardless of the answer, this reminds us that the significance of a recall is not just fixing already sold problematic vehicles, but more importantly feeding the problem back into the production process and quality verification procedures, plugging management loopholes, and avoiding the repetition of the same issues. If this link is not executed properly, the higher the vehicle sales volume, the greater the potential risk scope.

The Malaysian market holds significant importance for Chery. The dual-brand entry of OMODA and JAECOO into the local market has been less than two years, yet cumulative sales have already broken through 30,000 vehicles, ranking in the top three among non-local brands. With the model certification suspended, the impact is not just the cost of parts replacement for over 8,000 vehicles, but also affects brand reputation in the local market and the advancement of subsequent business.

It needs to be explained that the involved 2023 model OMODA 5 had already ceased production in September 2025, replaced by the CHERY O5 which features a multi-link independent suspension. Therefore, this certification suspension will not affect currently on-sale models, but the impact of the event on brand reputation will not be limited to this discontinued model.

Looking deeper, when exports transform from an "incremental supplement" for automakers to a "core component" accounting for nearly 70%, a product failure that attracts attention produces impacts not limited to a single brand or single market. Many overseas consumers' impressions of products are often linked with the overall image of the place of origin. The quality issues of individual enterprises might also affect overseas consumers' overall impression of Chinese automobiles.

Currently, Chery has initiated risk inspections for the same batch of OMODA 5 models in domestic and relevant markets, though it has not yet specified which markets and how many vehicles are involved.

Subsequent progress is worth continued attention: When will the domestic inspection results be announced, and will formal recall procedures be initiated; are the root causes of the two recalls over two years consistent, and whether the rectification back then effectively plugged the process loopholes from the source.

Chinese automakers going global have today reached the milestone of million-level export volume, which is a very difficult achievement to realize. As the scale of going global continues to expand, the tests are not just on market expansion capabilities, but also on the stability of quality systems, supply chain control levels, compliance capabilities facing overseas regulators, and the openness and transparency of handling problems. Selling high volume is capability, but ensuring product stability, moving steadily and far, is a long-term topic that needs more attention. This is not only a problem Chery needs to face, but also a common thought for all Chinese automakers going global.

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