BYD Apologizes After Great Tang SUVs Receive Misplaced Wheels

In a post on its Weibo account, BYD said an investigation traced the mix-up to Hubei Biaoyu Industrial, its wheel-rim supplier. The company said it had corrected the coding error, while the supplier had added visual inspections to help prevent a repeat.

BYD said its inspections found the incorrectly installed rims did not affect vehicle handling or create a driving safety risk. Owners concerned about the issue can have their vehicles inspected and the rims replaced free at BYD service centers. The automaker also said it would restart the full-vehicle warranty period for affected cars, effective immediately.

The issue surfaced after owners questioned the installation online, including whether it could cause uneven tire wear or affect safety. BYD did not say how many vehicles were involved or identify the production batches.

The incident comes as Chinese automakers face greater scrutiny over vehicle quality and durability. Retail passenger-car sales in China fell 27.1% year over year in October to 1.64 million units, according to the China Passenger Car Association. Nomura analysts recently described the market as entering a “knockout stage,” saying further consolidation and industry cooperation were increasingly necessary to restore sentiment.