Battery failure forces BYD to recall 88,000 Qin Plus DM-i units
Asian manufacturer BYD has started a mass return process involving 88,981 units of the Qin Plus DM-i hybrid sedan in the Chinese market. The corrective procedure covers vehicles assembled between January 2021 and September 2023, motivated by an anomaly detected in the lithium battery pack. This technical failure compromises the operational safety of cars and requires immediate intervention from the company to avoid traffic accidents.
The affected model represents one of the automaker’s sales pillars, responsible for popularizing plug-in hybrid technology by offering competitive prices compared to traditional combustion cars. The size of this call highlights the logistical challenges that giants in the electrical sector face in maintaining quality control amidst an accelerated production pace, seeking to balance volume of deliveries with the safety of high-voltage components.
On the same topic: Risk of electrical failure leads BYD to recall 89,000 cars in China
Origin of wiring harness failure and fire hazards
The Chinese regulatory body, known as the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), made the call official after identifying inconsistencies in the manufacturing of the voltage acquisition wiring harness. This specific component experiences abnormal pressures within the high-voltage package due to variations on the assembly line. With natural wear and tear from daily use, the part loses its physical integrity and starts sending incorrect data to the vehicle management system.
Failed communication between modules results in inaccurate readings about the state of charge and health of individual power cells. The driver runs the risk of suffering an abrupt cut in power delivery to the electric motor, causing the car to stop suddenly on high-speed roads. In extreme degradation scenarios, the internal short circuit drastically increases the system’s temperature, creating an environment conducive to serious thermal events, technical jargon used by the industry to describe fires that are difficult to control.
Action plan involves remote updates and physical repairs
To resolve the vulnerability, the brand’s engineering team structured an approach divided into two complementary steps. The initial phase consists of sending a software package via the internet, known as an OTA update, directly to the on-board computers of cars connected to 4G or 5G networks. The new code improves monitoring algorithms, allowing the system to identify wiring anomalies early and display visual alerts on the instrument panel.
More on this story: Battery failure forces BYD to recall almost 90,000 units of the Qin Plus sedan in China
The second phase requires owners to visit the authorized dealer network for a tactile and visual inspection of the component. Specialized mechanics will partially disassemble the energy compartment to check the condition of the electrical harness. If any sign of crushing or premature wear is found, the part will be replaced at no cost to the consumer, ensuring the restoration of original factory standards.
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The customer relationship department will begin sending individual notifications through the brand’s official app and physical mail. Drivers also have the option of checking the need for repair by entering the vehicle identification number (VIN) on the company’s website. The automaker reinforces the urgency of scheduling to guarantee the long-term integrity of passengers and avoid mechanical failures during trips.
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Sequence of summons exposes pressure on Chinese suppliers
The incident with the hybrid sedan adds to a growing list of technical problems faced by the company in the last few months of operation. In the second half of the year alone, the company had to recall hundreds of thousands of cars due to different risks associated with the electric propulsion system. This volume of simultaneous repairs reflects Beijing authorities’ increasing strictness on the safety of new energy vehicles.
- In October, more than 115 thousand units of Tang DM-i and Yuan Pro utility vehicles returned to workshops due to the danger of fire in the battery module.
- In September, an overheating defect in the power converter forced the repair of 96,000 Dolphin and Yuan Plus cars.
- The sum of the three recent campaigns exceeds the mark of 300 thousand vehicles collected in an interval of less than ninety days.
Government scrutiny is not just restricted to automakers, it also affects giant power cell suppliers such as CATL and CALB. The Chinese government is working to standardize manufacturing processes and prevent serial failures from damaging global consumer confidence. Maintaining Asian leadership in the global energy transition directly depends on mitigating these industrial risks and transparency in resolving defects.
Learn more: Serious battery failure forces BYD to recall almost 90,000 cars
Volume of registrations ignores operational turbulence
The negative publicity generated by the assembly failures had no visible impact on the financial statement or public acceptance of the brand. October’s commercial performance reports reveal the sale of more than 441,000 automobiles worldwide, setting a new monthly record for the manufacturer. This continued growth demonstrates the resilience of demand for electrified vehicles in the Asian market, where state incentives continue to drive fleet changes.
Plug-in hybrid models led buyers’ preference, registering 214 thousand units delivered and a jump of 31% in the annual comparison. The line of fully electric cars also maintained a strong pace, reaching 223 thousand registrations in the same period. The combination of extended autonomy by the combustion engine with the economy of electric propulsion consolidates the company’s commercial strategy in the face of traditional competitors who are still struggling to make their batteries cheaper.
