Malaysian BYD Vehicles Unaffected by China Market Recall, Confirms Sime Darby Motors

Sime Darby Motors confirms that BYD vehicles sold in Malaysia are not affected by the recall in China.

Sime Darby Motors, the official distributor of BYD vehicles in Malaysia, has issued a reassuring statement to local customers following recent news of a recall affecting BYD models in China. The company emphasizes that BYD vehicles sold in Malaysia are not impacted by the recall announcement, which is exclusively limited to the Chinese market.

The recall in China involves nearly 100,000 units of BYD Dolphin and Yuan Plus (marketed as the Atto 3 here) models, two of the brand’s most popular electric vehicles.

According to China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), the recall addresses an issue with the column-assist electric power steering (CEPS) controller in affected vehicles. Manufacturing defects have resulted in microcracks on capacitors inside the controller, which could potentially expand and short the controller’s circuits, leading to overheating or fire risks.

The recall encompasses two distinct batches of vehicles:

1. 87,762 Dolphin and Yuan Plus units manufactured by BYD Automobile Industry Co. Ltd between February 4 and December 26, 2023
2. 8,952 Yuan Plus vehicles produced by BYD Automobile Co. Ltd from November 2, 2022, to June 19, 2023

It’s worth noting that in Malaysia, both the Atto 3 (Yuan Plus) and the Dolphin have gained significant popularity in the local market. Data.gov.my shows that nearly 5000 units of the Atto 3 and just over 2000 units of the Dolphin have been registered in Malaysia so far.

Sime Darby Motors’ statement highlights an important distinction between the affected vehicles and those sold in Malaysia. Malaysian units feature a right-hand drive (RHD) configuration, which typically utilizes different components compared to the left-hand drive (LHD) units produced for the Chinese domestic market.

The timing of this clarification is particularly relevant as BYD recently introduced the 2024 Atto 3 with enhanced specifications in Malaysia last month. The statement from Sime Darby Motors serves to alleviate any concerns that current or prospective BYD owners in Malaysia might have regarding the safety and reliability of their vehicles.

For affected vehicles in China, BYD dealers will install “controller insulation gaskets” free of charge to rectify the issue. However, Malaysian BYD owners can rest assured that their vehicles do not require this modification.