BYD led the list of the most complained models last month according to the customer complaint tracker, 12365Auto.com. Plug-in hybrid models, Song Plus, Han and Tang topped the list of the most complained models with customers being unhappy about “hybrid mode switch issues”. Shenzhen manufacturer had two more models, Song Pro and Qin Plus, enter Top 10 of the month due to the issue.
The so called “hybrid mode switch issue” involves customers driving in electric mode with the car suddenly switching to internal combustion mode without the driver’s command. It turns out BYD warned of the issue in its vehicle manuals, saying that some of its models use atmospheric tanks, which become saturated with high-pressure particles that need to be cleaned by starting ICE mode in order to prevent the pollution of the air.
Atmospheric tanks already caused trouble for the leading Chinese carmaker in May, when Great Wall Motors accused it of using atmospheric tanks in Song Plus and Qin Plus plug-in hybrids because of which the models were non-compliant with pollution standards. BYD admitted some of its models are using the tanks, but explained that the tanks still meet the pollution standards due to the method explained in its manuals.
Last month, the complaints tracker received 18,225 customer feedbacks, 41.6% more than the last year same period. Plug-in hybrids made 44.2% of all complaints last month, gasoline vehicles followed with 44.11%, EVs were third with 6.68%. Domestic manufacturers dominated the complaints at 63.7% share, Sino-foreign joint ventures recorded almost half less complaints at 35.2%. Imported vehicles made the rest.
All these owner complaints, and yet we are not hearing about them being investigated, and leading to official vehicle recalls.
How does China do it?
Seems like “General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (GAQSIQ)” has a pretty easy job these days……, within a high pressure, high profile, industry.