Omoda 5 loses its rear axle, then its approval in Malaysia
JOHANNESBURG — A rear axle failure involving a Chery Omoda 5 in Malaysia has brought manufacturing quality and recall accountability into focus as Chinese automakers expand across Africa. Malaysian authorities have temporarily suspended approval and new registrations for potentially affected models after a vehicle’s rear axle detached with both rear wheels attached.
The incident has relevance for South African motorists, where Omoda sells the C5 range and Chery has a growing commercial presence. Chery reported selling 2,763 passenger vehicles locally in August, placing it fourth in the passenger-car market. However, the Malaysian investigation has not established that South African vehicles contain the affected components or belong to the same production batches.
Malaysia’s Road Transport Department, known as JPJ, announced its action on 11 October after footage emerged of the damaged SUV in Johor Bahru. Chery must identify at-risk vehicles using component numbers, production batches and chassis numbers. The regulator will also audit manufacturing processes, axle suppliers, quality controls and welding inspections before deciding whether approval can be restored.
Chery Malaysia has announced a recall for affected Omoda 5 C and H variants, offering free inspections and component replacements where necessary. Owners can check their vehicle identification numbers through the company’s website. The manufacturer apologised but did not disclose the campaign’s total vehicle count or completion date.
A similar Malaysian axle failure prompted a recall involving 600 vehicles in 2024. Chery attributed that earlier problem to miscalibrated welding equipment at a supplier. Investigators have not confirmed whether the latest incident shares that cause. The newer Malaysian Chery O5 uses a different rear suspension arrangement and remains on sale.
For African markets, the case highlights the importance of tracing defective parts across borders and communicating clearly with owners. Chery has said it intends to establish South Africa as a hub for African manufacturing, exports and regional operations. That expansion makes supplier oversight, accessible repairs and effective recall systems an increasingly significant part of its responsibilities to local customers.
The failure of one model does not establish that Chinese-made vehicles generally are unsafe. It does provide a concrete test of how a manufacturer identifies affected cars, explains the risk and delivers repairs. South African owners need model-specific and batch-specific information before conclusions can be drawn about their vehicles.
TownPress has not established a corresponding South African recall or registration suspension in the material reviewed. Any local implications require confirmation from Omoda South Africa about whether the components under investigation were fitted to vehicles supplied here.
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