Chinese Car Giant Puts Wheels on Backward, BYD Apologizes
BYD apologized on November 11 after fitting front and rear wheels the wrong way round on some Great Tang SUVs built this year. The company says there is no safety risk, owners can seek replacements, and warranties will restart. The number of affected cars is unknown.
BYD, the world's biggest maker of electric cars, apologized on Wednesday, November 11, 2026 for fitting wheels the wrong way round on some of its Great Tang SUVs. The Chinese car giant puts the cause down to an assembly mistake.
Narrower front-wheel tyres and rims were fixed to the back of some Great Tang vehicles built this year. Wider rear-wheel tyres went on the front.
What BYD said
Drivers exposed the error by complaining about it. Some raised concerns about higher wear and tear or possible safety problems.
BYD insisted on Wednesday that the problem posed no safety risk. It said the production mix-up behind it had been fixed.
Owners have been told they can seek replacements and that their warranties will be restarted. BYD has not said how many vehicles are affected.
The car and its market
The Great Tang is a seven-seater. In China it sells for 239,900 yuan (£27,000) and is seen as key to the carmaker's ambitions to capture more of the premium market.
It has a range of 333 miles. Listed features include leather interiors, seats with heating and massage functions, voice control and four air conditioning zones.
The SUV is not yet available in Europe. It is expected to be rolled out more widely next year.
A run of quality problems
The wheel mix-up follows other setbacks. Last month BYD recalled 183,211 vehicles to fix a defect affecting brake pedal parts, a recall that also covered Tang cars produced from 2014 to 2022.
In Australia, BYD recalled 32,000 Shark 6 cars to address spare wheels that were falling off.
None of this has dented demand in Britain. BYD's UK sales have risen by 80pc in the last year, and it now accounts for more than one in 20 cars sold there.
Legal fight with Jaguar Land Rover
BYD is also locked in a dispute with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) over claims that its Ti7 SUV is a "copycat" of the Land Rover Defender. Bailiffs have seized documents from BYD's Dutch offices as part of the legal battle.
JLR reportedly wants evidence that BYD sought to copy the Defender's design rather than merely build a similar-looking car. A Dutch judge was expected to rule on Wednesday on whether the seizure was proportionate and lawful.
