Another Omoda 5 axle failure puts Chery’s 2024 fix under scrutiny

Chery has a problem to explain. Malaysia is recalling 8,878 Omoda 5 SUVs after a rear axle detached from one vehicle in Johor Bahru on 6 October. It is the second time in two years that a similar failure has drawn attention to the model. In 2024, Chery inspected 600 Omoda 5 vehicles following an axle failure. The company traced the fault to a welding problem at a supplier’s factory and identified 60 vehicles fitted with affected components.

Chery said it had fixed the problem and closed the inspection campaign in June that year. The latest incident raises the question of whether the two cases are connected. The current recall covers older petrol-powered Omoda 5 C and H variants in Malaysia. Owners are being offered free inspections and replacement of affected components where necessary. The country's Road Transport Department has also temporarily suspended type approval and new registrations for the affected model while investigations continue.

The earlier fault was traced to welding

Chery’s explanation in 2024 was specific. A worn welding tip at a component supplier had been replaced, but the equipment was not properly recalibrated. Some rear-axle components were left with incomplete welds. The affected vehicles were assembled between 14 and 17 August 2023. Chery identified 60 vehicles fitted with components produced on 15 August. The company said corrective work had been completed. The new case has brought that earlier investigation back into focus, although Chery has not publicly confirmed that the latest failure has the same cause.

The distinction matters. A second incident involving the same part does not, by itself, prove that the original repair was unsuccessful. The investigation will need to establish whether the latest vehicle had the same defect, a different manufacturing fault or a component from another production batch.

What about Omoda 5 owners in South Africa?

The Malaysian recall does not automatically mean that every Omoda 5 sold elsewhere is affected. Chery is checking vehicles in other export markets that share components from the affected production batches. South African owners who want to check their vehicles should contact Chery South Africa or an authorised dealer with their vehicle identification number (VIN).

They should ask specifically whether their vehicle falls within any affected production batch. The recall covers the older petrol-powered model. The facelifted Chery O5 uses a different rear suspension design, and the electric Omoda E5 is not included in the announced Malaysian campaign.

Chery needs to establish what went wrong

For the owners involved, the immediate issue is getting their vehicles checked and any faulty components replaced. For Chery, the harder question is why another axle failure has occurred after the earlier campaign was declared complete.

The Malaysian investigation is examining the vehicle’s assembly, supplier components and quality-control procedures. Its findings should clarify whether the two incidents share a cause and whether further action is needed in other markets. Until then, it would be premature to say the 2024 fix failed. But Chery will need to provide a clear explanation of the latest failure and tell owners whether their vehicles require attention.